The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday said Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s charge that the Rajdhani Express detention was aimed at maligning the Railways did not hold.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat told a news channel that it was well known that the Trinamool and its leadership opposed police operations in Lalgarh. “In fact, they asked for the recall of central paramilitary forces. The Trinamool is in collusion with disruptive forces and her accusation does not carry any credibility,” he said.
“The front [the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities], which the Maoists are utilising, and which is active in the Lalgarh area, are the same forces that stopped this train,” he said.
Since March, 65 CPI(M) workers and supporters have been killed for politically opposing Maoists, Mr. Karat said. “Otherwise why should they kill us? They are not killing other party people.”
