The Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Biman Bose has urged the party workers in West Bengal to hit the roads and stand in solidarity with people who are struggling to meet their ends due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the concluding event of party’s centenary year fete on Saturday, Bose also asked the CPIM leaders and cadres to not use the pandemic as an excuse to stay at home and stop their welfare work for general population.
Bose said, as quoted by Bengali daily Sangbad Pratidin, “We are facing the hardest time in the past 100 years. Both the governments (BJP-ruled central and TMC’s West Bengal government) have imposed several sanctions on people’s lives. Instead of making the lives easier, the governments have increased the problems for them.”
“At the time of such a monumental crisis, the leftists have never stopped working. But currently the party is facing a peculiar problem. Using the pandemic as an excuse, many leaders and workers have locked themselves inside their home. This is not the time to stay at home. Hit the road and serve people,” the octogenarian leader added, hinting that the party may take actions against such members.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury took the attack against the Central Government in his speech at Saturday’s event.
Yechury accused the government of breaking the federal structure of Indian administration. He further alleged that the BJP was deploying a ‘Divide and Rule’ policy to break the unity inside the country.
“The Narendra Modi government is trying to disrupt the communal harmony and the unity among people to remain in power for a long time. The British government had done the same,” the 68-year-old said.
Yechury further alleged that the centre had adopted a high-handed approach in taking decisions related to education and agricultural sectors, undermining the role of state governments.