SIXTEEN Left parties in West Bengal called upon the people to steadfastly defend secular ideas and fight against attempted communal polarisation in the state. In a first of its kind, these parties assembled in a convention against communalism in Kolkata on November 13 and decided to organise rallies, public meetings throughout the state. On December 6, apart from programmes in districts, a massive joint rally will be held in Kolkata against communal forces. The Left parties have called upon all democratic and secular people to participate in the rally. The CPI(M), CPI, RSP, All India Forward Bloc, SUCI(C), CPI-ML(Liberation), DSP, MFB, PDS, CPI(ML), BBC, RCPI, Workers’ Party, CRLI, CPB and the Bolshevik Party met in the convention. Earlier, these 16 parties jointly participated in anti-Imperialism rally on September 1. Now, they have decided to work unitedly against communalism. In the convention, the resolution was placed by Biman Basu, CPI(M) state secretary. The resolution underlined the growing threat of Hindutva forces in the entire country, emboldened by BJP’s rise to power. These forces are working in the background of growing attack on people’s livelihood and aggressive implementation of neo-liberal policies, the resolution stated. The corporate entities are colluding with communal forces to divide the people in apprehension of resistance to these anti-people economic policies. The resolution expressed serious concern about activities of communal forces in West Bengal, which was the advanced outpost of communal harmony. The incident of blast in Burdwan while exposed dangerous machinations of extremist forces is sought to be used by BJP for vicious campaign against the minorities. The Left parties called for strengthening class unity and sharpening class actions to thwart these forces. Deliberating in the convention, Biman Basu recalled that in later part of 1940s, communal forces were countered by the historic Tebhaga Movement in Bengal, where Hindu and Muslim peasants jointly fought a brave battle demanding rightful share in their farm produces. In today’s situation, Left parties must unite against communal forces despite their differences on some other political issues. Surjyakanta Mishra, opposition leader in the state assembly, said that in West Bengal deliberate attempts are being made to divide the people. The struggle against communalism has become more difficult because of continuing attack on democracy by the ruling party. Al Left forces must oppose all variants of communalism but the foremost task is to fight against majority communalism. Manjukumar Majumdar (CPI), Kshiti Goswami (RSP), Jayanta Roy (Forward Block), Kartik Pal (CPIML-Liberation), Soumen Basu (SUCI-C), Santosh Rana (CPI-ML), Ashim Chatterjee (CRLI) were among others who spoke. A presidium comprising Biman Basu, Ashoke Ghosh, Manoj Bhattacharya, Hafiz Alam Sairani, Swapan Banerjee, Partha Ghosh, Tapan Roychowdhury and Deblina Hembram conducted the convention. The convention demanded that: • Communal provocative campaign and activities should be stopped, • The administration must take cautious and firm actions against the activities and instigating campaign of the communal and fundamentalist forces and actions has to be initiated against the culprits, • Harassment and disgraceful activities against the minorities has to be stopped, and • Government organisations and programmes should keep distance from religious custom and practices. NO TRUCK WITH MURDERERS OF DEMOCRACY In a related development, CPI(M) leaders have categorically rejected any possibility of cooperating with Trinamool Congress and asserted that they have no credential of fighting communalism. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, while speaking at the birth centenary programme of CPI leader Bhupesh Gupta in Kolkata, sharply criticised TMC and said, they are the murderers of democracy in the state. No one expect them to rally against communal forces. “The basis of strengthening the secular forces is strengthening the democracy. Trinamool Congress is killing democracy in Bengal for the last three years. The communal forces couldn’t stretch their wings in Bengal during the Left rule, but it is during the TMC rule that they have gained ground,” Yechury said. He said it was TMC who brought BJP in Bengal. And now they are facilitating BJP’s growth by pandering to minority communalism. Yechury said that corporate media was unabashedly chanting for Modi. One of the reasons might be a large share of 15 thousand crore rupees spent during election campaign has gone to their coffers. Media has perverted the Left’s participation in Nehru centenary celebration and framed up cock and bull stories of so-called coming together of Congress, TMC and the Left against BJP. While it is necessary to unite against communalism, bringing forces like TMC will only endanger the fight. TMC is now trying to create confusion to escape from the heat of corruption charges against them. On the other hand, BJP has gained strength because of anti-people policies of Congress. Therefore, there cannot be any truck with them in fighting communal forces. Biman Basu, addressing a public meeting against communalism in Howrah, said that TMC is a shameless opportunist party which changes sides according to political expediency. It was they who brought communal forces in Bengal. Only the Left forces are steadfast fighters against communal forces, politically and ideologically. (EOM)