CPM for probe into train hold up,says Trinamool patronising Maoists

Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s first reaction to the incident was that CPI(M) cadres had blocked the train “to malign her”,a statement “typical of the usual hyperbole and absurdity”.

“However,when the graffiti exposed the perpetrators of this outrage as belonging to the Maoists,she expressed her desire for a dialogue and even conveyed to those holding the train hostage to suggest a venue,” he said in an editorial in party organ ‘People’s Democracy’.

Observing that Trinamool has for long been seeking withdrawal of central forces carrying out anti-Maoist operations in Bengal,he said “it is precisely due to this political collaboration between the two that the Trinamool,till we go to press,has not condemned this Maoist outrage of stopping and damaging the train.”

“Ironically,such blatant support for the Maoists and their terrorist activities come from a party that is in that very Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister who on repeated occasions had stated that Maoist violence constitutes the gravest threat to India’s internal security.”

“The tragedy for the country is that this UPA government is continuing,displaying no discomfort,despite such a blatant contradiction. The Prime Minister owes an explanation to the country on this score,” Yechury said.

He said the graffiti on the train was “scripted by no hapless tribal but by someone well-heeled” to demand the release of Chhatradhar Mahato,leader of the Maoist-backed People’s Action Committee against Police Atrocities who was earlier “a local Trinamool leader”.

Noting that the incident raised several questions that needed to be probed,Yechury said the Rajdhanis or Shatabdis were known to hurtle at high speeds of 120 kms per hour,but “in this case,however,the train peacefully ground to a halt.”

He said there were reports of growing unrest and insecurity amongst the railway employees and asked whether the safety of the Indian Railways,”one of the most important instruments of our country’s unity and integrity,be jeopardised at the altar of crass political opportunism of protecting and patronising the Maoists?”

“And,consequently,permit the Maoists to mount grave threats to our country’s internal security.”

Yechury said the Prime Minister and the UPA government “need to assure the people that India’s internal security is not being compromised.

“A thorough investigation into all these issues must be urgently ordered and those culpable of damaging the interests of our country that threaten the lives of the innocent people must be made accountable”.