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Baus's remarks reflect Bengal govt's uneasiness over groups

Baus's remarks reflect Bengal govt's uneasiness over groups

Author: Bhaskar Roy
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 9, 2001

Veteran CPM leader Jyoti Basu's critical remarks about the activity of certain Islamic groups in West Bengal have come as a surprise to some of his colleagues in the Left front.

Commenting on the situation following the Centre's ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) at the People's Front meeting here last Friday, Mr Basu expressed concern at the uneasy nature of the utterances and functioning of such outfits.

Mr Basu, chairman of the front, deplored the fundamentalist activity in the districts of Murshidabad and Malda.

He was of the view that raising pro-Pakistan slogans by such elements was anti-national. According to sources, Mr Basu felt that action should be taken against such groups on the basis of evidence. "Such things cannot be allowed to go on," he apparently remarked.

Interestingly, Mr Basu's views did not form part of the press note issued after the People's Front meeting. The unpublicised comments have generated curiosity in the Left circles as for their purpose. One view is that it was an astute way of making it clear that the Left establishment in Bengal was uncomfortable with the growing presence and rabid tone of some of these groups. The state government some time back drew the attention of the Union home ministry to this issue, particularly in the districts bordering Bangladesh.

Though the CPM is hesitant to openly talk about the activities of such groups because of its secular stand, the former chief minister's remarks seem to have been intended to reflect the uneasiness in' the state's ruling front about the fringe fundamentalist groups. Mr Basu had mentioned that tapes and Osama bin Laden's pictures were recovered by the police during raids on these groups.

But CPM politburo member Prakash Karat on Monday reaffirmed the party's position that the government should produce evidence against SIMI to justify the ban. "What about other fundamentalist organisations like the Bajrang Dal?" he asked. He said the West Bengal government had arrested activists of certain organisations on the basis of information provided by the Centre.

RSP central secretariat member and MP Abani Roy felt that Mr Basu's remarks "signify that the Left is opposed to all hues of communalism". He said the former chief minister had kept the overall communal situation in mind.
 


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