Jyoti Basu backs Subhas Chakraborty

Kolkata, May 7 (UNI) Veteran CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu today come to the support of state Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty after the Election Commission hads sought the report of the latter's alleged derogatory comment against it in a televison interview.

When Mr Basu's attention was drawn towards the EC's decision today to review the video tape where Mr Chakraborty had allegedly commented that he ''despises the Commission and ignores its order completely'', the former Chief Minister said even if Mr Chakraborty was put to jail for his comment, he would have come out ''effortlessly.'' ''Though I do not know what Subhas has said, but the EC cannot take any coercive measure against him as what I believe he never said anything unconstitutional,'' Mr Basu said, in support of Mr Chakraborty, considered to be his political disciple and very close to the nonagenerian leader.

Left Front Chairman Biman Bose also did not find anything wrong with Mr Chakraborty's latest outburst against the EC.

''On the contrary, we must all take a fresh look at the role of the EC in conducting a free and fair election in West Bengal, '' Mr Bose, who had also taken over as the CPI-M state Secretatry after the death of Mr Anil Biswas, said.

Mr Chakraborty, fighting the election as a CPI-M candidate from the city's Belgachia East Assembly constituency, had reportedly made this comment when his attention was drawn towards the EC's latest directive preventing the posting of the state government employees from any counting centre on next Thursday (May 11).

Earlier, on several occasions during the current phase of elections, Mr Chakraborty drew sharp criticism from the Commission for his repeated tirade against the EC and for making derogatory comments against its functioning after reviewing their video tapes.

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