Here is a far more realistic assessment of the Lalgarh movement: Quote Just like in Nandigram, the footsoldiers of this campaign — more violent in its scale than any — have come under a “rainbow coalition” of political forces where everyone except the Marxists are welcome. So if there was the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram, it’s the Police Atyachar Birodhi Jangana Committee here (PABJC). It’s led by Chhatradhar Mahato, who was with the Trinamool Congress until late last year. Unquote [Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/477698/] Also for a public speech of Chhatradhar Mahato in recent past: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHE0aqp1P_Q That speaks for and clearly contrasts itself from the Maoist insurgency in Dantewada or Andhra or elsewhere. Sukla
In Maoist violence against CPM, TMC & Cong give outside support *Subrata Nagchoudhury* Posted online: Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 at 1039 hrs *LALGARH (West Bengal) : *The body of 65-year-old Shaflu Soren, a member of the local CPM for over 20 years, has been lying outside the party office, draped in a blood-spattered white sheet — for the last six days since he was shot dead by Maoists. His brothers walk by the body several times a day but they don’t dare remove it. For, barely yards away, the demolished CPM party office in Lalgarh’s Dharampur is a pointer to the rapidly changing political power equation in this tribal belt of West Midnapore. The plight of Soren’s family captures the Lalgarh story — it’s a story of the clout of the new Maoist-backed “rulers” in this belt and a story of the shocking collapse of the legendary CPM-controlled administrative machinery. In many ways, it’s similar to the violent agitation in Nandigram but while land acquisition and the proposed SEZ were the objects of public ire there, here the CPM is the single target. And with the comrades paralysed by the rout in the Lok Sabha elections, the opposition is energized like never before. Just like in Nandigram, the footsoldiers of this campaign — more violent in its scale than any — have come under a “rainbow coalition” of political forces where everyone except the Marxists are welcome. So if there was the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram, it’s the Police Atyachar Birodhi Jangana Committee here (PABJC). It’s led by Chhatradhar Mahato, who was with the Trinamool Congress until late last year. He is the brother of Sashodhar Mahato, the prime accused in last November’s suspected plot to kill Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and then Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in a blast in Salboni, barely 40 km away. When Chhatradhar and the Maoists put up a massive show of strength in Lalgarh today, Trinamool Congress Block president Banobihari Roy was present all through the proceedings that lasted nearly four hours and ended with the Lalgarh CPM party office being set on fire. The rally displayed the fast growing ranks of the PABJC and the Maoists. “There will be no let-up in the assault on those who tortured and exploited the people with the collusion of the police for all these years,” said Mahato. Like Banobihari, Kali Maity, the district president of the Congress, could not make it to the rally today but had to send his relatives. “That was the diktat from the organizers,” Maity told The Indian Express, “either be present or send someone to represent one’s family and show solidarity with the PABJC.” So were the Congress and Trinamool supporting the Maoists and their violent campaign? Both Maity and Ray evade a direct answer but, when pressed, there’s no mistaking the political message. Said Roy: “It’s the Communists versus all others now.” And Maity said: “This is a price the Communists are paying for suppressing the people.” With no one other than the CPM providing political opposition, the field is wide open in Lalgarh. It wasn’t a surprise, therefore, that today the belligerent crowd responded to Mahato’s call for “revenge,” marched to the Lalgarh CPM office this evening and set it on fire. Scores of angry villagers climbed up to the second floor of the newly built party office and began demolishing it with iron rods. Another group collected furniture, tarpaulin sheets, sacks of rice and party documents and threw them into a blazing bonfire right in front of the party office. Few tears were shed for Soren’s body. Said Rohini Mahato, who stays in a ramshackle hut just across the road where Soren’s body is: “It’s like living with a dead man by your side. Nobody is removing the corpse which now smells. It’s been on display with blood stains on the cloth covering it. Even his family can’t do anything. And look at the police, they are not sending the body for post mortem, let alone initiate an investigation.” Puspa Sahish, a tribal woman staying next door to Mahato, joins him: “No one even dares to take a close look at the demolished Dharampur CPM party office out of fear. Local villagers normally pass through the area in groups instead of travelling alone.” She said she, too, had stopped leaving her home for her daily wage. “There is no food at home now,” she said. If Puspa and Rohini are fearful at the unprecedented scale of violence, there is a reason. The Lalgarh police, when contacted, said that the PABJC had banned the entry of policemen and that’s why they can’t pick up the body. The area is also said to be heavily mined and police and paramilitary forces are seen as the prime target of attack. District SP Manoj Verma, when asked about the body, said: “I will not comment anything on Lalgarh. Ask people at Writers’ Buildings.” --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
