CPI(M) asks Centre to rush para-military forces to West Bengal

New Delhi,16 June 2009(PTI): Condemning the killing of its cadre by alleged Maoists, the CPI(M) on Tuesday asked the Centre to immediately send para-military forces to West Midnapore district in West Bengal. In a statement, the party's Polit Bureau said armed Maoist gangs were unleashing a "reign of terror" in Lalgarh area of West Midnapore.

"Nine CPI(M) members have been abducted. The bodies of three of them have been found but the others have not been traced," it said adding that the Maoists were entering West Bengal through the Jharkhand border.The party demanded that the Centre should "immediately rush the required number of para-military forces to the area as requested by the State Government".

It claimed that its members and supporters are being targeted and hounded out of the area, and party offices and houses of CPI(M) workers are being destroyed."The Maoists are using poor tribals as human shield to further their goals. Shockingly, these depredations have the indirect and direct support of important sections of Opposition political parties in West Bengal," it alleged.

The party also asked its units to protest against the killings of CPI(M) cadre and supporters in west Bengal.

June 16, 2009

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau strongly condemns the killings and attacks by armed Maoist gangs on CPI(M) cadre and the reign of terror unleashed in the Lalgarh areas of West Midnapore district, West Bengal. Nine CPI(M) members have been abducted. The bodies of three of them have been found but the others have not been traced. The Maoists are using the Jharkhand border areas as their base to extend into West Bengal. CPI(M) members and supporters are being targeted and hounded out of the area and Party offices and houses of CPI(M) workers are being destroyed. The Maoists are using poor tribals as human shield to further their goals. Shockingly, these depredations have the indirect and direct support of important sections of the opposition political parties in West Bengal.

In Burdwan district, a respected district committee member of the CPI(M) Com. Falguni Mukherjee was shot dead at point blank range by hoodlums connected with the Trinamool Congress.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls upon all its units to protest against these killings of CPI(M) cadre and supporters in West Bengal. It appeals to all democratic minded people to condemn these attacks and come forward in all possible ways to protest. It calls upon the Central Government to immediately rush the required number of para military forces to the area as requested by the State Government.