September 26, 2002

 Press Release

 Observe October 2^nd as Communal Harmony Day

The leaders of the Left parties – Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, RSP and Forward Bloc --  met at Delhi and strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Gandhinagar in Gujarat.  They expressed their grief and conveyed their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this dastardly attack. 

The meeting  expressed serious concern at the fact that certain communal forces seem determined to sharpen the communal polarization in the country threatening the very unity and integrity of India.  The meeting appealed to the Indian people to be vigilant and not fall prey to any provocation by such forces.

In this situation, the Left parties, therefore, have decided to observe October 2^nd, all over the country as a day for the communal harmony and to foil the designs of the communal forces.  

The meeting was attended by Harkishan Singh Surjeet, S.Ramachandran Pillai, Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), A.B. Bardhan, D. Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas and G.  Devarajan (Forward Bloc)  and Abani Roy (RSP).