CPI(M) hits back at Mamata

The CPI(M) today hit back at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for accusing it of undermining democracy, saying it was forced to boycott the Platinum Jubilee Celebration of the Assembly because of the ruling party's attitude towards the Opposition in the House.

"Those who have destroyed all democratic norms in the House, threw paper balls towards Speaker and even ransacked property in the Assembly when the Left Front was in power are now speaking about showing respect to democracy," Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra said.

"I heard that she has uttered some words of wisdom yesterday, but we cannot accept her wisdom. Her remarks are a glaring instance of reactionary politics. It is due to the arrogant attitude of the government towards us that forced us to boycott the celebration in the Assembly," Mishra said.
 

"She accuses us of doing politics when we raise protest in the House against arrogance and ignorance of her party and government, but was it all non-political about what her party did when it was in the opposition?" Mishra questioned.

"We have already written to President Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan clarifying the reason of boycotting the celebration," Mishra said.

The ruling party should restore all democratic norms in the House by allowing the opposition to exercise their rights and speak for the people inside the House, he said.

Congress and Left parties boycotted the closing ceremony, prompting the Chief Minister to criticise the Opposition, saying it was against courtesy and democracy.

Alleging that the state government was trying to hide the real facts in Saradha Ponzi scam and shield the real culprits involved in it after the arrest of their own MP Kunal Ghosh, Mishra said, "We are not allowed to raise or discuss anything on this involving crores of rupees or several other issues and denied of our rights entirely.