People's Democracy

WEST BENGAL

Terror Campaign As New Govt Takes Charge

From Our Special

Correspondent in Kolkata

WHAT a start! What a chilling ‘Change’!

In the first ten days of changed political scenario in West Bengal, 10 CPI(M) leaders and supporters have been brutally murdered, hundreds injured, and as many were forced to flee from their places of residence, particularly in rural areas.

In a clear signal of terrorising the people, the murders committed by Trinamool and Congress goons were as brutal as possible, in most cases the victims being beaten or hacked to death.

Those who were killed till this report goes to press are Comrades Jiten Nandy, zonal committee member of Garbeta, Ajit Lohar, member of Saltora local committee, Purnima Gharui of Raina, Dahuruddin of Chopra, Ramprabesh Roy and his wife Mundakala Roy, peasants of Durgapur, Md Khodarakha of Margram, Amal Samaddar of Baruipur, Mahabul Seikh and his 18-year-old-son Musaraff of Beldanga.

Take for example the case of Amal Samaddar, who was a popular village doctor. As the entire village was terrorised by TMC gangs, Samaddar took shelter in his daughter’s house for a few days. But he returned to the village, probably assured by the announcement of the new chief minister Mamata Banerjee. That was a mistake. An armed TMC gang attacked the village of Belgachi in Baruipr, South 24 Parganas. They assaulted a number of CPI(M) activists, including women before entering Samaddar’s house. The miscreants forcibly dragged him out and beaten him mercilessly until he was dead.

In Beldanga, Murshidabad district, Congress activists attacked the village of Kapashdanga. They started hurling bombs to scare the villagers and attacked the house of Mahabul Sheikh, a CPI(M) activist. They dragged him out and killed him with choppers. The 18-year old son of Mahabul, Musaraff tried to save his father. The goons threw him into a room and set fire to the room, burning Musaraff to death. The entire house burnt and all members of the family, including 77 year old father of Mahabul, suffered serious burn injuries.  Another CPI(M) supporter in Kajipara village under Shibpur PS of Howrah district, Sanjay Singh, was brutally attacked by a TMC gang of 25 people armed with sharp weapons on May 20. Similar reports of attacks and intimidations of various nature are pouring from different parts of the state.

There are also innumerable instances of houses of local CPI(M) and Left Front leaders being torched and looted. More than 200 hundred CPI(M) offices have been looted, ransacked or forcibly closed. In West Midnapore district, TMC armed gangs have attacked villages one after another and destroyed CPI(M) offices. They have also attacked Party zonal committee offices. CPI(M) state committee member and a veteran leader of the Party, Sheikh Israel, was attacked twice in a day in Ghatal in West Midnapore. TMC gangs along with police have also ransacked his house. Houses of Party leaders were attacked in Dharampur, Garbeta, Chandrakona, Jhargram. Even houses were forcibly occupied by TMC gangs.

Trinamool cadre indulged in violent attacks and forceful occupation of six CITU union offices in Mitsubishi, Marcus Oil, Lalbaba Seamless, IOC Marketing & Pipeline, PCL companies in Haldia industrial township and the Nirendranath Sramik Kalyan Bhavan in front of Haldia port. The Congress goons joined hands with TMC to capture TU office in Purba Kathalbari of Jalpaiguri using firearms. They hoisted Congress flag in that office on May 20.

The house of newly elected MLA from Aushgram, Basudev Mete, was attacked and his wife has sustained injuries. TMC miscreants cordoned his house but were forced to retreat after the villagers came out in protest. The house of another MLA, Basudev Khan, was attacked in Raina.

Many attacks were reported from Patrsayar in Bankura district. After severely beating up an agricultural labourer, Saital Lohar, near the Patrasayar bazaar, the Trinamoolis have shamefully urinated on his face. In Idilachak village, a 60 year old woman, Asiya Begum has been beaten up after tearing her clothes apart. Her son, Sarial Mallick, was also severely beaten up by the Trinamoolis. A 70-year old man, Kazi Abdul Rahman, was also physically attacked. In several other places like Grambera, Banshdah Kantadighi, Secundarchak, Rasulpur, Fakirdanga etc breathless terror has  been spread by the Trinamooli goons, which led to over 200 people leaving their respective localities. Fines have been imposed on agricultural labourers and common people for being CPI(M) supporters.  

In Kolkata, a large part of Beleghata and Topsia are under frightening terror. Many CPI(M) offices were attacked in Beleghata and CPI(M) activists were assaulted. TMC gangs have beaten up a local woman councillor when she tried to save a young activist of the Party. Ganashakti sellers were beaten and display boards were mutilated. Local residents have already sensed the fear of seventies, when Beleghata had been in the  headlines for murderous attacks on Left supporters.

The attacks on transport workers’ unions have sharpened and many unions have been forcibly occupied by hoodlums. In rural areas, the extortion of money under threat of dire consequences has become a common feature. Reports of forcible occupation of cultivable land by Trinamool activists have started to come from villages.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that there were ‘no political clashes’ in the state and ‘peace’ has set in. She was, in fact, right in saying so. There were no clashes, only a one-sided campaign of violence from the ruling party.