95 CPM cadres killed under TMC regime: Biman Basu

9 June 2013

statesman news service

KOLKATA, 9 JUNE: The state is plagued by a combination of violence, CPI-M party secretary and Left Front chairman, Biman Bose said today.

Violence is on the rise in the state and death toll of CPI-M activists have risen to 95 with the killing of former party MLA Dilip Sarkar at Burnpur during the day, Mr Bose said at a Press conference at the party office in Alimuddin Street.

Sarkar had been assassinated by criminals enjoying the patronage of Trinamul Congress, the front chairman alleged. These incidents of violence have been occurring in the state since state Assembly results have been announced, Mr Bose said.

In Burdwan district alone, 13 CPI-M activists have been killed so far, he added. This is part of an intimidation campaign to dissuade Left Front candidates from contesting the panchayat elections, he said.

In Howrah district, many gram panchayat and panchayat samity candidates of the front could not submit nomination papers, Mr Bose said.

The front nominees' caste certificates are being snatched, they are not being allowed to submit their nomination papers and sometimes they are not being allowed to collect the nomination forms at all, the front chairman said.

Subhas Mondal, a CPI-M activist was killed in Pathartima in  South-24-Parganas recently, Mr Bose said. The government which came to power mouthing the slogan badla noi, badal chai (we want change not revenge) is practicing the opposite of what it preached, he said, and called

upon the state election commission and the state government to ensure a free and fair panchayat elections.

The state cannot be developed by beating up scribes, the front chairman said. If these incidents continue to occur, it will scare away prospective investors who are already chary of coming to the state, he said.

Many left workers had been killed in political violence in the '70s, before the front came to power in 1977,  Mr Bose said, But when the Left Front came to power in 1977, the then front chairman, Promod Dasgupta together with Jyoti Basu forbade any reprisals, he added.

The Left Front chairman also highlighted the issue of suicides by debt-ridden farmers in the state. In all, 63 farmers have committed suicide in Burdwan, the rice bowl of the state as they were groaning under the  burden of debt and did not get support price for their crops, the front chairman said.

These persons are poor farmers, agricultural labour and marginal farmers to improve whose lot the rural polls are going to be held, he added.