People's Democracy

Veteran  Forward Block Leader,

Ex-Minister Brutally Attacked

IN the ongoing attack on opposition parties, TMC miscreants brutally beat up veteran Forward Block leader and former food and supplies minister Naren Dey in Hooghly's Dhaniakhali on 8th December evening. The Forward Bloc was holding a meeting at their office premises when the attack took place. Former MLA from Dhaniakhali, Ajit Patra, was also injured in the attack.

TMC workers, led by prominent local leaders, barged into the meeting and started beating up Forward Block leaders and activists with iron rods and sticks. The 76-year-old Dey sustained deep injuries in both eyes, chin and in other parts of the body. He was admitted to Imambara hospital at Chinsurah and then shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata.

Police refused to take action against any of the criminals involved in the attack. In an obnoxious incident, the government hospital in Chinsura, after X-Ray and other investigations reported that Dey was not injured at all. This was in accordance to the dictates of the ruling party. In the private hospital in Kolkata, the reports clearly showed not only grievous injuries but fractures also. Opposition leader Surya Kanta Misra exposed this maneuvering with medical reports and criticised the unheard of politically vindictive attitude of the ruling party.

The opposition stalled assembly proceedings and staged a walk-out on consecutive four days over the assault as they were not allowed to raise the issue in the state assembly. The speaker not only refused to allow the issue to be raised, but also switched off microphones when the Left Front members tried to draw attention to this incident.

A delegation of Left Front MLAs visited Naren Dey in Chinsura hospital. They met the district SP but no action was evident. "No arrests have been made though we lodged a complaint on 09th December. The perpetrators are moving about freely. It is jungle raj," said Left Front MLAs outside the assembly.

CPI(M) state secretary Biman Basu strongly condemned the attack and said this showed the intensity of terror in the state.

(INN)