Saturday, June 1, 2013

CPIM activists courted arrest in Rajastan as part of National Campaign

Jaipur Collectorate
CPIM activists courted arrests across Rajastan on Friday as part of its pan India protests from May 15 to 31 on public issues like FDI, inflation and corruption in government functioning.

The protest in Jaipur was led by party general secretary Prakash Karat, who addressed a public gathering at the Collectorate Circle, before courting arrest with hundreds of party comrades.




"Our protests will continue till the government brings in land reforms, checks price rise, distributes land lease deeds to the homeless and provides 35kg wheat at the rate of Re 1 per kg under the public distribution system (PDS)," Karat said.

 
Hanumangarh
Shikkar
Sreeganganagar
Udaipur
The CPI(M) leader also said party's demand was to provide 35kg wheat under the PDS, but the UPA-II was adamant at giving only 25kg wheat at the rate of Re 1. He claimed that the Union government's policies were aimed at benefiting the capitalists at the cost of the common man. The government has failed to ensure jobs for the urban youths unlike the rural poor getting employment under the MGNREGS, he added.

Left Front defies Kolkata police ban


Challenging the police, which has banned law violation programmes in the city, the Left Front defied the directive here on Friday with its leaders courting arrest in support of their various demands. They later asserted that in the future they would organise such programmes without seeking the permission of the police.
Though security arrangements for the programme at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of the city were elaborate, not seen in the recent times, and the venue hemmed in with barricades put up by the police, there was no untoward incident as was anticipated by the administration. Besides deploying thousands of police personnel, water cannons were stationed nearby and a crane atop which the police kept a watch on developments below.
Soon after a rally preceding the law violation programme, senior Left Front leaders and their supporters tried to breach the barricade. But before they could break through, the police announced that all were being taken into custody. A judicial magistrate present there granted unconditional bail to those arrested moments later.

Senior Left Front leaders, including its chairperson Biman Bose and leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Surya Kanta Mishra, however, refused to leave the venue and held a sit-in demonstration for about an hour. They dispersed after announcing that they would continue organising law violation programmes without informing the authorities.

“Look how much force has been deployed there. I have never seen a deployment,” Mr. Bose said, adding that the posting of so many police personnel at the spot could not have been done unless one has lost one’s mind.

 “Where in the world is there such a rule stipulating that the Opposition will not be allowed to participate in law violation programmes?” he asked.

  Speaking at the public rally, Mr. Mishra alleged that the State government was violating existing laws and Constitutional provisions on a daily basis.

 “The number of times you will violate laws, we will organise such law violations programmes. Your violation of laws and our protests will continue,” he said, referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Probe into death
 The programme was meant to highlight, among other issues, the Left Front’s demand for a judicial probe into the death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta early last month and a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the Saradha Group scam.
 The city police had after a meeting with major political parties in the State on May 25 had announced its decision to ban law violation programme, stating that it does not have the required infrastructure to tackle such events.
(courtesy : The Hindu)