Bengal CPI-M says its offices attacked

Kolkata, April 9 (IANS) The West Bengal CPI-M said Tuesday that its offices were attacked after activists of its student wing, the Students Federation of India (SFI), heckled a Trinamool Congress minister in Delhi.

CPI-M leader Surjya Kanta Mishra said in Kolkata that several party offices were ransacked in the wake of the incident and expressed apprehension that more such attacks could follow.

“We condemn the incident that happened in Delhi. I cannot fathom what kind of politics can lead to such an incident. Nobody is going to support such an incident,” former West Bengal chief minister and CPI-M politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said.

SFI activists Tuesday heckled West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra outside the Planning Commission to protest the death of Sudipto Gupta, an SFI activist, in Kolkata April 2. He allegedly died after being beaten by police.

The students pushed Mitra and shouted slogans as he was entering the Planning Commission office to meet the commission’s Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Mitra had to be taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

State CPI-M secretary Biman Bose said: “We cannot support the undesirable incidents that happened in connection with the demonstration in Delhi. We unequivocally condemn it.”

“Demonstrations organised across the country in the wake of Gupta’s death have gone somewhat astray. We have to take proper lessons,” said Mishra.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee said that his party’s activists have been demonstrating all over the state to protest the Delhi incident. He alleged that both Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Mitra were heckled by the demonstrators.

“This is unprecedented. We will hold a condemnation day tomorrow.”

Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy said that Banerjee had fallen sick and had to cancel her meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi.

“Her blood pressure is low. Doctors are examining her. The prime minister also called her up to enquire about her health,” he said.

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