Meeting of Left Parties at New Delhi

Leaders of the Left Parties, the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP met in New Delhi today. They have issued the following statement:
Land Acquisition Bill
It is wrong on the part of the Government to claim that there is a consensus on the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Re-settlement Bill. The Left parties are not in agreement with some basic provisions of the land acquisition Bill. A major flaw in the Bill is that it exempts 13 laws from the purview of the Bill. These include the Indian Railways Act, National Highways Act, Land Acquisition Mines Act, Coal Bearing Areas Acquisition and Development Act etc, under which the bulk of the land acquisition takes place. The Left parties are opposed to the definition of public purpose which includes also acquisition of land for private companies; there is no need for consent of those affected if land is acquired for Government purposes; all the people affected like tenants, agricultural workers are not entitled to compensation; some of the provisions of the Bill are against the interests of the adivasis.
Since the Bill presented now has been totally changed from that which was considered by the Standing Committee, the Left parties reiterate their demand that it be referred back to the Standing Committee or be taken up by a Joint Select Committee.
Condemn Attacks in West Bengal
After the custodial death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupa in Kolkata, there were widespread protests all over the country. In the course of such a protest in Delhi there was an unfortunate incident outside the Planning Commission’s Office involving the West Bengal Finance Minister. Using this as a pretext systematic and widespread attack have been unleashed by the Trinamul Congress on the offices of the Left parties and their cadres and activists. More than a thousand offices have been damaged or destroyed. A situation is sought to be created where the functioning of the opposition parties is suppressed.
Serious human rights violations are taking place. A 22-year old student was arrested in Siliguri and kept in a hospital chained to his bed. The Presidency University was attacked by TMC goons.
The Left parties demand that the TMC leadership put a stop to all these attacks. The State Government should act to maintain peace. The Left parties appeal to all democratic sections to protest against these attacks and demand that the rule of law be enforced in West Bengal.
Those who attended the meeting are: Prakash Karat, S. Sudhakara Reddy, A. B. Bardhan, Debabrata Biswas, Sitaram Yechury, Abani Roy, D. Raja, S. Ramachandran Pillai and G. Devarajan.

Govt must come out with facts on spurious drug supplies in Jammu Kashmir

Statement issued by the J&K State Committee, CPI (M)
The CPI (M) express serious concern over the day-to-day disclosures of scams and other administrative irregularities in Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping aside the factional political considerations involved and the blame game between the heads of the departments, the government must order a thorough probe in these shocking leaks for the larger public interest.

The level of corruption and financial mismanagement in the state administration has reached to distressing low. The Committee believes that the people are shocked by the recent reports about spurious drugs carried by the print and electronic media. The cases of corruption surfacing regularly in the media unfortunately reflect a pattern and the height of vested interest.

Be it the corruption and irregularities in PHE and Irrigation Department that grabbed the attention of both the Houses of Legislative Assembly in its recently concluded session, or spurious drugs being supplied to hospitals; it seems, scams are tumbling out every day. By now, the government should have come out with the facts on these issues of utmost importance. To the contrary there is not even a proper statement from the government on this subject. It is also ironic that there are reports that even an official included in the list of suspects is part of the departmental investigation in the spurious drug scam. The scars of infant mortality at valley’s lone children hospital were fresh in the minds of the people and now the spurious drugs supplied to them have further refreshed these scars.

The silence on part of the government on this crucial issue is further adding to the doubts of people that there is a deep rooted nexus. In order to clear these aspersions, the government must come out clear on the subject in the best interest of public. There is also a need for necessary and effective steps to be taken to bring down the level of corruption by strengthening the monitoring and vigilance in the government departments. Rampant corruption in the administration has alienated the people in Jammu and Kashmir to the hilt. If the government is serious in its promises to weed out the corruption in the state; there is an urgent need to strengthen the already existing institutions of probity and accountability in the system.

Almost all programs initiated by central government are not delivering the desired results. Government of India has repeatedly censured the state for its failure to implement MNREGA and other centrally sponsored schemes.

The recent revelations made by the CAG informing that the Jammu and Kashmir Government has failed to submit 2,931 Utilisation Certificates amounting to over Rs 2,118 crore to the Centre is also disappointing. The State Committee of CPI (M) believes that such lacklustre attitude will affect the flow of funds to the State in future. This needs to be looked into for the welfare of people.

Chained with Hospital Bed: Mamata’s Police Treats SFI Activist

Few days back, veteran nonagenarian Left and Forward Block leader Asoke Ghosh lamented Mamata’s police has surpassed the British police of pre-independent India in the context of unleashing attack on democratic movement. Within a few days Mamata’s police leave another example of such attack. Santosh Sahani, a first year BA student and local SFI activist, found chained to the hospital bed at the North Bengal Medical College Hospital on 16th April, 2013. The treatment with detained SFI activist can only be compared with the measure used by the British police against the freedom fighters. Santosh has his University examination on 18th April. Santosh was among the Left activists who were detained in false charge framed by the police under direction of local TMC Minister.

Santosh was feeling well after his arrest. He became unconscious when he was produced in court on 11th April and was admitted to the Siliguri Sadar Hospital. It is also alleged that the local TMC leaders including a minister preserised the hospital authority to release Santosh quickly. He was released from the hospital on 14th April and sent to Siliguri jail. But as his condition deteriorated he was admitted to the jail hospital. On the next day, he was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and admitted to the male medical ward with handcuffs on his left leg.

Former Minister and Convener of Darjeeling District Left Front Ashok Bhattacharya, Secretary of CPI(M) Darjeeling District Committee Jibesh Sarkar visited the hospital and demanded to unchain Santosh immediately. They said the matter is a blatant violation of human rights. Noted lawyer and former Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation said the matter is inhuman and total violation of Supreme Court guideline. SFI has also demanded a thorough probe into this brutal act.

Biman Basu, the secretary of CPI(M) West Bengal State Committee and Chairman of the West Bengal Left Front has said that the so-called human face of the TMC Government is getting unmasked. He further said that police is filing false cases against so many persons in Siliguri. Such things have become practice in today’s West Bengal. The attack on democratic movements has surpassed the emergency period, he added.

CPI(M) demands action against tainted Ministers in Andhra Pradesh

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has asked the Congress high command to clear air on the tainted Ministers in Andhra Pradesh

Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada on Wednesday, CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu alleged that the Congress leadership remained a mute spectator to corruption and scandals that were rocking the State.

The people would conclude that the AICC colluded with the tainted Ministers if no action was initiated, he said. The SC, ST Sub-plan was an outcome of protracted struggle by the CPI (M).

The YSR government even issued a GO on sub-plan subsequent to CPI (M) protests, but was not implemented. The government has failed to respond properly to the Tenali incident wherein a dalit woman was pushed under the wheels by some drunkards. Referring to ‘Amma Hastham’, the CPI (M) leader said, “It’s a ‘maya hastham’ (illusionary hand) to deceive the people.”

The government has not allocated any budget for the scheme. Numerous figures were in circulation as officials put it as Rs. 680 crore, while Rural Development Minister Dokka Manikyavara Prasad put it as Rs. 5,000 crore.

If the total number of white ration cards were to be considered the budget would not be more than Rs. 2,800 crore, he said. The CPI (M) suspected that the government would divert the SC, ST Sub-plan funds to the scheme. CPI (M) State secretariat member Y. Venkateswara Rao, city secretary Ch. Babu Rao were also present.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Students pledge fight against Fascism, for democracy!

The atmosphere at Nazrul Mancha was revolutionary! Young students in thousands, belonging to SFI, AISF, AISB, PSU filled the air with the promise of a new dawn, when exploitation shall be no more, no one in position to snuff out young lives fighting for the democratic rights for all. They reaffirmed their promise of ‘Freedom, Democracy, Socialism’. The soft but grim voices of students reminded the world of the Marxist promise of a better world, their Red Salutes, their slogans, an ode to the immortality of Sudipta would ring in the ears of the thousands, for years to come, assembled to pay homage to the martyrdom of young Sudipta Gupta on the 2^nd of April, by a brutal police of a fascist government.

History was invoked, Neruda, Spartacus, Ulysses, Comrade KV Sudesh, who was butchered, cut into 21 pieces by the bourgeoisie government of Kerala, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Sunil, et al, giving voice to man’s eternal rebellion against injustice; a symphony of young, trembling voices taking individual anger & rebellion to its crescendo, ’Revolution’.  Auteurs Mrinal Sen & Tarun Mazumdar registered their anger in their blunt expression of solidarity to their cause.

Speaker after speaker, from all the four left student organisations railed against the insensitivity of the Mamata government, decried its attempt at denying the students their political rights, enshrined in India’s constitution. They took an oath of continuing the fight that Sudipta gave his life for. Ritabrata, National Secretary, SFI was solemn throughout his speech but comprehensively denounced the politics of the campaign against politics. He reminded everybody that modern politics has been born out of the modern desire of people to fight for their rights. The royalty or feudal lords did not need ‘Politics’, it is the exploited multitude who need to fight for their rights. The current government’s action in stopping student union elections is a fundamental step against democracy. When its spokesmen & patronised intellectuals build a case against party politics, it is primarily conspiring to weaken the people’s fight, as the target is always the left. In the absence of the left, the default correlation of political forces swings in favour of the ruling class & specifically, ‘Capital’.

Today’s memorial service will remain a milestone in the Bengal’s people’s fight for democracy & justice. It will prove to be a turning point in the imminent fight against the Mamata government which is fast shedding its fig leaf of being democratic & exposing its fascist underpinnings. This government, apart from encouraging the lumpen in Bengali society has taken concrete steps to destroy the democratic structures built over the last 34 yearsof left rule. College & University management bodies, which were represented by all its stakeholders, students, employees, professors, etc were replaced by handpicked individuals. Elections to co-operative societies were stopped. Associations of the policemen were banned only to be replaced by her minions. Student union elections were stopped, using the incident of a policeman’s death during a college election process, by her own leaders. It was against this that the SFI staged a civil disobedience movement & Sudipta was killed in police custody. This was when she crossed the Rubicon of Fascism, with her police taking over the role played so far by her ‘Brownshirts’. Undeterred, she has gone on to inciting her partymen to destroy thousands of party offices of the left & the murder of over 90 of left workers & leaders. Her government has also actively derailed the 3-tier Panchayat elections which have taken place like clock work since it was first instituted by the first Left Front government in 1978. In a bid to reverse the gains of the land distribution done by the left, it has led a hundred farmers to their death.

The people of Bengal are rising in anger against this tyrannical government. Comrade Sudipta Gupta’s death shall not go waste, as the students resoundingly established today.
Long Live Comrade Sudipta!  Long Live the Revolution!

19th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece

The 19th Party congress of Communist Party of Greece (KKE) was held from April 11 to 14th. The session of the 19^th Congress of the KKE began with a presentation of the report of the Central Committee by the General Secretary of the Central Committee, Aleka Papariga. 

 

The 19^th Congress of the Communist Party took place after a 4-month pre-congress process, during which the Theses were discussed in the organizations of the Party and KNE and with thousands of workers. 96.8% of the party members votes in favour of the Theses and draft Programme of the Party, 1.65% against, blank votes 1.55%. 97.3% of the party members votes for the draft Statutes in the PBOs, 1.21% against, blank votes 1.49%. The results of the discussion in KNE are the following. 98.9% votes in favour, 1.1% votes against and blank votes.

The discussions and the votes for the decisions of the 19^th Congress of the KKE were held in an atmosphere of ideological-political unity and after substantial deliberations.  77 delegates spoke at the Congress (the time allocated for each speech was 12 minutes). The Congress unanimously approved the new Party Programme, the new Statutes and the Political Resolution of the Congress.

In addition, the report and closing speech of the Central Committee of the KKE was adopted unanimously, while the report and closing speech of the Central Auditing Committee (CAC) was approved with one vote against and one blank vote.

The work of the 19^th Congress of the KKE was completed with the election of the new Central Committee, which is comprised of 63 comrades (instead of 77 who had been elected at the 18^th Congress) and the new Central AC which is comprised of 7 comrades (instead of 5).

The CC in its first session elected Dimitris Koutsoumpas as the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE. It should be noted that the outgoing GS of the CC of the KKE, Aleka Papariga, was elected as a member of the CC of the KKE.

Biographical details of the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas. 

He was born in Lamia on the 10^th of August 1955. He is married and has a daughter. His family were militants in the EAM national resistance, some of them were executed by the Nazi occupation troops and by the extraordinary military courts in the period of the civil war, others were imprisoned and exiled.  His father, Apostolis Koutsoumpas, a member of the KKE, was arrested in 1945 in Larisa, tried, imprisoned and exiled for 8 years.

Dimitris Koutsoumpas graduated from High School in June 1973, took the exams and entered the Law Department of the University of Athens. While he studied, he worked in different jobs in order to meet the costs of his studies. On his arrival in Athens, he came into contact with the illegal organization of KNE, he participated in the events in the Polytechnic in November 1973 and became a member of anti-EFEE and KNE in December 1973, working in illegal conditions until the fall of the dictatorship in the summer of 1974. He became a member of the KKE in December 1974. He was sent to work in the party in the summer of 1975 in the organization of Eastern Central Greece and Euboia as a member of the regional bureau of KNE. He was a delegate at the 1^st Congress of KNE.

In the Autumn of 1977 he moved from working in KNE to working exclusively in the party, as a secretary of a sectoral organization and later as the secretary of the Prefectural Organization of Boiotia. In 1979 he became a member of the Regional Bureau of Eastern Central Greece and Euboia, with various responsibilities, for work in the labour and trade union movement, responsible for the political guidance of the Prefectural Organizations of Boiotia, Fthiotida, Fokida, Evrytania. Later on he became secretary of the Regional Committee of Eastern Central Greece and Euboia, apart from a period of 21 months when he carried out his military service in Messolonghi, Komotini, and Limnos.

He was elected to the Central Committee of the KKE at the party’s 12^th Congress in May 1987. In the split of 1991, as the secretary of Eastern Central Greece and Euboia and member of the CC, together with other comrades he struggled to defend the party, its principles, its worldview, against the splitting opportunist group that went to Synaspismos.

At the 13^th Congress, he was again elected to the CC and its Secretariat responsible for politically guiding party organizations, while after August 1991, immediately after the split, he took on the responsibility for the CC’s Press Office.

In December 1991 at the 14^th Congress, he was elected to the PB of the CC, responsible for the Press Office, Culture, and later “902” (TV and radio), until the floods of 1994, when he took on the responsibility for the organizations of Thessalonica, Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

At the 15^th Congress (May 1996) he was elected to the PB and became the Director of “Rizospastis”, a responsibility he held for 10 years At the 16^th Congress (February 2000) and the 17^th Congress (February 2005) he was re-elected to the PB and took on the responsibility for the International Relations of the party. At the 18^th Congress (February 2009) he took on the responsibility of the Secretariat of the CC on behalf of the PB. At the 19^th Congress (April 2013) he was elected General Secretary of the CC of the KKE.

Narendra Modi Must Quit

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The information available from the documents available from the Supreme Court ordered investigation into the Gujarat carnage in February 2002, provide clinching evidence of the deliberate refusal of the Modi Government to act to prevent the mass violence against the minority community, in spite of repeated urgent messages and information from police in different areas. 

It is indeed a matter of deep regret that the SIT chose to ignore such a damning indictment of the State Government and gave a clean chit to Narendra Modi raising questions about its own credibility. In the light of these documents which have now come into the public domain thanks to the efforts of Zakia Jafri, there can be no doubt left of the direct culpability of Narendra Modi as the main accused who ignored the warnings of his own police force and presided over the violence. Justice demands that the SIT final report be rejected and a fresh charge sheet filed including Narendra Modi as an accused.
The documents are a shameful and horrific record of the utter contempt of the Modi Government for even the most minimum norms of governance.

The CPI(M) demands that Modi must resign as his continuance in office with access to the State machinery will enable him to subvert the judicial processes which are on in the case in Gujarat.

General Secretary of CPI(M) Letter to president of India on statement by Governor of West Bengal

Prakash Karat, General Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has sent a letter to the President of India regarding the statement issued by the Governor of West Bengal, Shri M. K. Narayanan. The text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Shri Pranab Mukherjee,

I am writing to you regarding the statement issued by the Governor of West Bengal, Shri M. K. Narayanan on April 10, 2013 regarding the incident outside the Planning Commission of India involving the Chief Minister and Finance Minister of West Bengal.

On the occasion of the Chief Minister of West Bengal visiting the Planning Commission on April 9, there was a demonstration organised by a number of organisations, including the CPI(M), to protest against the attitude of the West Bengal Government towards the custodial death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta in Kolkata. In the course of this peaceful demonstration in the presence of the police, an untoward incident occurred with the Finance Minister Amit Mitra. As soon as this happened, the CPI(M) and the organizers disapproved of this conduct and condemned it. The Polit Bureau of our Party also announced that it will look into how this happened.

But unfortunately, the West Bengal Governor issued a statement which is unwarranted and does not behave the post of the Governor of a State. One can understand the Governor condemning the incident. But Shri Narayanan has gone much beyond that and called it a "shocking pre-meditated assault on the Chief Minister, the Finance Minister and other senior ministers of West Bengal". He has gone further to state that, "This kind of attack is unprecedented in India's modern history" and declared that "Those responsible for the attack and their instigators have forfeited their right to function within a democratic framework". He has also demanded a "public apology by the Politburo of the CPI(Marxist)".

The full text of the statement is attached for your perusal.

How is it that Shri Narayanan sitting in Raj Bhawan in Kolkata has come to the unfounded and totally baseless conclusion that there was a pre-meditated assault on the Chief Minister, the Finance Minister and others? In fact, the entire visual media showed how the Chief Minister entered and left the Yojana Bhawan without any hindrance. It is highly improper for the Governor of a state, who holds a Constitutional post, to declare that a political party or leaders have "forfeited their right to function within a democratic framework".

All over the state of West Bengal, there are widespread attacks going on against the CPI(M) and the Left Parties offices, leaders and cadres. The Governor's statement has only encouraged these elements.

As President of India, it is for you to decide whether such political interventions by the Governor are justified.

I hope you will study the statement and advise the Governor, who is your representative, accordingly.

Violent and reactionary disruptions are condemning democracy in West Bengal

10th April 2013 The Delhi incident of assaulting the state finance minister of West Bengal in the haste of an ongoing protest campaign in front of the Planning Commissions office demanding judicial probe for the custodial death of SFI leader Sudipto Gupta received all out criticism from the party. Yet the reactionary politics of the West Bengal CM has shown its bare face all over this state. It was the CM to address the killing of Sudipto as a ‘petty matter, small matter’; the unfortunate reaction of her resulted in such a mishap that took place in Delhi. By not digging deep in to the argument of CM’s insistence to ignore administrative direction to access a definite entrance and whether  the situation would never had occurred if she would have followed the security proposals Delhi administration. Reactionary politics of the CM continued after the Delhi incident too, after the unprecedented mishap the CM had threatened and insisted reactionary agenda by saying that she would ‘show the CPI (M)’ of whatever she and her party is capable of. From then on a whole frightened state is witnessing ‘whatever she and her party TMC’ is capable of. Party Offices under attack: Capabilities extended from ransacking and vandalizing to set fire at the CPI (M) party offices all over West Bengal. This was one sort of reaction surfaced by the ruling party condemning the Delhi incident. West Midnapore:  Midnapore Town and Debra Zonal office, Local Committee office of Loada, Party offices of Bharatpur, Daspur 1, Keshpur, Chandrakona, Dantan 2, Belda got attacked and vandalized by TMC goons and hooligans. East Midnapore: Zonal office of Egra, Local and branch offices of Mahishadal, Batkunda, Gopalchak, Haldia, Gopiballavpur 2, Ghera got severely ransacked. The TMC miscreants and anti-socials set fire to at least 15 houses at Gopiballavpur area. Bankura: Taldangra Zonal Committee office and local offices of Birrada, Harmasra, Panchmura and Sardakan got vandalized by TMC supporters. There was armed attack at the Taldangra office. Nadia: Hanskhali and Bijpur Zonal offices got attacked by TMC criminals. Fulia, Kalyani, Goespur, Palbagan, Garulia, Kankinara, Kachrapara local offices and branch offices got totally ransacked by the TMC hooligans. Ganashakti borad of Atpur was broken parts by the ruling party supporters. Purulia: The district committee office of Namapara was vandalized by the TMC goons in front of the police. A party whole timer, Sekh Raju got brutally attacked in that incident. Burdwan: City Center and Steel city Zonal offices Durgapur got vandalized. Local and branch offices of Budbud-Galsi, Sagardanga, Dhobighat, Jhanjra Old Coloney, Gogla, Pandabeswar, Kalna, Barabani, Rupnarayanpur and Memari got ransacked by TMC goons. A large number of party supporters and local public got beaten at incidents in Memari and Durgapur. Birbhum: Suiri Zonal office and Kirnahar Local office got severely ransacked by the TMC miscreants. North Dinajpur: TMC goons attacked Islampur Sadar local office and vandalized. They set fire at the banners and martyr stand demanding justice for SFI leader Sudipto’s custodial death. Jalpaiguri: Kumargram party office got attacked. Coochbihar: Coochbihar South, Tufanganj and Sitalkuchi Zonal offices got attacked. Natabari 1 and 2, Deocharai, Krisnapur, Balrampur, Chilakhana local offices got vandalized by the TMC miscreants in numerous reported incidents of violence. At least 46 party offices have been attacked by the goons in last 24 hours. Darjeeling: Few TMC supported anti-socials had shown violent agitations in front of the District Committee office at Siliguri last night. 10000 people and CPI (M) supporters joined in a rally to condemn the violence in the Siliguri town. Today the anti-socials accompanied by other TMC supporters unleashed severe violence in the party office and adjoining areas. Police ordered further lathicharge on the party supporters this evening. South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Bhnagar and Gangulibagan Party offices got attacked and vandalized by the goons of TMC.      North 24 Parganas: Several acts of violence and office attacks have been reported in the Barrackpore area, party offices at Naihati and Gobardanga got vandalized by criminal attacks. Flex and banners paying homage to Martyr Sudipto Gupta were not even left by those hooligans. Party Leaders Attacked: 1] The TMC goons attacked the Harirampur, Balurghat party office and vandalized severely. There they attacked Part District Committee Secretary and State Committee member Manabesh Chowdhury. Former Minister of the state Narayan Biswas also got attacked in the same event along with Minati Ghosh, the district secretary of Democratic Women’s Federation. Manabesh Chowdhury was taken to the Harirampur hospital from where he has been transferred to the Balurghat state general hospital for further medical interventions. 2] Another such event was reported from Bhangar where TMC hooligans attacked the car of State committee member Rejjak Mollah. 3] Same sort of situation occurred when the TMC miscreants attacked the car of former minister of the state and State committee member Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury. Educational Institutions under Attack: In this ongoing episode of government sponsored terrorism throughout this state the ruling party sponsored hooligans has shown no mercy to the esteemed educational institutions too. Presidency University: The supporters of student organization of the TMC broke into the Presidency University campus. They forcefully entered and unleashed severe violence in the campus. They vandalized the Bekar lab, a heritage place of birth of new sciences in this state where dignitaries like Acharya Jagadish Bose and Prafulla Roy had worked. The anti-socials used plenty of slangs and wildly gestures to the female students of the university. The students who protested got severely injured by the TMC hooligans. The students have called up on for a day long strike in the campus tomorrow. The professors, the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor of the university condemned the attack aloud. Netajinagar Women’s College: TMCP supporters forcefully entered and vandalized in the Netajinagar women’s college. Few of the students are reported to be attacked and teased by the miscreants. These are just the glimpses of the violence and reactionary disruptions prevailing throughout this state. The CM and her party are leaving no resort where regular democratic practices can peacefully be observed. To condemn an unwarranted event she and her party are now condemning democracy.

WB State Govt Should Maintain Peace

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

There was a protest organised against the custodial death of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta, on the occasion of the visit of the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee to the Planning Commission Office on April 9, 2013. In the course of this protest, an incident took place involving the Finance Minister, Amit Mitra. The CPI(M) has disapproved and condemned this incident. The Party will look into how this has happened. 

However, on the pretext of this incident, widespread violence has been unleashed against the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal. The Polit Bureau strongly condemns the attacks on the CPI(M) and Left parties offices all across West Bengal. Many Party offices have been destroyed and scores of Party cadres and leaders have been injured in these attacks by TMC men.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the TMC leadership immediately put a stop to these attacks. The state government should take immediate steps to ensure that peace is maintained. A judicial probe into the death of Sudipta Gupta should be ordered without delay.