THE CPI(M) West Bengal state committee has announced a programme to immediately launch a mass signature collection campaign against the pervasive corruption. CPI(M) workers will collect signatures and campaign door-to-door throughout the month of May. During a press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday, May 3, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim announced the initiative, stating that the campaign's goal is to fight for justice. Over one crore signatures will be collected by going to the people  of the state, and the mass petition will be submitted to the chief justice of the Supreme Court at the end of this month. The people of Bengal are determined to bring about justice and defeat injustice.

Salim stated that corruption and nepotism have become widespread in West Bengal. While the media is highlighting the school teacher recruitment scam, the truth is that no recruitment process in the state has been conducted fairly in the last ten years. It is also evident that the state police and other investigative agencies have become puppets of the ruling party. They are reluctant to investigate allegations of corruption against TMC leaders, and no arrests or seizures have been made. Instead, their main objective is to silence anyone who dares to speak out against the corruption network.

Salim reminded the public of an incident when farmer Shiladitya Chaudhury questioned Mamata Banerjee about the high cost of fertilizers at a public meeting. Banerjee promptly labelled him a "Maoist" and instructed the police to arrest him, which they did. The police administration continues to follow this authoritarian tradition. Recently, a cousin brother of Deepak Adhikary, actor and an MP who is well-known as Dev, made a startling accusation that he had to pay cut money to local Trinamool leaders while trying to secure a dwelling under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), due to corruption. How did Trinamool respond to this allegation? The local MLA filed an FIR against this cousin brother in the local police station, accusing him of tarnishing the party's reputation. In the state, the police are quick to apprehend complainants rather than criminals, and the government spends crores of rupees to impede the investigation process by seeking a stay order from the Supreme Court. Under the Trinamool's decade-long rule, Bengal has become notorious for human rights violations and a topsy-turvy land in terms of the rule of law.

After several years of delay, the CBI/ED is finally, on the orders of the court, conducting an investigation into the corruption in the state recruitment processes, and Trinamool leaders and ministers are being implicated one by one. Referring to this, Salim stated that corruption is not limited to one recruitment process, but rather widespread in the state, affecting all recruitment cases and projects. Although a court-ordered CBI/ED investigation has begun, it is progressing slowly. Therefore, throughout the month of May, the Party has decided to collect at least one crore signatures from people who oppose corruption. We will not only approach Left-minded people but also all individuals who are against corruption. Those who are pleased that the "crown prince" has been excused from judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court will soon realise that there is little to be ecstatic about. The people of the state are determined to achieve justice.

Salim pointed out that the TMC government is avoiding holding panchayat elections because it recognises the public mood. Therefore, they are continually postponing the election dates. The TMC, by its very nature, is resistant to the idea of holding elections, and the present circumstances and rising pressure from mass movements have only heightened this resistance. We challenge them to conduct free elections and promptly announce the panchayat election dates. Villagers have the right to demand a corruption-free panchayat. Mere superficial changes will not suffice; instead, both the Trinamool and the BJP have to be overthrown and the panchayats have to be restored as effective instruments of people's power.

In an desperate attempt to survive, Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee has started an outreach programme in North Bengal, said Salim. He criticised the campaign as an expensive "circus" aimed at creating media hype. Salim stated that the chief minister initially wanted her nephew to test the waters for her, but soon realised that the response he was getting was cold and distant. Consequently, Mamata Banerjee herself had to enter the field. However, people are determined to eliminate corruption. They are withdrawing their support for the Trinamool in large numbers and are coming out in support of the Left and other secular democratic forces.

THE PETITION
At the outset of the petition, the chief justice of the country was apprised with deep concern about the ceaseless deluge of scams and corruption cases in the state. It was pointed out that corruption has become institutionalised with the direct backing of the ruling party. The asset affidavits submitted by the ruling party's representatives before every election reveal that the wealth of these representatives has skyrocketed in the last twelve years. Corruption is pervasive in every selection and recruitment process for public service and government positions.

There are widespread complaints of corruption and misappropriation of funds under the Awaas Yojana and NREGA schemes, as well as with regards to all government schemes and projects at the panchayat and municipal levels. This has resulted in the deprivation of thousands of eligible and meritorious aspirants, with huge sums of money being exchanged for providing jobs to completely ineligible and incapable candidates in various government sectors. Eligible candidates have repeatedly taken to the streets in protest against this job scam, and violent police action against these helpless demonstrators has become almost a regular feature. Similarly, in the case of government projects, beneficiaries have been chosen on the basis of bribery and favouritism. Furthermore, local leaders of the ruling party and their families have illegally usurped the benefits of government projects by depriving eligible beneficiaries.

The state, under the direct and indirect patronage of the Trinamool party, is witnessing outright looting of natural resources, along with mindless deforestation and denudation of green cover and destruction of wetlands. Rampant illegal sand and coal mining, stone quarrying, and other such criminal activities are causing irreparable damage to our environment. TMC leaders, in collusion with a section of government officials, are making huge sums of money by directly or indirectly running this illegal circuit.

There are virtually no anti-corruption measures in place at the state government level, resulting in negative impacts on the future of our younger generation and putting our natural environment in danger. As the culprits responsible for these issues are often high-ranking members of the ruling party, few prevention or remedial measures are being taken. As a result, desperate victims have approached the judiciary in the hopes of finding redress. Fortunately, recent strong moves by the Court have given the public some hope, as inquiries into corruption charges against higher officials and even ministers have been instituted. Shocking facts revealed during these investigations have confirmed public suspicions, and very influential politicians have been put behind bars. However, agents of corruption are attempting to obstruct, thwart, or stall the inquiry process in any way possible. The petition appeals to the CJI to ensure a thorough and expeditious investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The petition hopes that the judiciary at every level would pursue its reasoning independently, free from political influence.

The petition addresses the chief justice as the head of the country's judiciary and emphasises that, in the current dark times, the people of the state are putting all their hope and trust in him. The petition expresses the hope that the chief justice will give serious consideration to this plea and take swift and effective positive steps to provide justice to the numerous deprived and deserving common people of the state.