What do you have to say about the recent
outburst of political violence in West Bengal?
There has been sustained violence against the CPI(M) and the Left
Front in West Bengal ever since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The Trinamul
Congress is responsible for the attacks on the CPI(M) and Left cadres and
supporters in an effort to suppress strong Left base in the state.
This attack intensified after the Assembly elections in May 2011.
Since the Trinamul Congress government came to power, 96 cadres and supporters
of the CPI(M) and the Left have been killed. The recent incident at a
demonstration outside the Planning Commission office has been used to unleash
another bout of organised attack on the offices and leaders of the Left Front.
What do you have to say about the attack by the
SFI and CPI(M) activists on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the
state finance minister Amit Mitra outside the Planning Commission? Do you
condemn it? Do you think it is a good precedence?
There was no attack against the chief minister. There was a
protest organised against the attitude of the state government regarding the
custodial death of SFI leader Sudipto Gupta. Unfortunately, in the course of
that demonstration, there was an incident involving Mr Mitra. We have condemned
it. On earlier occasions, too, there have been such acts against various
political leaders and ministers and we have always disapproved and condemned
them.
Ms Banerjee has said that majority of those who
got killed in West Bengal were Trinamul functionaries?
She is used to making such wild charges. Even on this occasion,
she has said that there was an attempt to kill her. This is totally baseless.
What do you think about the way the West Bengal
government is handling the murder case of SFI leader Sudipto Gupta?
A 23-year-old student died in police custody. Ms Banerjee declared
that it is a petty matter. Why is the West Bengal government not ordering a
judicial enquiry into the incident? Whether death happened due to killing or accident,
let the truth come out.
West Bengal has a history of political violence.
The Left dominated the state for more than three decades. There is a perception
that the Left spearheaded violence and that it is responsible for creating a
culture of political violence in the state?
This is a hackneyed charge against the Left. The political
violence in West Bengal has been primarily an effort of the state machinery and
the ruling classes and landlords, who unleashed violence against the Communist
and the Left movements in the 1950s and 60s to suppress them. Even when the
Left Front government was in office, violence was directed against the working
class and peasant movements. The fact is that such violence existed before the
Left Front government assumed office and is there even after the Left Front
government ceased to be in office. The Trinamul Congress represents a
reactionary force which is out to suppress democratic rights and give the
Opposition no quarter.
What is your stand on the situation in Kerala, where
one of your party leaders M.M. Mani had publicly claimed the party’s
involvement in political murders? Even though you had said that an internal
enquiry into the murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan was in the process, nothing has
come out yet. Have you given clean chit to your partymen in this case?
As far as the speech by M.M. Mani is concerned, our party took
action against him. The judiciary gave its verdict in all those cases. However,
the UDF government in Kerala has reopened the cases and filed chargesheet
against Mani, which is totally unwarranted. In the Chandrasekharan murder case,
our party conducted an enquiry, but the matter is in the court. We are
confident that the party’s leaders in Kozhikode district who are implicated in
this case will be found innocent.
What do you think about Ms Banerjee’s stalemate
with the state Election Commission over panchayat polls? Do you think the
Trinamul Congress is deliberately delaying the elections?
We want the panchayat elections to be held on time. The state
government is wilfully disregarding the recommendations of the state Election
Commission about the manner in which the panchayat polls are to be conducted.
The Trinamul wants to ride roughshod and hold elections in a manner in which
the Opposition parties are not able to participate in a free and fair poll.
That is why it is opposing the sensible proposals of the Election Commission.
Do you see any possibility of Ms Banerjee
striking an alliance with the Congress ahead of or after the general elections?
Being an opportunist party, the Trinamul Congress can go with
anyone. It should not be forgotten that the Trinamul was part of the BJP-led
alliance government where Ms Banerjee was a minister. She has alternated
between alliances with the BJP and the Congress. The only constant position she
has is against the CPI(M) and the Left.
Do you see any possibility of your party
striking an alliance with the UPA?
Our party has already decided to oppose both the Congress and the
BJP. We, as the Left, will take a united stand. We would like a non-Congress
secular government in office.
Why is the Left not taking a lead this time to
form a Third Front?
Our efforts are to create an alternative based on alternative
policies. This can come about only through movements and struggles jointly by
parties and organisations who are committed to an alternative set of policies.
The third front is more commonly associated with an electoral alliance. As far
as the general elections are concerned, our party along with the Left will fight
elections together and may have some understanding with some of the regional
parties at states level.
How do you look at Narendra Modi emerging as a
prime ministerial candidate?
If the BJP decides to project Narendra Modi as its prime
ministerial candidate, it will be a clear message that it is going ahead with
its hardcore Hindutva agenda. It is becoming evident that big businesses are
backing Mr Modi. This form of Hindutva and big business support is a form of
insipient fascism. That is the meaning of the Gujarat model of development,
where the Muslims have been beaten down to the status of second-class citizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment