By IANS,
Kolkata: Expressing its admiration for slain Maoist leader Kishenji but opposing his brand of politics, The All India Forward Bloc Saturday said it was “shocked” over the way he was killed by the police.
“We are shocked over the way Kishenji was killed. Many times he had tried to contact us through telephone. I told him clearly that I admire you, but I do not agree with the way you are fighting for the poor, the workers and for the end of capitalist rule,” All India Forward Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh told reporters here.
“We do not agree with his politics. But the way the administration hurt him…the way he was hunted down and killed by firing, we are shocked,” he said.
The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) politburo member died in an alleged shootout Nov 24.
Officials said Kishenji died in a battle with paramilitary forces and state police in a forested region of West Bengal’s West Midnapore district. Maoists and human rights groups, however, don’t agree.
On the state government’s announcement of setting up a one-member judicial commission, headed by a retired judge, to probe into the police firing in Magrahat, Ghosh said: “We want judicial inquiry into the incident. But, the right person (the judge) should be selected. He should not pander to government interest.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday said retired judge Prabir Samanta would head the commission that would look into the circumstances that triggered the firing, and identify the police personnel who fired as also those who had fomented the trouble.
Two people were Thursday killed and 22 people, including 16 policemen, injured as clashes between a mob and security forces over illegal electric connections in Magrahat in South 24 Parganas district led to police opening fire.
The Forward Bloc said that it will organise demonstrations Dec 20 in front of all the block development offices in the state, protesting the alleged deterioration of financial condition of farmers.
“Farmers are not getting the proper prices for their produce, while the prices of essentials are spiralling. The government is not taking any measure to ensure that the farmers get proper prices,” Ghosh said.