Left red-faced by media reports that he had chanted Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s popular Ma, Mati, Manush slogan, CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose on Thursday took pains to clarify his position.
“In order to point out the magnitude of the disastrous effects of the Bhopal gas tragedy, I had said that our mothers and sisters were still giving birth to deformed babies in Bhopal. I appealed to all the MPs of Bengal to oppose the civil nuclear liability bill in the interests of our mothers and sisters of the country,” Mr Bose said, adding that the media misinterpreted his statement.
Rubbishing the media reports that even the Marxist party now had to ape the mantra of the Trinamul Congress, Mr Bose said, “I had no intention to give lip service to the slogans of other parties. It was nothing but an exaggeration account dished out by the media.”
Significantly, Mr Bose’s articulation of Mamata’s Ma, Mati, Manush slogan which has clearly struck a chord in the hearts of the people, had upset a section of his own party as well as Left Front partners. “Biman da’s out-of-turn reference to the popular slogan of our rivals has deeply embarrassed us,” a CPI(M) state committee member admitted.
Meanwhile, unfazed by the electoral debacle in the recent civic polls, the Left Front is in the celebration mood. Apparently in a bid to put up a brave front, the Left Front has decided to celebrate in a big way the completion of its uninterrupted 33 years of power in the state. “The programme to be held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium would highlight the achievements of the Left Front government,” Mr Bose said.
He added that chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and leaders of coalition partners will attend the meet, where Left leaders would give their views on the current political scenario in Bengal. The event would also be observed in districts later, Mr Bose said.