Bangladesh will dominate CPI meeting
By A Staff Reporter, Bangladesh will dominate the discussion of the CPI State Council which starts its two-day session in Calcutta today (Wednesday).
The party general secretary, Mr. C. Rajeswar Rao, gave ample indication of this in the city on Tuesday when he told reporters that the CPI would fight “tooth and nail” for the dispersal of evacuees from the border areas to other States and for the recognition of Bangladesh. In reply to queries, he further explained that in case of recognition being granted, India could “always give armed support to a friendly country”.
And in connection with the Bangladesh problem, the question of talks among left and democratic parties in the State is sure to crop up and for this, he was ready to talk with the CPI(M) even if it “tried to topple the democratic coalition” Government in the State which had the CPI’s support.
The CPT line of thinking as was evinced from Mr. Rao’s talks with the Press is for immediate “settlement” of the Bangladesh issue since “un-peace” could disturb status quo in West Bengal and eastern India.
The CPI wants the Centre to compel other states to share the burden of evacuees from Bangladesh since the problem is a national one, Mr. Rajeswar Rao told a Press conference during the day.
But before any consolidated move in favor of Bangladesh movement could be done the politics of violence- would have to be stopped in West Bengal, Mr. Rao said. The CPI’s State unit was taking the initiative in this regard to start a dialogue among the Left and democratic parties. Mr. Rao said that if necessary the issue would be raised before the national leadership of such parties.
He feared that if the progressive forces failed, “communalism might become the victor”.
Mr. Rao said that “it was unfortunate ‘Orissa had refused to accept any burden of evacuees.” “No State”, he added. “had the right to refuse the burden”. Mr. Rao, who visited evacuee camps in West Bengal. Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura in the last few days, was confident that the evacuees would “definitely go back to their country once normality was restored”. He felt that the Center should relieve the burden of smaller States like Meghalaya or Tripura, where a belief was gaining ground that “locals would be swamped by the newcomers’ ‘.
Mr. Rao maintained that India should immediately recognise the Government of Bangladesh. He said that the CPI would always press upon the Center for “recognition.”
Meanwhile, the party is to decide on the replacements in the Secretariat caused by the resignations of Mr. Biswanath Mukherjee and Dr. Ranen Sen.
The SUC today demanded “immediate release” of three Opposition members in the State Assembly so that they could participate in the ensuing budget session.
Referring to the reported comment by the Chief Minister, Ajoy Mukherjee, that the three members were arrested on criminal charges, and so long as they were in jails, the Government would have majority in the Assembly, the SUS secretary, Mr. Nihar Mukherjee, said that this type of “motivated comment” might unduly prejudice the prospect of the undertrial prisoners getting bail and proper trial.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 06.06.1971