Malda violence: Sitaram Yechury trashes Mamata's version as "lies"

Hyderabad, Jan 11: Criticising West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's assertion that the recent violence in Malda district was not a communal strife, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury today said that there is not even a grain of truth in her statement.

"Will the communal forces ever say that the violence is communal. RSS and BJP that stoke communal violence will always say it's not communal. Nor will the other side whichever is stoking. So, Bengal Chief Minister saying (it) is not communal violence has got not a grain of truth in it," he told reporters here.

The violence in Malda is clearly an attempt to polarise the voter in West Bengal, he said and claimed that the ruling Trinamool Congress is hoping that the polarisation will benefit with the minorities moving towards Trinamool Congress while BJP is hoping such polarisation will benefit it with the communal majority moving to them.

"This is a cynical game being played and this is being played at the cost of the life of innocent people," Yechury said.

Mamata's comments came against the backdrop of the violence that broke out at Kaliachak in Malda, which had prompted the Union Home Ministry to seek a report from the state government. Yechury alleged that the ground was laid deliberately for such a violence to take place.

"That is the whole game and that is a very very dangerous game."

Replying to a query if CPI(M) will have any tie-up with Congress for the ensuing Assembly election in West Bengal, Yechury said, "As far as CPI(M) is concerned there is no question of any front or any alliance with Congress which applies to the whole country.

"Yes, there is a very strong feeling among people of Bengal that this Trinamool Congress government must be defeated so that democracy is restored in Bengal. Now, how that will shape up...let's wait and see."

PTI