SILIGURI: Plea to launch mass protests
Posted by barunroy on January 21, 2009
FROM THE TELEGRAPH
Siliguri, Jan. 20: The CPM has been asking the people of Siliguri to launch mass protests if there are any attempts to disturb the peace and amity in the plains.
“In a bid to counter the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)’s plan to create tension in the plains, we are urging the common man not to respond to any sort of instigation,” said Mukul Sengupta, the Siliguri zonal secretary of the CPM. “We are holding regular meetings and rallies and have requested them to inform police if they face any inconveniences and organise mass protests to keep away the Morcha as they did in Salugara last Saturday.”
On that day, Morcha supporters trying to enforce a bandh in Salugara had to backtrack after they faced resistance from the local people led by the DYFI, the youth front of the CPM.
Citu memorandum
The Citu-affiliated Uttarbanga Auto Rickshaw Drivers and Workers’ Union submitted a memorandum to the officer-in-charge of Bhaktinagar police station today, demanding that action be taken against those who had attacked its members on Saturday.
“We also have reports that they often stop autos and extort money from drivers. These have left our members feeling insecure and they stopped plying vehicles to Salugara,” said Ajoy Chakraborty, the joint convener of the union.
“We admit that such suspension of services has inconvenienced thousands of people but we need specific assurances from the police that the guilty will be arrested. If that is not done, we will launch a movement,” he added.
The CPM had organised a rally in the locality this afternoon. More than 10,000 supporters participated in the rally that started from Bhaktinagar police station and ended at Rajfafri in Salugara.
