Mamata behaving with students in same way Modi treating farmers: CPI(M)

The way Narendra Modi government is treating protesting farmers outside Delhi, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government is doing the same with students and youths in the state, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Friday, condemning police action on Left activists in Kolkata.

Addressing a press conference, Yechury said that the Centre should repeal the farm laws and discuss the issues of agricultural reforms with the stakeholders and then only new laws be framed.

Condemning the police action on the Left activists on Thursday afternoon, he claimed that the 12-hour Bengal bandh called by the Left parties in protest was successful with the people's support.

"The same tactics that were employed to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi, are being taken by the Mamata Banerjee government here," he said at the CPI(M) state headquarters here.

Claiming that more than 200 farmers have died during the protests, he said that the BJP government at the Centre is not moved by the plight of the nation's food providers.

The CPI(M) leader asserted that West Bengal is headed for a triangular fight in the upcoming assembly elections with the Left-Congress electoral alliance being a formidable contender against the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

He alleged that religion is being used by the BJP to divert attention from the problems being faced by the people of the country.

"In the name of atmanirbhar (self-reliance), atmasamarpan (surrender) of the country's economy is being done by the government, benefiting private entities," Yechury said.

He said that rising prices of petrol and diesel are affecting the people, claiming that it may soon reach the Rs 100-mark.

"Petrol attracts the highest taxes in India across the world," he said.

He said that the tragedy at Tapovan in Uttarakhand is a warning on climate change and that environmental clearance must be made mandatory for all projects.

"This is becoming a very major crisis and this has potential to cause havoc and create major tragedies," he said, adding that the government must take steps to correct the situation.