Calcutta HC approached over attacks on Marxist leaders in Bengal

The Calcutta High Court was approached on Monday seeking a judicial probe into the recent attacks on CPI-M activists and leaders, including former lawmakers, in West Bengal.

Giving details of the attacks on the ongoing 'jathas' (march programme) brought out by Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations (BPMO) comprising 113 Left organisations across the state, Marxist MLA Gouranga Chatterjee filed the petition before the bench of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur seeking a judicial probe.

In one of the attacks on Saturday, CPI-M leader and two-time legislator Dhiren Let, surrounded by miscreants, was made to hold his ears and utter "I won't work for the CPI-M" and "I won't take part in the jatha".

In another attack, former CPI-M Lok Sabha member Ram Chandra Dome, legislator Ashok Roy and 18 party activists sustained injuries. Both the incidents happened on Saturday in Mayureshwar of Birbhum district.

On November 20, CPI-M state secretary and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra was heckled by people allegedly linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress in his constituency Narayangarh.

"In the petition, we have urged the court to take suo motu cognisance and direct a judicial probe to find out and punish all the attackers. The matter will come up for hearing on Friday," Chatterjee's counsel R.S. Chatterjee said.

"We have requested that a retired high court judge should head the probe as we don't have any faith on the police and administration," added Chatterjee.

Meanwhile, both the CPI-M and Trinamool continue to trade charges over the issue.

Addressing a rally in Mayureshwar, Mishra on Monday asserted the attacks would only strengthen the people's resolve against the Trinamool.

"Leave aside the ears, even if you behead us, we will never ever surrender. The more the attacks on us, more concrete will be our resolve. Violence cannot deter us," said Mishra.

Ridiculing the Marxist jatha programme, Trinamool leader and state minister Firhad Hakim accused them of playing the victim card.

"It's ironical that those who have been unleashing atrocities fro 34 years are now crying victims. It has become a fashion of sorts to blame Trinamool for the ills. They are not being attacked rather they are getting what they have been giving to the people of the state," said Hakim.