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Centre not giving enough aid to combat Maoists: CPI(M)

Special Correspondent

‘Attack on Bhattacharjee’s convoy warning bell’

“Trinamool provided opportunity and cover to Maoists”
It also helped BJP enter West Bengal, says CPI(M)

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has alleged that the Central government has not given the State necessary assistance to combat Maoist activities despite ample evidence of its growing influence in State.

In the editorial for the next issue of People’s Democracy – the party’s weekly organ – the CPI (M) described the attack on Mr. Bhattacharjee’s convoy last Sunday as a “warning bell.” Stating that Central assistance has not been forthcoming till date, the party hoped that the Centre would now provide all assistance to the State to combat this challenge.

Nandigram issue

As evidence of its charge that the Centre has not been willing to provide assistance to the State government to combat Maoists, the CPI(M) cited the delay in deployment of extra Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) when the Left Front government had sought help to deal with the Bhoomi Uched Prathirodh Committee in Nandigram.

Stating that BUPC should not be seen as a mere forum controlled by the Trinamool Congress, the editorial states that the delay on the part of the Centre to send extra CRPF forces to Nandigram raised genuine suspicions about the Congress being eager to forge an electoral understanding with the Trinamool. “This delay was utilised by this grand alliance to reinforce the blockade of Nandigram and resist all efforts to restore civilian rule in the area.”

According to the editorial, the Trinamool Congress had provided both the opportunity and the cover to the Maoists to establish their ‘liberated zones’ in the Nandigram area. “And, the opportunity provided by the Trinamool Congress and the grand alliance of all reactionary forces and NGOs against the industrialisation policies of the State government provided the shield for the Maoists to expand their area of operations.”

Time and again accusing the Trinamool Congress of facilitating the spread of Maoist activity in West Bengal besides helping the Bharatiya Janata Party enter the State, the editorial adds that the Maoists, “in all their plethora of incarnations,” have always declared the CPI(M) as their enemy number one. Asserting that the CPI(M) was used to such fierce ideological battles, the editorial warns that use of violence would be countered.

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