GREATER COOCHBEHAR

Mixed reactions over GCDP's indefinite bandh plan

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 9: Political parties like CPI-M, Congress, BJP, Trinamul Congress and Forward Bloc reacted sharply today over the indefinite strike call given by the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP). The GCDP has announced their decision yesterday about the proposed indefinite bandh in Cooch Behar district from 23 December as a protest against police atrocities on their activists and framing of fabricated cases against them.

 

General secretary of the state unit of the Trinamul Congress Mr Mihir Goswami said, "We know the police harass and torture people. If the cases brought against the GCDP men are false those should be withdrawn. No movement should be stopped by repression", he opined. He suggested the administration to open talks with the GCDP to iron out their grievances. At the same time he said that the GCDP should review their plan considering inconveniences of the people caused by bandh.

 

Secretary of the Cooch Behar district unit of Forward Bloc Mr Udayan Guha said the reactionary forces are getting active in this state to create disturbances. "There may be some legitimate reasons of the GCDP but we cannot support formation of a separate state. In the name of struggling against discrimination one should not try to divide West Bengal once again", he said. Mr Guha declared that they would continue their political fight against the separatist forces that already got separated from the people.

 

Mr Guha, who is also a member of the Forward Bloc's state committee, said if the police truly torture GCDP men and frame false cases against them they should take the legal way to get justice. "There are cases against us too but no one has any right to disrupt normal life of the society by calling indefinite bandh", he said. At the same time he opined that common people would not tolerate any plan to disturb normal life and everyone should come forward to resist such plans.

 

District CPI-M secretary Mr Chandi Pal suggested the GCDP to go to Supreme Court and High Court to get justice. They should go to the courts without fear to disprove the authenticity of the cases brought against their leaders and activists, he advised. He clearly stated that the GCDP has no right to create disturbances and the CPI-M will not allow them to do so.

 

President of Cooch Behar district Congress Mr Biren Kundu winded up the demand for a separate state. "We have no support to their movement or demand but the people of this region should get every opportunity to come over the economic backwardness. If they organise movements democratically we have no objection but we will never allow anyone to divide Bengal again", he said. Referring the proposed GCDP sponsored strike he said police torture on innocent persons is not new but common people will not support the strike. They should organise movements in another style without jeopardising the daily life, he suggested.

 

District BJP president Mr Nityananda Munsi do not support secessionist movements. There is grievances over non-development and non-industrialisation and many people have to go to outer provinces to seek jobs but that should not be an excuse to call indefinite strike, Mr Munsi said. It will not get support from the people, he opined.