Congress's Bengal unit questions Trinamool's anti-BJP credentials

Ahead of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's scheduled Tuesday meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the party's state committee on Saturday wrote to Gandhi with a litany of complaints against the Trinamool Congress and questioned its commitment in fighting the BJP.

Accusing Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government of unleashing "a systematic, persistent and diabolical programme against Indian National Congress leadership, activists and supporters", state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party's elected people's representatives in Gram Panchayats and municipalities were being "lured, intimidated, and coerced".

"Provisions of the Indian Penal Code are being routinely slapped against those who refuse to fall in line under the dictate of the Trinamool in connivance with police and administration. MLAs have been forced to switch sides under them," Chowdhury said in the two-page letter.

Questioning the Trinamool's "claims" of s fighting the BJP in Bengal, the letter said "every possible scope to spread its (BJP's) tentacles are being provided by the ruling party.

"Besides the history of cohabitation with BJP in the past, Trinamool has also been soft on RSS, enabling RSS to spread its wings in the state."

Iterating the Congress' commitment to fight for democracy and secularism, the letter said "our fight against undemocratic, dictatorial and corrupt Trinamool would continue together with our ideological commitment in favour of liberal and secular values".

"I understand that Chief Minister shall be meeting you soon for discussion on a strategy regard to election to the Office of the President of India. It is important to rope in support of all political parties to oppose a RSS level. At the same time, it is necessary to emphasise our abiding commitment to democracy and transparency," the letter said.

--IANS

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