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.

Bengal rights panel orders probe into rape, murder

IANS  |  Kolkata  June 10, 2013 Last Updated at 20:08 IST

The West Bengal Human Rights Commission Monday directed the state police to probe the alleged rape and murder of a college student in North 24-Parganas district last week.

"The incident is barbaric and inhuman. The commission has directed the inspector general of police, South Bengal, to inquire into the matter and submit a report in three weeks," said Sujay Kumar Haldar, joint secretary of the commission.

A second-year college student was allegedly abducted, raped and killed by a group of youths June 7 while she was returning home after appearing in an examination in Barasat in the district. Her body was found beside a fishpond.

A full bench of the commission - including its chairperson Justice (retd.) Asok Kumar Ganguly - expressed concern over frequent incidents of sexual assault being reported from Barasat area.

Meanwhile, eight people have been arrested for the crime, including four of the three named in the first information report, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Banibrata Basu told journalists here.

"The trial will be conducted by a fast-track court," said Basu.

The rights panel also ordered a probe into the assault on two TV journalists July 7 while covering a clash allegedly between two rival factions of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Barrackpore, also in North 24-Parganas district.

Fourteen people have been arrested in this connection.

Bengal rights panel orders probe into rape, murder | Business Standard

Former CPI(M) MLA shot dead in West Bengal

KOLKATA, June 9, 2013

Dilip Sarkar, a former MLA of the CPI(M), who was overseeing the campaign for the rural polls in West Bengal, was shot dead at Kulpi in the Asansol subdivision of Bardhaman district on Sunday.

Mr. Sarkar was gunned down by persons riding a motorcycle at 6.45 a.m. while out on his morning walk. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead, a senior official of the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate said.

“The politics of murder” was being perpetrated by the Trinamool Congress, State Secretary of the CPI(M) Biman Bose alleged, strongly condemning the killing.

“So far 95 activists of the CPI(M) have been killed since the Trinamool Congress government came to power in the State,” he said.

Accusing the Trinamool Congress of indulging in the “politics of vengeance,” he said the murder of Mr. Sarkar, a secretariat member of the Bardhaman district committee and the district secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions — the labour arm of the party — has made clear the intentions of the ruling party.

“The CPI(M) will organise rallies across the State to protest against the murder and has also called a 12-hour bandh in the Asansol subdivision on Monday,” he said, adding that so far 13 CPI(M) workers have been killed in Bardhaman district alone, since the Trinamool Congress government came to power.