(Clockwise from left) Abdur Rezzak Mollah, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Nirupam Sen

Calcutta, May 17: The CPM has “censured” Abdur Rezzak Mollah for his remarks against Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Nirupam Sen, and cautioned its leaders against criticising the party in public in this “hour of crisis”, sources said.

The outgoing land and land reforms minister was admonished during a meeting of the CPM state committee at Alimuddin Street today.

A senior leader reportedly told him: “Being a senior leader of the party, you cannot afford to make comments against the party and its top leaders in public. If you have any grievances, express them in party forums.

“When the party has lost miserably, it should have been your duty to protect it from all sides. Rather, you did the opposite. The party doesn’t approve of your remarks. So, you are being censured and asked not to behave in such a manner in future. “We are also asking other party leaders to show restraint and not to embarrass the party in front of the media. They should also be cautious of their language and behaviour.”

On the day of results, Mollah had expressed disgust at the performance of the party and held Bhattacharjee responsible for the debacle.

Asked whether the outgoing chief minister’s land acquisition policy was responsible for the debacle, Mollah said: “Je hele dhorte pare na, shey keute dhorte gechhe (one who cannot catch a harmless snake went to catch a cobra)’’. He also had pointed the finger at outgoing industries minister Sen: “Ota harbe ta prithibir ordhek lok janto. Oi to nater guru (half of the people in the world knew he would lose. He is the villain of the piece)”.

The decision to censure Mollah had been taken at a party secretariat meeting on Sunday. The CPM politburo yesterday said public criticism of the party by its leaders would not be tolerated.

Mollah, known to be a loose cannon in CPM circles, did not react when he was being censured at today’s meeting.

After the state committee meeting, he told reporters: “I did not utter a word at today’s meeting. Actually, I can’t keep my mouth shut. But at times I will have to do that. Otherwise, I will become another Subhasda (late CPM minister Subhas Chakraborty)’’.

Asked whether he was also to blame for the Left’s defeat, Mollah added: “Why should I? I did my bit for the Left by winning from Canning East. I campaigned in Bhangar and the CPM candidate won there. So, I played my part.’’

Mollah had similarly been critical of the CPM when it was humbled in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. He said the CPM was not in touch with the masses and that it should make arrangements for early Assembly elections because the voters had lost confidence in the party.