Attack on Pansare "wanton": CPI

New Delhi, Feb 16: CPI on Monday termed as "wanton" the attack on its leader Govind Pansare in Maharashtra and said he was under threat from "communal divisive forces" over his move to organize a discussion meeting of a book on slain chief of Mahrashtra state anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare.

Condemning the "murderous moves of the communal forces helped by other vested interests" against Pansare, the central secretariat of CPI in a release warned "these forces to desist from such murderous attacks or face the consequences."

The party said Pansare and his wife Uma were shot at when both were on their usual morning stroll in their home town of Kolhapur. "83-year old Pansare hit by bullets in his chest and neck is still not out of danger and is struggling for his life in a Kolhapur hospital," the party said.

"Pansare was under threat from the communal divisive forces over his latest move to organize a discussion meeting of a book on the slain chief of Mahrashtra state anti-terror squad Hemant Karkare: 'Who killed Hemant Karkare?'

"It may be recalled here that in late October 2008, the ATS arrested eleven suspects, all alleged Hindu terrorists, including a VHP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Amritananda alias Dayanand Pandey, a retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay and a serving Army officer Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit," the party said.

It said the anti Karkare forces had warned Pansare of dire consequences if he would hold the widely-publicised function for the discussion of the book and "now it is clear that these forces had stooped to such level of inhuman act."

The party also said Pansare, "a prominent and highly- acclaimed figure in the state," had been leading an agitation against toll tax.

"The interests of profit along with communal forces are out to wipe out pro-people saner elements from Indian soil. Rationalism, scientific temper, inclusive growth and the exploited masses at large will finally win and no force on earth will be able to stifle them," the party said.

PTI