The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on August 27, 2015

THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the Mamta Banerjee government, for the unprovoked, brutal police lathicharges, tear gassing and use of water cannons against the massive demonstration of kisans led by the Left Kisan organisations supported by 17 Left parties and all Left  mass organisations in Kolkata today. Around 200 demonstrators, including women, have been injured and many had to be hospitalised. Many leaders including Biman Basu, Manoj Bhattacharya, member of parliament Ritabrata Banerjee, Gargi Chatterjee, Tamser Ali, Biplab Majumder with others were injured. Male police targeted women demonstrators and beat them brutally.

This brutal police action under the orders of the TMC government shows the utter contempt of this government towards the democratic rights of the people. At a time when the kisans of West Bengal are in the grip of acute crisis caused by the policies of the central and state government, protesting kisans are sought to be silenced through state repression.

The people of West Bengal will no doubt give a befitting reply against this attitude by making the General Strike and Hartal a complete success on September 2 followed by further strengthening the struggle for democratic rights and people’s issues.