Roy: Lauding CPM

Jalpaiguri, Aug. 27: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee started it. The KPP will continue it.

Subal Roy, the newly-appointed Jalpaiguri district president of the KPP, has promised to help the state government in bringing back KLO militants to the mainstream.

Bhattacharjee, during an earlier visit to the district, had said talks were possible with militants only if they laid down their arms. He had also promised to rehabilitate those who were willing to snap links with the militant organisation.

Roy’s remarks mark a departure from the KPP’s usual anti-CPM stance.

Lauding the actions of the state government, Roy said: “The district administration has undertaken some positive efforts to bring back the KLO militants to the mainstream. We accept the existence of the KLO and feel the government is doing a good work.”

Roy was elected to the post after former district president Mitali Roy stepped down, citing inter-party rivalry.

“We will not hesitate to applaud the state government and the district administration for positive and constructive actions aimed at bringing an end to militancy,” he said, when asked why the party was suddenly changing tack and singing paeans to the government.

“We have been demanding for long that the state government should sit and have a talk with the militants and offer them a chance to comeback. And finally, the government is doing so,” he added.

Mitali Roy, however, trashed the claims of Roy.

Lashing out at the party leaders, she said: “There would be no rehabilitation of the militants. This is simply a process to help some CPM cadres financially.”

Roy informed that they were trying their best to “hold dialogues with the KLO militants who have not yet surrendered”.

“We have tried our best to talk to them and persuade them to return to normal life. They had showed interest but that was some time ago. Recently, there has been no correspondence from their side. We are still trying,” he said.

Roy added that he had tried talking to top KLO leaders like Tom Adhikary, Jeevan Singha but is “yet to get a response from their side”.

Asked how long would it be before the KPP tasted success, the district chief said: “We believe they will respond soon. If they are willing to join out party we will have no problems inducting them,” he added.

The Jalpaiguri district CPM, however, maintained a cautious approach.

“We welcome the decision but it would be wrong to apprehend that the Kamtapur movement has ended. We have tried to initiate the process a long time ago,” said Manik Sanyal, the Jalpaiguri district secretary of CPM.

Sanyal, however, clarified that the party still believed there was no difference between the KPP and the KLO. “If the KPP thinks differently, it is good,” he added.