The CPI(M) has decided to adopt an offensive tactics to come out of the political crisis arising out of the arrest of Suhrid Dutta, the party's Singur zonal committee secretary, by the CBI on charges of raping and murdering Tapasi Malik in Singur on December 18.
But denies support to main accused as he is not a party worker
KOLKATA: The CPI(M) has decided to adopt an offensive tactics to come out of the political crisis arising out of the arrest of Suhrid Dutta, the party's Singur zonal committee secretary, by the CBI on charges of raping and murdering Tapasi Malik in Singur on December 18.
Terming the CBI action politically motivated, the CPI(M) has decided to back the party leader. However, the party has washed its hands off Debu Malik, prime accused in the case, who had confessed to the crime before the CBI and in a court in New Delhi. CPI(M) central committee member Benoy Konar said Malik was a party supporter and not a member.
An emergency state committee meeting of the party was convened on Friday morning to discuss the party's future course of action. It was chaired by Konar, who is officiating as the party's state secretary in West Bengal in the absence of Biman Bose, who has gone abroad.
The state committee unanimously decided not only to stand by Dutta, but also launch an offensive against the CBI.
Jyoti Basu, party politburo veteran and former West Bengal chief minister, told reporters after the meeting, "Our party feels that the arrest of Dutta is a part of a greater political controversy. The way Tapasi Malik's body was dragged through the open fields at Singur raises several doubts. However, I will not to make any detailed comment on this since the matter is sub-judice."
Konar said since the CBI's action was politically motivated, the party has decided to stand by Dutta on this matter. "This a political controversy aimed at creating hurdles towards setting up the Tata Motors factory in Singur. Suhrid is a respectable leader of our party and he cannot be a part of what happened there at Singur."
The CPI(M) has called a 12-hour Singur bandh on Saturday in protest against the arrest of Dutta. To counter the bandh call, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, announced late on Friday evening that her party will observe condemnation day in Singur on Saturday. She also visited Tapasi's parents.
Political observers said the CPI(M)’s decision to stand by Dutta was aimed at preempting moral breakdown among the grassroots level party workers.
Meanwhile, the CBI team presented Malik and Dutta in the court of additional chief judicial magistrate, Chandannagore District Court, who sent them to 14 days of further CBI remand.
Supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and SUCI staged demonstrations near the court demanding stringent punishment. Both Malik and Debu were brought back to the office of CBI's crime branch in Kolkata for further interrogation.
TMC leader and convener of Save Singur Farmland Committee Bencharam Manna said: “Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's wife had taken to the street in support of capital punishment for Dhananjay, the accused in the rape and murder of Hetal Parekh. Now, she should demand a similar punishment for Malik and Dutta"
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