30 May 2007

 Press Statement

 The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

 BJP Government’s Brutal Record of Repression

 The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep shock at the death of 14 people in Rajasthan. It strongly condemns the police firing in Dausa, Bundi and other places which led to most of the deaths.   Some policemen  have also been killed.

 The agitation by the Gujjar community took place because of the promise made by the BJP before the elections to provide them with  scheduled tribe status.  The failure of the government to deal with the matter politically has led to the violence and the needless deaths in police firing. 

 The BJP government headed by Vasundhara Raje has become notorious for its heavy-handed police repression on popular movements.  The kisan movement faced brutal repression and six people were killed.  The BJP leadership which hypocritically tried to exploit the Nandigram incident should take strong action against its state government. 

 The Polit Bureau demands that the state government order a judicial enquiry into the incidents and pay adequate compensation to the families of those who have died.