‘Restore Democracy, Maintain Secularism’: Sangjukto Morcha Makes Joint Appeal to Bengal Voters

Sangjukto Morcha, the pre-election alliance of the Left Front, Congress and Indian Secular Front, on Wednesday came out with its joint appeal to the electorate of the state to make the restoration of democracy and maintenance of secularism its priority in West Bengal. Left Front Chairman Biman Basu released the appeal flanked by all constituent partners of Sangjukto Morcha at Muzaffar Ahmad Bhawan in Kolkata.

The joint appeal comes after the publication of the electoral manifesto by the Left Front and the Congress earlier this week.

In the appeal, the repealing of the three farm laws and the protest against the attempted revision of the labour codes were mentioned in the first stanza. The appeal also mentioned the deplorable condition of the people of the country under neoliberal economic policies. It further stated that secularism and the rights of religious minorities have been severely curtailed in the present times.

The Morcha also gave assurance of timely occurrence of examinations like TET and an end to all hooliganisms in the state. Later, talking to the press, Biman Basu claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT cell was making roundabout campaign like in order to eventually bring back the Left, winning of the BJP is necessary in this election (“21she Ram 26she Bam”). He urged all to be cautious about such campaigns.

Roundabout Whisper Campaign

Answering the reporters’ questions, Basu strongly refuted the BJP’s accusation attributing Sangjukto Morcha partner ISF as a “communal” outfit. He pointed out that in the list of ISF candidates there exists many from the majority community and this balance showed its non-communal attitude towards politics. He said that many persons in the media have been bought by the BJP who are carrying on this whispering and vilifying campaign against the Sangjukto Morcha.

Attacking the BJP, Basu said that what Amit Shah has been saying in Assam about ‘double-engine government’, he is omitting that in West Bengal. “What is the condition of the states with the double-engine government of the BJP like Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Tripura? In Tripura, the first step they took is sacking of 10,323 teachers and beating them up,” he said.

He also said that a part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mechanism in Bengal was whispering campaign agents carrying out their propaganda in the buses, railways and even in waterways.

He claimed that in most of the large gatherings that BJP drew in Medinipore and Haldia, the people had come in buses from other states, unlike the Left’s Brigade Rally where people came from West Bengal.

BJP paid handsomely to their organisers step by step to share the money amongst themselves unlike the Leftist culture, he alleged.

Double Role of TMC on CAA NRC NRC

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remark that voting for the Left will ensure that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizen (NRC) were being implemented, he said that the Chief Minister, under Prashant Kishore’s mentorship, was feigning conspiracy and moving with plastered feet to gain sympathy. ”If the Sangjukto Morcha won this election, the CAA, NRC and NPR would not be operational in West Bengal at any costs,” Basu assured in the press conference.

Speaking at the Press Conference, Congress Leader MP Pradip Bhattacharya said the nefarious role taken by the TMC when the bill regarding CAA NPR NRC was brought in the Upper House of the Parliament. It had sided with the BJP while moving away from the opposition unity, he said.

Speaking at the press conference, filmmaker Soumitra Ghoshdastidar, appearing for the Indian Secular Front, reiterated their commitment to being with the Sangjukto Morcha. When asked about the report of AIMIM putting up candidates, he said anyone could come and talk, but they would be with the Sangjukto Morcha.

Answering reporters, Biman Basu reiterated that in the six seats where the seat-sharing deal was yet to be finalised, an attempt was going on to reach conclusions as early as possible.