Marxists indulge in acts they fought against

BARATALA (Contai, Midnapore): Twenty-three years ago, the Left Front came to power, keeping the body of Asima Poddar in front. The Marxists, they said, would end the reign of rape and murder _ the twin evils Asima had fallen prey to. Years later, it was the same Left Front which has not only failed to safeguard the rights of the woman _ but has incited and actively taken part in raping and killing.Addressing the funeral meeting of 21 year-old Sujata Das _ the Trinamul Congress activist allegedly raped and killed by CPM cadres in Baratala village in Contai _ Trinamul students'' wing president Sonali Guha and other speakers called upon the people to "wipe away their tears and fight till their last breath" to "wipe out Marxist rule from West Bengal". The mood in Baratala, Bamanchak, Ramchak and adjoining villages was sombre when this correspondent reached the spot. Enthusiastic villagers took us on a guided tour _ pointing out the spot where Sujata had been allegedly raped before being shot dead. Sujata''s ailing 60 year-old mother Pratibha Devi _ paralysed by a cerebral attack six year ago, shed silent tears _ sitting in front of her elder daughter''s house. Struck dumb by the tragedy, she could only mumble _ "Everything is gone. I wish I was dead," before being helped back to her bed. Neighbours pointed to some empty huts _ buts they said belonged to the killers _ all CPM men. "Sasanka Dhara, Mrinal Panda and Bala Das Patra are also absconding," they said. Others said that this was not the first time that Sujata had been attacked. "In June she was beaten up and again in September when she had to be hospitalised. We filed an FIR but the police did nothing," Sujata''s brother-in-law Ramkrishna Das said. As the body of the slain student arrived in the village schools grounds hundreds surged forward to catch a last glimpse of the body. Many broke down in tears. Leaders like Contai municipality chairman Sisir Adhikary, and Trinamul leaders Atin Ghosh, Sobhan Chatterjee and Mala Roy called for a ''united struggle'' to avenge the death. The police seemed unsure though whether Sujata had been killed by the CPM. SDPO Contai Tamal Ghosh said Trinamul controlled the village and most CPM residents had been driven out. "The houses of Mantu Patra, Manindra Patra, Nirmal Mondol and even panchayat member Sasanka Dhara are deserted. I doubt therefore whether the CPM could have done it. Moreover, it seems unlikely that the ruling party would deliberately foment trouble," Ghosh said. Trinamul leaders however, said the families of Patra, Mondol and Dhara were still living in Baratala though the men had fled. Ghosh''s statement, they said proved that the police was acting as agents of the CPM. The Trinamul has decided to name the venue of their annual students convention to be held in Kolkata next week, after Sujata.