Fresh attacks on CPI(M) leaders in Bengal

• SOUMYA DAS
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• http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/fresh-attacks-on-cpim-leaders-in-bengal/article7904794.ece
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A day after Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) State secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra was allegedly heckled by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers, former party MP Ramchandra Dom, sitting MLA Ashok Roy along with other party workers were assaulted allegedly by Trinamool cadres in Birbhum district.Similar attacks took place at Pingla in Paschim Medinipur district. Trinamool secretary-general Partha Chatterje denied the allegations and dubbed the Left jathas (march) as a "means to capture villages".

The incident took place during a rally at Saptashila village in Birbhum’s Mayureswar block. The rally was a part of jatha that was being held across the State by 113 Left organisations on a number of issues, including curbing of democratic rights by the Trinamool Congress government.

Television channels aired footage of a local CPI(M) leader forced by alleged Trinamool cadres to hold his ears and say "I will never hold a jatha again".

Mr. Dom alleged that the Trinamool cadres attacked the party supporters with rods and hurled bombs at them at the beginning of the rally.

The CPI(M) leadership, however, cautioned the ruling party that if such attacks continue there would be “stiff resistance.”

“The ruling party is afraid of the people and hence they are resorting to such cowardly attacks. But such terror tactics can not stop us,” Dr. Mishra told journalists. He also said that 20 party workers including Mr. Dom were injured in the attack.

Condemning the attack, the former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said that an "ambiance of intolerance" is has been created in Bengal. “The ruling party is engaging in such acts of violence has their government has not achieved any success,” he said. As for the alleged police inaction, the expelled CPI(M) leader said that “large scale movements” should be held against it.

Mr. Chatterjee however, accused the CPI(M) of resorting to “muscle power” to regain political relevance. “Even after being ousted from power by the people, the CPI(M) is still resorting to undemocratic acts of capturing villages and unleashing terror.”