London: Left Front in West Bengal is
"under siege" senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury has said,
claiming that a situation similar to the "anti-fascist terror"
between 1972 and 1977 is emerging in the state.
"The Left Front including the CPI(M) is under siege in
West Bengal. With the unity between Cong I, Trinamool,
Maoists and some NGO`s creating a similar situation to the
anti-fascist terror of 1972-77.
The `index of unity of opposition` is now virtually
one," he said.
Yechury now on a visit here told the Indian Workers`
Association in Coventry this week. The CPM strongman gave a
detailed analysis of the situation in West Bengal where, he
said, the Left Front was `under seige`.
The Indian Workers Association was formed in Coventry
in 1938 and is the oldest Indian organisation in the UK.
Yechury was welcomed by IWA members from Scotland and
England.
"For us West Bengal is of great importance to the
class struggle and a question of life or death," Yechury said.
According to him, the success of the Left Front in
West Bengal during the last 33 years in land distribution of
13.1 million acres from the rich landed gentry to the poor
equivalent to 18.5 billion pounds was another factor for the
recent attacks on the Front.
The divisions and sub-division of this land between
family members during two generations of Left Front rule had
excited the opposition, who see the removal of the Left as an
opportunity to reclaim the land, Yechury said.
Yechury said the projection of the third alternative
during the last elections lacked credibility with the people
and the Left, as it was a combination of regional parties not
having a presence outside their states.
IWA Vice President Avtar Sadiq thanked Yechury for the
update and his commitment to take forward the issues of the
Indian Diaspora.
Representative from Birmingham Sohan Sandhu then
presented a memorandum to the MP regarding the escalation of
disproportionate charges being levied from people of Indian
origin by the Indian Consulate.
The IWA also condemned the charges introduced by the
previous Labour Governments on people holding non-British
passports and the proposed introduction of immigration quotas
and English language tests by the Tory-Liberal coalition
government.
General secretary Harsev Bains assured Yechury of
IWA’s support for proposed memorial for the late CPM leader
Harkishan Singh Surjeet in New Delhi.
PTI
