SOLIDARITY WITH WEST BENGAL WEEK OBSERVED IN STATES

THE VOICE OF THE LEFT AND DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT OF WEST BENGAL WAS REVERBERATED IN CORNERS OF INDIA DURING THE SOLIDARITY WEEK. HERE IS A SHORT REPORT FROM THE STATES.

Public meetings, rallies, seminars, hall meetings, street corner meetings, special conventions were held at hundreds of places throughout India in defence of the Left Front and its government in West Bengal during the solidarity week from September 12 to 18. In some states, the programmes were held beyond one week and it would actually continue throughout this month. The call to observe the week was given by the extended central committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), in Vijaywada.

CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat addressed a public meeting in Patna on 17th September. He alleged that the UPA government was abetting Banerjee 'using Maoists' to kill CPI (M) workers in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia in the state. Thousands of CPI (M) workers had also been forced to leave home by armed Maoists apparently to ensure that the Trinamool Congress-led alliance won the assembly elections, the CPI (M) leader claimed. Karat, however, said Left workers had launched action to retrieve lost ground in three naxal-infested districts bordering Jharkhand. He strongly defended the Left front government and cited the implementation of land reforms, panchayati raj, scientific education in madarsas, and prevalence of communal amity as its landmark achievements. Karat said the fight against reactionary and communal forces would suffer a blow if the Left forces were to be weakened in the country.

In Tamilnadu, thousands of general public gathered in this campaign programme from Chennai to Kanyakumari. As part of this campaign, CPI (M) central secretariat member, Nilotpal Basu, addressed special meetings at Thanjavur, Kalpakkam in Kancheepuram district and Ponneri in Thiruvallur district. CPI (M) Tamilnadu state secretary G Ramakrishnan, central committee members N Varadharajan, T K Rengarajan, MP, V Vasuki and state secretariat members participated at various places. CPI (M) central committee member Md Salim and west Bengal Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee also addressed number of meetings.

As a part of this campaign, a well prepared photo-cum-art Exhibition was conducted throughout the state. Thousands of people witnessed the exhibition. There are 60 pieces of art work which describe the great achievements of the Left Front government and the grave threats and violent attacks of the TMC-Maoist combine on CPI (M) and the Left in the past two years. The content of the exhibition was effectively prepared by veteran writer, N Ramakrishnan, and the photographic collage was made by writer and artist Dr Sri Rasa. This exhibition added a sensitive touch to the week long campaign programme.

Earlier, the campaign was started with a special publication of "Theekkathir" daily on the Left Front government in West Bengal, the LDF government in Kerala and and the Left Front government in Tripura. The issue also focussed on the attacks of ruling classes on the party. Around 1.10 lakh tabloids of this special issue have been taken to the people throughout the state.

In Andhra Pradesh, a number of programmes were held as part of the solidarity campaign. On Septemeber 15, B V Raghavulu attended a convention held in Vishakapatnam while central committee members P Madhu and M A Gafoor participated in a meeting in Kurnool on September 18. In Hyderabad, a convention was held on 19th September where the main speaker was CPI (M) West Bengal state secretariat member Sridip Bhattacharya. Polit Bureau member and state secretary B V Raghavulu presided over the meeting while the deputy general secretary of CPI S Sudhakar Reddy and state secretaries of Forward Bloc and RSP parties also addressed it. A 30-minute documentary on the latest situation in areas of West Medinipur district was screened on this occasion. The documentary has been produced by New Media, which is a part of the India News Network. Earlier a rally was taken out from the state committee office in RTC X Roads to the venue of the convention in Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Bagh Lingampally.

A land of martyrs, an eye witness to the semi fascist, anti communist terror, Tripura , stood firm in solidarity with West Bengal, the frontal of the Left and democratic movement of the country. From 11th September in each corner of the state, thousands of people joining in the mass meetings have expressed their unflinching support to the fighting masses of West Bengal and have warned against any attempt of creating an state of anarchy in Tripura.The Tripura state committee of the party has started the program from 11th itself and it would continue up to 29th of this month.

The solidarity program in the state got underway on 11th at Belonia with a huge number of toiling masses joining the rally addressed by CPI(M) CC member and Finance Minister of Tripura , Badal Choudhury. The mood of the gathering was that of taking a pledge to thwart the conspiracies of the national and international reactionary forces to weaken the Left Front Govt of West Bengal. The same mood of solidarity and resistance was visible in each and every mass meeting. On 15th, CPI (M) Polit Bureau member and Tripura CM Manik Sarkar addressed another mammoth gathering at Udaypur. On the same day, the state capital Agartala witnessed a huge gathering of masses in the solidarity rally addressed by CPI(M) CC member and West Bengal Housing minister Gautam Deb. CPI(M) Tripura state secretariat member Gautam Das also spoke in the meeting. On 14th at a rally in Bishalgarh, West Bengal minister for SHG and self employment Rekha Goswami elaborated on the achievements and pro people measures of the LF govt in West Bengal. Goswami along with Tripura Left Front Committee convenor Khagen Das addressed a mass meeting in Kamalpur too. CPI (M) CC member Shyamali Gupta spoke in a rally at Dharmanagar. MP and CCM, Bajuban Reang spoke in a rally at Manughat. Addressing two meetings at Gandachheraa and Raisyabari on 14th, CPI (M) state committee sectary Bijan Dhar said the concerted attack on the Left in West Bengal is aimed at weakening the struggle against neo liberalism, imperialism. In Sonamurra, West Bengal minister for land and land revenue Rezzak Mollah addressed a well attended rally, while CPI (M) West Bengal state committee member Amiya Patro addressed a rally on 18th in Kumarghat. The campaign program shall conclude on 29th with a mass meeting at Khowai. This will be addressed by CPI (M) West Bengal state secretary Biman Basu and party CC member Aghor Debbarma.

In Kerala, the week was organized in a big manner. Pinaray Vijayan, the state secretary Of CPI (M) and VS Achyutanandan, the Chief Minister addressed meetings. CPI (M) polit bureau member and West Bengal Industies minister Nirupam Sen and central committee member and West Bengal Health Minister Suryakanta Misra addressed public meetings in Thiruvantantapuram and Kochi. An exhibition on the martyrs in West Bengal drew response from the masses.

In Madya Pradesh, more than 100 public meetings were held in different parts of the state. Thousands of posters in Hindi, with the slogan “victory will continue” have been printed. A campaign material explaining the pro people nature of the Left Front was distributed throughout the state.

In Himachal Pradesh, a public meeting was organized in Shimla, where Nilotpal Basu explained the true face of the attack on the Left in West Bengal. The participation of the younger sections was particularly noticeable.

In Assam, public rallies were held in Bongaigaon and Barpeta. West Bengal state committee member Jibesh Sarkar and state secretariat member Dipak Dasgupta addressed the rallies respectively. CPI(M) central committee member Uddhav Barman spoke in both the occasions.

Courtesy: www.cpimwb.org.i

FORMER ASSISTANT OF KISHENJI REVEALS “TRINAMOOL PROVIDES LIST, MAOISTS CARRY OUT EXECUTION” - N S Arjun from West Medinipur

THAT the Trinamool Congress is hand in glove with the 'Maoists' in Bengal is common knowledge. It has been proved repeatedly through their actions – the close coordination of activity by the TMC with the 'Maoist' frontal organisation PCPA, the coming to defence of PCPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato, the demands for withdrawal of central forces, the 'Maoists' endorsement of Mamata Banarjee as chief minister etc.

But now proof comes from two persons who joined the 'Maoists' with the sole aim of escaping death and have now escaped from their clutches. One of them, Mongol Mahato belonging to Nutandehi village in Salboni, in fact worked for the top 'Maoist' leader, Kishenji, as an assistant for around two months. They stayed in the jungle along with the 'Maoists' and had witnessed many of their barbaric actions.

Presently, taking shelter outside their village, these two persons spoke to People's Democracy recently on their experience with the 'Maoists'. When the 'Maoists' entered their village last year, they had threatened to kill Mongol Mahato, along with many others they suspected of being CPI (M) supporters. After being underground for few days, Mahato approached the TMC-'Maoists' and professed to work for them. They made him participate in meetings and rallies in the village. Later he was taken into the jungle where he got an opportunity to work for the notorious Kishenji for around two months. He used to make tea for them and also worked as a barber for Kishenji.

Asked to describe what he saw during this period, Mahato told us that the Trinamool leaders would regularly drop by and hold talks with Kishenji for hours together. There would also be leaders from the PCPA participating in such meetings. They used to provide list of CPI (M) workers to be killed in such meetings. He says PCPA, its armed outfit, the Gana Militia, and 'Maoists' are all one and the same with different nomenclature. Asked why he chose to desert them, Mahato said that he could not bear to see ordinary village folk – the tribals, agricultural labourers, petty vendors etc – being tortured brutally and shot after being tied to the trees in the jungle. They were usually suspected of being police informers or being supporters of CPI (M).

The other such person, Sapan Chalok, also from the same village, recounted his story. He was also threatened with death by TMC-'Maoists' goons when they took over the village. By then all CPI (M) leaders had left the village and sensing danger to himself and his family, he approached a known TMC contact and professed to work for them. He not only participated in meetings in his village but was also taken to nearby villages to take part in activity, including to Kolsibhanga where many CPI (M) supporters and workers were killed by TMC-'Maoists'. He worked as an informer to them on the developments in the villages.

“TMC leaders used to conduct secret meetings with the 'Maoists' in the jungles. They used to torture innocent villagers until their demands were met”, said Sapan Chalok. He also cited the same reason as Mahato for leaving the 'Maoists', adding that he never went with them willingly but only to save his and his family's lives.

BRUTAL TORTURE

As part of creating terror among the villagers and ensure their frightened support, the TMC-'Maoist' goons indulged in brutal torture of CPI (M) supporters and others whom they doubted. They organised a so-called people's court in Dakhinsole village near Pirakata. This was a place with a small rocky surface on the outskirts of the village and nearby the jungle. They used to order that at least ten people from nearby twenty villages must attend the “sessions” of this court. Jaba Singh, whose father Nalin Singh was severely beaten in one such session, told us that the “accused” in these court were usually those they suspected of being police informers or those who had defied their diktats to participate in the meetings. “The kind of torture they inflicted is hard to describe in any language. One day an old man of around 70 years was beaten up by two persons in front of everyone. Some were also brutally executed in front of us while those beaten up severely had to be admitted into hospitals”, he said.

No wonder that Jaba Singh is now active with fellow villagers who are constantly on the vigil to safeguard the peace that has returned to the village through mass resistance.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org