Well, today's newspapers are abuzz with the clashes that took place at the CPI(M) headquarters, A K Gopalan Bhavan, where top Marxists(aren't they supposed to be equals?) were having their usual "meets." The media has called it an "attack." Not an 'alleged' attack mind well.
Circumstances, however, make it difficult to term the clashes as an "attack." One of the (very) few CPI(M) chief ministers, V S Achutanandan of Kerala, has "claimed at a press conference that the BJP’s national leadership was in full know of the “attack” that took place at the CPI(M) headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday, and said it did not bode well for democracy."
So, he is saying that he knew that they (BJP) knew about the alleged "attack." Does that not mean that he , and the CPI-M, too, knew about the attack?
And if the CPI-M knew of the attack it must have taken "peaceful" preventive measures, e.g. accumulating stones and boulders perhaps, or maybe something else, we don't know.
But then this report says that "at least 10 CPM members, 12 from the RSS and eight policemen (were) injured."
Now, if the alleged "attack"(alleged is important :-) had been initiated by BJP or Sangh workers, it would be logical to conclude that mostly CPI(M) "activists" would be injured. Curiously enough, this is not the case. Either the Marxists were 'prepared' or they were brave enough to withstand the "attack" and retaliate in turn. Even the cops need shields when faced with pelting; our Marxists needed none of that. Looking at the count, the communists seem to have honed stone pelting, for nothing else explains the numbers, surprisingly skewed in their favor, supposedly victims of ''attack."
The BJP, Sangh leaders and workers have claimed that they were leading a peaceful protest, and it was second day of protest. The media has given space to their opinion, yes, but it is mostly after they are shouted out by CPI-M accounts. Media characterization is "attack" which toes the Marxist line and puts the blame on BJP workers. It would suit the facts had the incident been termed "clashes" since both sides were involved in the violence eventually. Aside, Chindu has not even bothered to give space to the BJP's account, as expected from a party organ.
It is indeed possible that the BJP was having a peaceful protest as it claims, since the police too didn't anticipate any problem, based on their previous day's protest which went without any incident. A day later, the CPI-M might just have had enough of freedom of expression, and decided to turn the protest into "people's struggle."
Circumstances, however, make it difficult to term the clashes as an "attack." One of the (very) few CPI(M) chief ministers, V S Achutanandan of Kerala, has "claimed at a press conference that the BJP’s national leadership was in full know of the “attack” that took place at the CPI(M) headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday, and said it did not bode well for democracy."
So, he is saying that he knew that they (BJP) knew about the alleged "attack." Does that not mean that he , and the CPI-M, too, knew about the attack?
And if the CPI-M knew of the attack it must have taken "peaceful" preventive measures, e.g. accumulating stones and boulders perhaps, or maybe something else, we don't know.
But then this report says that "at least 10 CPM members, 12 from the RSS and eight policemen (were) injured."
Now, if the alleged "attack"(alleged is important :-) had been initiated by BJP or Sangh workers, it would be logical to conclude that mostly CPI(M) "activists" would be injured. Curiously enough, this is not the case. Either the Marxists were 'prepared' or they were brave enough to withstand the "attack" and retaliate in turn. Even the cops need shields when faced with pelting; our Marxists needed none of that. Looking at the count, the communists seem to have honed stone pelting, for nothing else explains the numbers, surprisingly skewed in their favor, supposedly victims of ''attack."
The BJP, Sangh leaders and workers have claimed that they were leading a peaceful protest, and it was second day of protest. The media has given space to their opinion, yes, but it is mostly after they are shouted out by CPI-M accounts. Media characterization is "attack" which toes the Marxist line and puts the blame on BJP workers. It would suit the facts had the incident been termed "clashes" since both sides were involved in the violence eventually. Aside, Chindu has not even bothered to give space to the BJP's account, as expected from a party organ.
It is indeed possible that the BJP was having a peaceful protest as it claims, since the police too didn't anticipate any problem, based on their previous day's protest which went without any incident. A day later, the CPI-M might just have had enough of freedom of expression, and decided to turn the protest into "people's struggle."
PS- Achutanandan's claims about the death toll are misleading. In the recent clashes 5 BJP workers were killed in Kannur, his home minister's constituency, as against 2 of CPI-M.
1 comment:
Funny that a CPI(M) leader claims this isn't good for democracy. Is he trying to suggest he respects democracy?
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