West Bengal’s Left Front on Friday charged the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress-led coalition with unleashing a reign of terror on Left activists and launching an attack on democracy in the state.
“The Trinamool Congress-led ruling combine in West Bengal has launched an unprecedented multi-pronged attack on democracy at all levels. The government has unleashed a reign of terror on Left activists across the State,” Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra told reporters in New Delhi.
Presenting a written document titled “all-out attack on democracy in West Bengal” against the ruling combine in the state, Dr. Mishra said ever since the last assembly election results were declared, 43 Left Front activists and supporters have been murdered and 10 more were driven to commit suicide while 55 were still reported missing.
Dr. Mishra charged Trinamool leaders with extortion from Left activists and supporters for allowing them to stay peacefully in their own homes and claimed an estimated sum of Rs 27.9 crore has already been extorted.
“To buy peace and stay in their home, people have been forced to pay money to local Trinamool Congress leaders and workers. According to the most conservative estimate, the total extortion amount paid might exceed Rs 27.87 crore, even though my estimate is Rs 50 crore,” said Dr. Mishra.
He accused the Mamata Banerjee government of reversing the process of land reforms and decentralisation of panchayats that were brought about by the Left government. He also alleged Left workers in power in panchayats were being forced to resign.
