Basu demands punishment of Assembly vandals

Kolkata, Dec 1(UNI) Condeming yesterday's "vandalism" by Trinamool Congress legislators in the West Bengal Assembly, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu today demanded "exemplary punishment" of those guilty.

"We want exemplary punishment of those who have done this. This kind of uncivilised and barbaric act the Trinamool Congress MLAs have committed is unheard in the world history of Parliamentary democracy," the Former Chief Minister said after a meeting of the ruling Left Front.

Yesterday, frenzied Trinamool MLAs went for a massive destruction of Assembly property after party supremo Mamata Banerjee barged inside the premises and sat for a dharna alleging "illegal detention and assault by police" while she was going to Singur in Hooghly district to take part in a programme against the acquisition of farm land for the Tata Motros' small car factory.

Lashing out at Ms Banerjee allegedly for having led the mayhem, Mr Basu said the Trinamool Congress was trying to murder democracy and the party had all along been pursuing a destructive policy.

"Mamata always does uncivilised and barbaric acts. She had once lied police to take entry in the state Secretariat and sat for a dharna in front of my chamber when I was the Chief Minister," he alleged.

Criticising the Trinamool Congress for having called today's 12-hour Bangla bandh, the nonagenarian CPI(M) Polit Bureau member said it was a "shameless act" for a party which had been rejected by the people in the Assembly elections.

In a bid to carry out a campaign against the Trinamool Congress, the Left Front decided to take out "protest marches" tomorrow and organise processions, rallies and street meetings all over the state on December four. "We want to expose the Trinamool. We appeal to all partners of the Front to make a success with this programme," Front Committee Chairman Biman Basu said.

He claimed that today's 12-hour statewide bandh, called by the Trinamool did not enjoy the people's support with an attendance ranging from 70 to 90 per cent being reported from the Government offices, the Assembly, oil companies and mines.

He congratulated the Left Front legislators, who were present in the Assembly yesterday, for having showed patience in the face of Trinamool violence.

The Left Front Chairman also demanded that the administration identify and punish the bandh supporters, who had stoned to death a Government employee in North Dinajpur district while he was travelling in a bus.

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