New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Tuesday said the Trinamool
Congress was demanding an end to joint security operations
against Maoists as it was "upset" that extremists were being
"rebuffed" by the people in West Bengal.
"The people of Maoist-affected Jangalmahal have been
resisting and protesting against Maoist violence and
intimidation. The people have mobilised in a big way to rebuff
the Maoists in West Midnapore district," party General
Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here.
Observing that TC was "upset" over this development, he
said Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee was demanding withdrawal
of joint forces from the area and "making wild allegations"
against the CPI(M).
"Not only is the TC collaborating with Maoists, recently
the Railway Minister visited Darjeeling and is forging ties
with the Gorkhka Janmukti Morcha who are bent upon dividing
the state," Karat said.
He said the CPI(M) and the Left Front would continue to
"expose these unprincipled alliances and fight such disruptive
politics".
In a related development, the Forward Bloc, whose three
activists were killed by Maoists in Purulia district
yesterday, condemned the "brutal and inhuman" activities of
the extremists.
"The misguided extremists have lost their direction and
are attacking poor workers and tribals. The Maoist leaders
should explain whose interests are being protected by them by
annihilating poor agricultural workers," party Secretary G
Devarajan said and asked all progressive sections to protest
such violence.
Speaking on the deliberations in the CPI(M) Politburo
meeting, Karat said a report on the preparations for the
forthcoming panchayat and local bodies elections in Kerala
was also discussed.
He said the election campaign of the ruling LDF was
"receiving a positive response from the people". The polls are
due on October 23 and 25.
The CPI(M) leadership also demanded the scrapping of the
1894 Land Acquisition Act and sought that the new bill, which
must take care of resettlement and rehabilitation of land
owners, should be brought in the forthcoming session of
Parliament.
Without naming Trinamool Congress, Karat said the delay in
bringing this legislation was due to opposition by "some
parties" in UPA-II government which was not pursuing the
matter with the seriousness it required.
The issue of forcible land acquisition for various
projects in different states against the consent of a majority
of landholders and the highly inadequate compensation offered
to the farmers has come to the fore recently, highlighting the
necessity for a new law, he said.
PTI
