TMC, CPI(M) & Cong to bring separate resolutions on communalism

The ruling TMC, opposition Congress and the CPI(M) in West Bengal failed to reach a consensus on Monday on a common draft resolution in the assembly on the "rise of communalism" in the state.

The Congress and the CPI(M) will jointly bring in a resolution, while the Trinamool Congress will bring a separate one under rule 185 later this week.

BJP legislature party leader Manoj Tigga said they would oppose the resolution, which ostensibly targets the saffron party that has been accused by its rivals of polarising people for electoral gains.

The Congress and the CPI(M) differed with the TMC on the reasons behind the "rise" of communalism in the state, although all the three parties agreed that it posed threat to the secular fabric of the state,

"We have reached out to both the CPI(M) and the Congress. We want an all-party resolution (TMC, CPI-M and Congress) in the House over the rise of communal forces in the state," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tapas Roy told reporters. "We think that it's high time that at least on the issue of communalism, we should oppose it together on the floor of the House."

"Although the Congress and the CPI(M) have agreed with us on the need for the resolution, but we differed over the draft resolution. So it has been decided that we will bring separate resolutions," Roy said.

 

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan said his party did not have any problem with the resolution.

"We want that the reasons behind the growth of BJP in Bengal should also be discussed," Mannan said.

He said the BJP had a vote share on only five-six per cent in 2011, adding that it it had gone up to 40.5 per cent within eight years.

"Who is responsible for it?" Mannan asked. "It is the policy of the TMC and their political strategy of wiping out the Opposition that has created space for the BJP in Bengal."

"The Congress, along with CPI(M), have decided to bring a separate resolution citing the reasons. We want those reasons to be recorded in the assembly," he added.

Left Front legislature party leader Sujan Chakraborty echoed Mannan.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had tried to reach out to the Congress and the CPI(M) last month to join her in the fight against the BJP at the national level. But the two parties had rejected the TMC chief's appeal, saying her policies were responsible for the saffron party's growth in Bengal.