People's Democracy

WEST BENGAL

Massive Response to Court Arrest Call

Special Correspondent

ON July 16 and 17, thousands of people participated in civil disobedience in West Bengal against the unprecedented price rises. While the programme was observed in districts on July 16, the Left Front observed it in Kolkata centrally on July 17.

The Left Front initiated a campaign against price rise and continuing attack on democracy from the 4th of this month. A village and area level intensive campaign was organised, followed by block and subdivision level deputations and demonstrations. The civil disobedience marked the peak of this campaign. The discontent among people against the spiralling price rise was evident in their truly mass participation in the programme. Huge rallies and public meetings took place in Burdwan, Berhampore, Balurghat, Chuchura, Siuri and other district headquarters on July 16. 

In Kolkata, CPI(M) state secretary Biman Basu, veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashoke Ghosh, Manjukumar Majumdar (CPI), Khiti Goswami (RSP) and Suryakanta Misra were among those who courted arrest, followed by streams of Left Front activists from Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas. In the public meeting just before the court arrest, Left leaders called for a wider movement. Biman Basu sharply criticised the inaction of the state government in controlling the price rise. Ashoke Ghosh said the state was now heading for a disaster; this should be prevented through struggle.

The Left Front has announced that there will be a continuous movement against price rise. There will be dharnas from July 30.  Throughout the month of August a massive campaign will be unleashed on the question of food security.

In the meantime, Left peasant organisations have started a signature campaign on their 14-point charter of demands which include fair prices for farmers and reduction of the prices of fertilisers and other agricultural inputs.