 |
|
|
The Left-Liberal spectrum has traditionally viewed both these issues with considerable scepticism, regarding them as pet BJP bogeys that provide grist to the Hindutva mill. But experience on the ground over the last few years has led to a shift in perception in ruling circles in Kolkata and Agartala, with the CPI(M) central leadership too drawing a distinction between genuine threats to national unity and BJP-style minority bashing.
While ISI activity and illegal migration are not new phenomena in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has been far more forthright in speaking out on the subject.
The West Bengal administration had gathered enough concrete evidence of ISI activity in the state with 125 persons arrested and prosecuted in 20 cases for espionage activities, carrying arms and explosives and “waging war against the State” between November 1996 and December 2002.
In his speech at the conference of chief ministers on internal security here last week, Bhattacharjee sought closer cooperation with the Centre on this issue, stating: “Though the State intelligence agency is alert on this count and is being amply aided by the Intelligence Bureau and other Central government agencies, there's need for much closer coordination and sharing of intelligence, between all the agencies as well as greater vigilance on the international border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.”
Bhattacharjee also sounded as harsh as L K Advani when he noted that “on the question of dealing with illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh, our state government is in agreement with Government of India that whenever such infiltration is detected, the foreign nationals should be pushed back forthwith.”
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, battling against terrorist outfits NLFT and ATTF which operate “not less than 50 camps across the border in Bangladesh,” also echoed Bhattacharjee's stance at last week's conference. Asserting that the ISI and “possibly al-Qaeda” were operating from Bangladesh, he said the “nasty design of ISI to destabilise India through these and other terrorist groups of the North East is public knowledge today.”
Calling for political consensus on the issue of internal security, Sarkar - in a message that could be directed to his own cadres said: “The national, regional and other political parties should raise unequivocal and united voice against secessionist and anti-national forces irrespective of ideological and political differences.”
The CPI(M) central leadership, however,
remains wary of burying “ideological and political differences” altogether
and emphasise a basic distinction between them and the BJP.
|
|
|