Police brutality on Mass Law Violation programme in Kolkata against anti-people policies of central and state governments
Tuned in one tone, resolved in one pledge, steadfast in steps towards one goal, they marched down the roads as embodiment of counter current of socio-political movement based on the noblest ideology of the era. That marked them out from all others amidst the slurry and treachery of the utterly deceptive bourgeois vote politics ruling the roost. The street-sides were lined up by the onlookers and traffic halted all around as the human stream wound its way to the Rani Rashmoni Road-Chowringhee crossing in the heartland of the city of Kolkata on 29 June 2022 to protest against growing corruption and highly anti-people policies of both the BJP-led central government and TMC-run state governments which are making life a nightmare for the common people. This fervent rally voicing people’s demands began from Ramlila Park close to Moulali crossing after a brief inspiring speech by Comrade Chandidas Bhattacharjee, West Bengal State Secretary At the helm of the huge procession were Comrade Chandidas Bhattacharjee and other state SUCI (C) leaders followed by 20,000 strong participants.
Now as the huge dense procession marched ahead, the students, the youth participants, the workers, the peasants and young girls and mothers with young children with them, even octogenarians raised fiery slogans against the misrule of both BJP and TMC. The participants decried decadent moribund utterly reactionary capitalism-imperialism-the root of all evils— and demanded immediate arresting unbridled price-rise of all essential items including petrol, diesel, LPG, kerosene, stringent punishment to those involved in teacher and nursing recruitment scam, providing gainful permanent jobs to the millions of unemployed, scrapping of disastrous New Education Policy and anti-working class labour code, legalization of rightful Minimum Support Price for the peasants, immediate reining on dividing people by inciting communal frenzy and hatred, stopping door to door supply of liquor, putting an end to ruling party high handedness and large scale nepotism, ending growing atrocities against women including rape, gang-rape and killing and containment of state-backed cold-blooded cultural degeneration solely purported to dehumanize the entire people and the youth in particular.
People who stood close to the marching protestors, felt the warmth of a vibrant movement, listened to their protesting voice, looked at their jubilant face and wondered wherefrom they get the inspiration when frustration, opportunism, self-centredness, social alienation, degeneration in every sphere and lust for lure are rampant? When all the parties are splitting, how could the SUCI (Communist) remain integrated like one man and continuously gaining strength despite having no MLAs or MPs and complete blackout in the media?
Known to the toiling people and at present what they hear from the marchers is a name, the name is of Comrade Shibdas Ghosh, the great leader of the proletariat, whose best creation through an arduous all-embracing struggle braving all odds, is the SUCI (Communist), the genuine revolutionary party of the proletariat based on higher culture and morality. A culture that he initiated at the beginning of the Party’s long journey for revolution is the ethics of communism that is at the basis of the Party. In the environment of deep-rooted filthy bourgeois individualism, synonymous with private property mental complex, which the ruling dispensation promotes, owing to which whole society is falling apart, no political party, no entity, no individual, who considers to remain integrated while breathing in and out in the vitiated air of rotting capitalism, rotting capitalist culture, can do it. This is the background why SUCI (C) leaders, cadres, supporters are of different nature, who can never be purchased. So, the Party attracts people not by any offer of lucre or power but by its character and nobility of its ideology. That is why, overcoming all adversities, the Party is now spread in almost every part of India and the vigorous procession got the loving appreciation of the downtrodden people.
The ruling dispensation too could sense from its class instinct that growth and acceptance of the SUCI(C) by people spell danger for them. So, a large contingent of armed police force was kept ready for action. Despite having informed the authorities about the route of the march and then peaceful violation of law in protest at designated spot, the police stopped the march in front of the starting point preventing further advance. But after the leadership stood firm in continuing with the programme, the police had to allow the march to proceed. But again, a second attempt was made to interrupt at another spot. But disdaining all efforts of the police-administration to frustrate the scheduled programme, the determined marchers made bold strides ahead. Finally, when the destination point was reached, the tail was still at Ramlila Maidan. Here the baton and gun wielding huge police force had already constructed steel barriers to stop the marchers. The police do not hunt down the murderers, wrongdoers and criminals but are ready to exhibit their brutal might against the upright agitators who fight for our education, workers’ and peasants’ rights, employment, prices within purchasing capacity, honour for our women, and above all rock-bottom people’s unity.
Accordingly, a large contingent of armed police pounced upon them like ferocious wolves dissuading them from violating law peacefully. 20 comrades sustained grievous injury needing hospitalisation while another 100 comrades were also wounded 79 comrades including Dr. Tarun Mandal and Tarun Naskar, former MP and MLA respectively and members of West Bengal State Secretariat and 29 female comrades were taken into custody. Male policemen were found torturing female protesters which is against law. Such police brutality received condemnation from one to all. The Party decided to observe a protest week from 1 to 7 July against such brutal suppression of legitimate mass movement. The message was spread far and wide that sustained struggle alone under correct leadership can bow down the rulers to meet many legitimate demands of the people and thus clear the path for the long cherished radical change.
