Author: Our Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: February 2, 2002
Unfazed by criticism from the Left
Front constituents in West Bengal, angry protests from Muslim organisations
and madrasa students, and distinct uneasiness in the politburo of his own
CPM, the West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee today once
again repeated his controversial remarks against madrasas and their curriculum.
According to an agency report, the
West Bengal chief minister, also went public with his government's worries
about unabated influx of illegal Bangladeshis. Mr Bhattacharjee, whose
remarks since the recent terror attack on Kolkata has raised eyebrows,
today said at a press conference that illegal migration has assumed serious
proportions. "Migration is a serious problem and we are trying our best
to prevent it." If Mr Bhattacharjee blamed the Centre for not preventing
the entry of illegal immigrants, it was still the first instance where
an important CPM leader, not to mention the chief minister of its powerhouse
of West Bengal, has publicly acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
'We cannot afford to absorb all of them (immigrants). Enough is enough,'
he said.
It was only in the last session
of Parliament when the leader of the CPM in the Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee,
attacked the BJP government for linking the threat illegal immigrants.
The growing hiatus between the perceptions of the West Bengal chief minister
and the CPM politburo was once again evident in his reiteration of the
remarks he made against the madrasas.
