Change in CPM programme has begun — Basu

CALCUTTA, Jan 5: The CPM has begun the process of changing the party programme,'' said West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran CPM leader...

CALCUTTA, Jan 5: “The CPM has begun the process of changing the party programme,” said West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran CPM leader Jyoti Basu, at a function held to celebrate the 34th year of publication of the party’s Bengali mouthpiece, Ganashakiti’s.

Explaining the recent dissension on the issue of more democracy within the party and change of organisational programme, Basu said, “We all agreed that the party programme had to be changed with changing times and have already had high-level meetings. It may take some time, because we have to follow certain organisational rules, but the process is already afoot.”

Taking a dig at the media, he said it “read more into it than actually required. We have nothing to hide from people.” Referring to recent reports about “the division within the party’s liberal and hardliner camps”, he said, “show me a party which is more democratic than ours.” He, however, admitted that “there could be mistakes and organisational weakness in the party, but we arehere to rectify that”.

Basu’s statement assumes political importance in the wake of CPM’s decision to show-cause rebel Saifuddin Chowdhury and state committee’s censure of party leader Subhas Chakraborty for having “taking the matters to Press”.