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This is an archive article published on April 16, 2006

After EC, Biman turns his guns on paramilitary forces

It was paramilitary forces that had to suffer CPIM8217;s salvos today. Apart from attacking the Election Commission....

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It was paramilitary forces that had to suffer CPIM8217;s salvos today. Apart from attacking the Election Commission, Biman Bose, CPIM state committee secretary, today also took a dig at the paramilitary forces8217; election experience and asked the voters to come in groups to exercise their franchise, and not to form queues in front of polling booths.

8220;The paramilitary forces are coming from such states which witness a very low voter turnout. Those states experience voting percentage as low as 25 per cent. But in West Bengal, people turn up in large numbers to cast vote. If the paramilitary personnel see long queues in front of the booths, they might think there is something wrong and they could drive the voters away. That8217;s why we advise voters not to form long queues, but come to the polling booths in small groups,8221; Biman Bose, CPIM state committee secretary, said. He was addressing mediapersons at a Meet-the-Press programme held at Kolkata Press Club.

He added that language would be another problem while dealing with the paramilitary forces. 8220;There is no problem with cities like Kolkata and Asansol, where Hindi is understood and spoken, but communication will be a major problem with villagers who can not speak Hindi and the paramilitary personnel do not understand Bangla,8221; Bose said.

Bose also launched a scathing attack on the EC for its decision to have a five-phase election in the state. 8220;No state in India has ever seen elections in five phases. It8217;s unwarranted, unnecessary and insulting to the people of the state. It will inconvenience the students, as all examination dates had to be re-scheduled. It8217;s also hampering agriculture, as new tubewells could not be installed,8221; Bose fumed.

Questioning the EC8217;s move, Bose wondered why the decision was taken. 8216;8216;The law and order situation here is much better than many other states. There is no caste politics here and so far as violence against women and children is concerned, the situation in Bengal is much better than other states.8217;8217;

 

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