People's Democracy

PRAKASH KARAT WRITES TO PRESIDENT

Governor’s Statement Encouraged Anti-Left Goons

On April 11, 2013, Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), sent a letter to the president of India regarding the statement issued by the governor of West Bengal, Shri M K Narayanan. The text of the letter follows.

I AM writing to you regarding the statement issued by the governor of West Bengal, Shri M K Narayanan on April 10, 2013 regarding the incident outside the Planning Commission of India involving the chief minister and finance minister of West Bengal.

On the occasion of the chief minister of West Bengal visiting the Planning Commission on April 9, there was a demonstration organised by a number of organisations, including the CPI(M), to protest against the attitude of the West Bengal government towards the custodial death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta in Kolkata. In the course of this peaceful demonstration in the presence of the police, an untoward incident occurred with the finance minister, Amit Mitra. As soon as this happened, the CPI(M) and the organisers disapproved of this conduct and condemned it. The Polit Bureau of our party also announced that it will look into how this happened.  

But unfortunately, the West Bengal governor issued a statement  which is unwarranted and does not behove the post of the governor of a state. One can understand the governor condemning the incident. But Shri Narayanan has gone much beyond that and called it a "shocking premeditated assault on the chief minister, the finance minister and other senior ministers of West Bengal." He has gone further to state that "This kind of attack is unprecedented in India's modern history," and declared that "Those responsible for the attack and their instigators have forfeited their right to function within a democratic framework." He has also demanded a "public apology by the Politburo of the CPI (Marxist)."

The full text of the statement is attached for your perusal.

How is it that Shri Narayanan sitting in Raj Bhawan in Kolkata has come to the unfounded and totally baseless conclusion that there was a premeditated assault on the chief minister, the finance minister and others? In fact, the entire visual media showed how the chief minister entered and left the Yojana Bhawan without any hindrance. It is highly improper for the governor of a state, who holds a constitutional post, to declare that a political party or leaders have "forfeited their right to function within a democratic framework." 

All over the state of West Bengal, there are widespread attacks going on against the CPI(M) and the Left parties offices, leaders and cadres. The governor's statement has only encouraged these elements. 

As the president of India, it is for you to decide whether such political interventions by the governor are justified. 

I hope you will study the statement and advise the governor, who is your representative, accordingly.