Jyoti Basu's comments is "shocking" : Ashok Ghosh

Kolkata, Dec 29 (UNI) Terming the comments of veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu as "shocking," All India Forward Bloc today said the onus to keep the Left Front unity lies equally on both the parties.

Former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu earlier today expressed his displeasure over the role of AIFB and RSP in regard to Nandigram issue and said, " I don't understand how long the Left unity will last because of the position of our allies on Nandigram".

"We respect Mr Jyoti Basu, who is not only the leader of West Bengal but also an international figure. Under him we have formed the Left Front in 1977," AIFB state secretary Ashok Ghosh told a news conference.

Mr Ghosh said the veteran Marixist should not utter such comment so early since a bipartite talk between the AIFB and CPI(M) was scheduled to be held.

" Our fight is not against the CPI(M). Our fight is poltically and adminsistratively on issues which could be solved by dicussions", Mr Ghosh said.

Mr Ghosh also questioned the wisdom of the CPI(M) saying often Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee announced plans of the government unilaterally which were not at all discussed in the Left Front meetings.

"We have already sent a letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose and Mr Jyoti Basu in this regard, he said.

"We are appealing to Mr Jyoti Basu to attend positively in the bipartite meeting where we can sort out differeces", said the AIFB leader.

UNI