Left accuses Trinamool of targeting its leaders

"West Bengal is slipping into anarchy. The ministers are threatening to beat us up. The language Trinamool ministers, MPs and other leaders are using to criticise us is unbelievable," LF chairman Biman Bose said here.

Briefing media persons after a meeting of LF partners, Bose condemned the attack on senior Communist party of India-Marxist (CPi-M) leader and former state minister Abdur Rezzak Molla in Bhangar of South 24 Parganas Sunday.

Molla, a sitting legislator, was injured after he was allegedly beaten up by Trinamool activists, led by former legislator Arabul Islam when the septuagenarian had gone to the Kantatala area after hearing a CPI-M party office there had been set on fire and tribal women were being beaten up.

Trinamool, however, claimed that Rezzak had acted as an agent provocateur by trying to gatecrash into a meeting organised by the ruling party and abusing its people.

Denying the allegations, Bose said: "Rezzak went to the spot as a CPI-M party office had been burnt down there. This is a democratic right."

The injured Molla has been admitted to a private hospital in the city with multiple injuries.

Bose said the LF has decided to support a sit-in demonstration to be held before the office of district superintendent of police at Alipore Tuesday.

Addressing a separate media meet, leader of the opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra, of the CPI-M. said: "We will wait till 12 noon on Tuesday. If Arabul is not arrested by that time, we will lay at siege at the SP's office".

Bose said such attacks were on against CPI-M workers throughout the state. "The administration is indifferent. Now the Trinamool wants to organise attacks on our leaders. They want to establish a one-party rule".

In an effort to make the movement on the issue broad-based, Bose said: "If those outside the Left front want to support us, they are welcome. If they want to participate in our programme then also they are welcome."

Asked whether the LF will call on Governor M.K. Narayanan seeking his intervention, Bose said: "We are thinking about it. We will decide at an appropriate time".

Meanwhile, Rezzak said he was feeling better, though the pain in the jaw and the waist was coming back despite administration of pain killers.

"There are multiple stitches on my lips. Arabul abused me in the filthiest of language and then gave me a blow. Then others also started beating me up," he said.

Terming the incident as a mere "scuffle", state minister Firhad Hakim has alleged the brawl was provoked by the CPI-M leader and he was now "resting" in hospital after creating a "drama".

However, dissident Trinamool MP Kabir Suman visited Molla at the hospital and condemned the attack on him as also Hakim's comments.

"What more can you expect from leaders like Hakim? This is their way of showing their power," Suman said.

With the attack on Molla sparking outrage across the state, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee called on the ailing leader with a flower bouquet.