By IANS,
Kolkata : Singer-turned-Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman Friday denied that he was a Maoist and said he only raised his voice against the oppression of tribals.
“I am neither a Maoist nor a Maoist sympathiser. I have only raised the issues of tribals. I have raised my voice against the oppression inflicted on the tribals,” he said.
“If raising the issue of tribals makes me a Maoist in the eyes of some people, then I can only laugh,” he said.
Suman, elected to the Lok Sabha from Jadavpore in West Bengal, claimed he was opposed to any form of violence.
Suman’s reaction came a day after the home ministry announced that Maoist sympathisers will be slapped with the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Suman has strained relations with the Trinamool Congress for his stand against the Operation Green Hunt that the security forces have launched against Maoists.
He even offered to resign from his post of MP last month but backed off at the last moment after meeting writer Mahesweta Devi.