The Hindu : National : Mamata distances herself from PSBJC

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Tuesday, Jun 23, 2009
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Mamata distances herself from PSBJC

Ananya Dutta

Kolkata: Distancing her party from the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janashadharaner Committee (PSBJC) that has been active in Lalgarh , Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said here on Monday that the paths being pursued by her party and the PSBJC are different.

Speaking at a peace rally organised by the Trinamool Congress in protest of the terror allegedly unleashed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in different parts of the State , Ms. Banerjee said, “essentially the CPI (M) and the Communist Party of India (Maoist) are the same.”

“Why are there no Maoists in areas where the Trinamool Congress is the dominant force? Why are they active only in areas which are the CPI(M)’s strongholds,” she asked, adding that this proved that the two organisations were connected.

“Nothing new”

On the Centre’s decision to ban the CPI (Maoist), she said there was nothing new about it. “This was already done in 2004, and only needed to be renewed now.”

The Trinamool Congress leader said the ongoing operations in Lalgarh were just a ploy of the CPI(M) to terrorise the masses, and demanded that the State administration put an immediate end to the atrocities.

Ms. Banerjee alleged that the police forces operating in Lalgarh were framing innocent tribals, and that villagers were being victimised by both the police and the Maoists.

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