India News | Angst in CPI-Cong Relation over 50-year-old Murder Incident

Kolkata, Jun 14 (PTI) Consternation between electoral allies, the CPI(M) and the Congress, in West Bengal is brewing over the sharing of a social media post by Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Bhattacharya on the Sainbari incident in which some persons of a family were killed because of their political leanings over 50 years ago.

While the Congress claimed that people still blame the CPI(M) for the incident, Bhattacharya asserted that by sharing the post, he brought to the fore the true picture of what had happened at that time.

It has been alleged that some members of the Sain family, who were claimed to be close to the Congress party, were killed during a CPI(M) rally in March 1970 at Burdwan town.

The Outreach and Communication cell of the West Bengal Congress wrote to CPI(M) state general secretary Surjyakanta Mishra complaining about the post shared by Bhattacharya and asked him whether the party shared the same views as the MP.

"There is no reason for any controversy. People still blame CPI(M) for the Sainbari incident," it said.

While the Left party is yet to reply to the letter, Bhattacharya said that he has "rightly shared" the post by someone which gave a true picture of the incidents that happened during that time.

Stating that he cannot understand why the Congress is creating a furore, Bhattacharya told PTI, "We did not enter into an alliance keeping in mind an incident of 1970. We made a tie-up with the future in view."

The Congress and the CPI(M)-headed Left Front fought the recently held assembly election together, but failed to win a single seat.

"Those who are creating a hue and cry over it are doing it because they are getting emotionally charged," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The Congress' letter said that the social media post shared by Bhattacharya contains "mala fide phrases and heinous statements which directly harm the integrity and reputation of the Indian National Congress."

Claiming that the post is "defamatory and derogatory", the letter said, "We would like to ask you whether this is the official stand of your political party and whether you endorse this statement."

The letter, signed by WBPCC Outreach and communication cell chairman Soumya Aich Roy and convenor Niloy Pramanik, has sought clarification from the CPI(M) on the matter.

After the Trinamool Congress came to power for the first time in the state in 2011 ousting the 34-year-old Left Front government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had set up a judicial commission. Its report was not made public.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)