Prakash Karat demands release of innocent Muslims implicated in false terror charges

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat, on Tuesday, criticized the role of security agencies in investigating terror cases and claimed that innocent people across the country are being booked on false terror charges.

"There is no body to monitor security agencies, which are free to do whatever they want. In many cases, innocent youths are being implicated in false terror cases," Karat said, while addressing a demonstration organized by the RihaiManch in Lucknow demanding the release of innocent Muslims in UP booked under terror cases which were later found be false.

The Rihai Manch is an outfit formed by social activists to fight for the release of innocent Muslims and to press demand for a thorough probe into the role of security agencies, as well to punish police officers involved in implicating innocents in false terror charges. The indefinite demonstration of the Manch completed 55 days on Tuesday.

"There are lot of cases in which security agencies imposed false charges on youths. Innocent persons were arrested after Malegaon and Mecca Masjid blasts. Later, some people belonging to a Hindu extremist outfit were arrested. It revealed that those booked earlier were innocent. However, the innocent have not been acquitted. They are out on bail, but, cases against them are still going on in the courts," said Karat.

Regarding innocent Muslims booked under false terror cases in UP, Karat said that he had met Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav a few months back and requested him to provide compensation and ensure rehabilitation of six Muslim youths, who were arrested on terror charges but later acquitted by various courts in the state. "However, state government has not done anything till now. Also, no action was taken against the investigating officers who imposed false charges against the innocent people," he said.

Karat said that the RD Nimesh Commission report had found discrepancies in the arrest of Khalid Mujahid and Tariq Qasmi, accused in 2007 serial blasts. Later, he said, Khalid died in police custody. He demanded CBI inquiry into Mujahid's death.

The Rihai Manch had also demanded CBI inquiry into the death of Mujahid. The Manch had alleged that Mujahid was killed to protect police officers who were involved in falsely implicating Mujahid because his release would have spilled their beans. The state government has agreed for CBI inquiry into Mujahid's death but the Union government has not yet taken any decision on it.

Karat also demanded review of 2011 amendments in Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "Some provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) enacted in 2002 by the NDA government but repealed later, have been brought back in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after amendment, which have made Muslim youth vulnerable targets of security agencies," he said. He added after the 26/11 attack, the government passed the amendments in a hurry. He said that the CPM had met and raised the issue thrice with then home minister P Chidambaram.(Source : Times Of India)

Party Account is Fully Transparent : Biman Basu Dares Any Probe in Baseless Insinuation

Biman Basu, Secretary, West Bengal State Committee of CPI(M) has strongly refuted any wrongdoing in the affairs of collection and maintaining the Party fund and condemned the baseless and wild insinuation by a section of media and Trinamool Congress. A report in Ananda Bazar Patrika suggested that the CPI(M) state committee’s bank account is run by individual leaders. They also mentioned some figures in this account. They tried to collect ‘comments’ from Trinamool leaders and tried to construct a story that all is not well with CPI(M)’s account.

Biman Basu, in a press conference, categorically refuted any misconduct and detailed the sources of income and how it was maintained.

Biman Basu said, in our Party Constitution’s Article no 1o, it is clearly written that every Party member must pay a monthly levy as laid down by the Central Committee. Those whose incomes are of annual or of seasonal character have to pay their levy at the beginning of the season or at the beginning of every quarter on the same percentage basis. If a member fails to deposit his levy within three months after it is due, then his name is to be liable to be even removed from the Party rolls. Like any Communist Party, main source of CPI(M)’s income is the levy collected from the Party members. There are fixed rates of levies according to income level. For example, the lowest rate is 25 paisa per month upto an income of Rs 300. And the highest is 5 per cent of his income per month if it is above Rs. 8000. CPI(M) has 3,14, 457 Party members in West Bengal. The levies are distributed among different levels of committees. Those Party members who are directly attached to the units under State Committee give their levies to State centre. Their levy amount turns to be nearly 45 lakhs.

Basu said, apart from the normal levies, Party members, who are elected as Members of Parliament, State Assembly or any other elected post deposit their salary to Party. Even the large portions of pension of retired elected representatives are deposited in Party fund. This can only be possible in a Left party. No other parties can even imagine this practice. Apart from all these, Party calls for special funds from time to time, in which one-day or half-day wages are collected. This is the principal method of Party’s income. The whole process is crystal clear, transparent and meticulously maintained.

About the insinuation, perpetrated by a section of media and ruling party in West Bengal about the “Bank Account”, Biman Basu said, this account was opened by resolution of Party’s state committee and was given to the bank in the pad of state committee. It was first decided that the account would be run in the name of Sailen Dasgupta, the then Party state secretary and Biman Basu. After the expiry of Sailen Dasgupta in 2010, the name of Nirupam Sen was added. This decision was also communicated to the bank in formal letterhead of the Party. All formalities have been maintained during the transactions. However, we did not know that the bank was treating it as ‘personal account.’ As soon as we were informed, we requested the bank to transfer it as a state committee account. There was no secrecy, nothing under the table. It was an open transaction with the said bank.

Basu said, the details of this account are audited. According to rules, we send annual audit report to Part central committee and through them the Income Tax authorities and the Election Commission get those reports. The Election Commission has praised us many times for maintaining accounts in a correct manner.

Basu said, there is nothing in our Party account and this bank account which are shrouded in secrecy. We are ready for investigation by any agencies, brought from any part of the world. There was absolutely no reason to raise this issue except trying to mislead a section of people during Panchayat elections. Trinamool Congress and its Chief Minister had failed to run an administration in the state. They are just trying to divert attention from this.

To another question, Basu said, the amount of money is perfectly consistent with the levies and special funds that we had mentioned.

Interestingly, Ananda Bazar Patrika shied to publish the details of Biman Basu’s arguments and downplayed the whole thing after two days