NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has sought the setting up of an Inquiry Commission to probe all encounters — be it with naxalites, militants or criminals — over the years.

At a press conference here on Sunday, CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan said the commission should be headed by a Supreme Court judge. He was speaking after releasing a set of four publications to mark 150 years of the First War of Independence.

Pointing out that the word "encounter" itself was extra-judicial and undemocratic, he said all policemen found guilty should be booked, and the cases pursued by the Central Bureau of Investigation. "We are only talking about one encounter in Gujarat, but there are numerous others. If we allow policemen to get away with this, we will turn them into a killer force."

Policemen could not be given the authority to kill. There was a proper legal system that had to be followed, unfortunately the system was slow, Mr. Bardhan added.

Support to Kalam

On the Left support to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's second term, he said the CPI had never opposed his candidature, and the issue would be discussed after May 11.

On his remarks on the need to review outside support to the United Progressive Alliance, he said this did not mean pulling down the Government because it would mean helping the Bharatiya Janata Party.

On Nandigram

To questions on Nandigram, Mr. Bardhan said the incidents there were unfortunate. The need now was to bring the situation back to normality, which could only be done when those who had left the place returned.

CPI national secretary D. Raja said the party would celebrate the 150th year of the First War of Independence by organising a function here on May 11. The All-India Youth Federation and the All-India Students Federation had already started `jathas' — one from Barrackpur in West Bengal and another from Hussainiwala in Punjab — to commemorate the "uprising." They would reach Meerut on May 10 and arrive here the following day.

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