1 july - Kolkata – KNS statement against government’s attempts to silence protest movements

June 27, 2013
Statement by Krantikari Naujawan Sabha
The chit fund owned, state government bootlicking media of West Bengal are labeling the protesting villagers of Kamduni and activists and supporters of the movement as “Maoists” – oppose the continuous misrepresentation by the government of the anti-violence against women movement.
Last 21st June, against rape, called by intellectuals and organized by several mass organizations and individuals, a spontaneous rally by the common mass occupied the roads of Kolkata. Two young participants of this rally from Kamduni, KNS president comrade Parag and several others who have been involved in mass movements have been labeled as Maoists, their pictures and names are being used in personal attacks by the print newspaper ‘365 Din’ and the TV channel ‘Channel 10’. We on behalf of Krantikari Naujawan Sabha strongly condemn this continuous attempt to tarnish the movement, and appeal to all concerned people to stand against this attempt to suppress the voice of opposition.This tactic of using the ‘Maoist’ tag to suppress a movement is nothing new. From the Singur-Nandigram movement during the rule of the previous government to the Nonadanga movement under the new government, we have been seeing this tactic of labeling protesters as Maoists at work. From Shiladitya to Tanya Bhardwaj, or the Tumpa Kayal-s of Kamduni, we have seen the same happening to those who dared open their mouths. To silence the protesting voices of the movement that has grown against the series of rapes and violence against women the government is sometimes screaming “SHUT UP”, sometimes using the tag of pornography business and Maoist.
Worth noting here is that before it went bust, ‘Channel 10’ was owned by Saradha Group, and the newspaper ‘365 Din’ is owned by Rose Valley, another chit fund company. When the association between chit fund companies and strong political parties came to the fore after the scam, it became known that some chit fund owned media houses were airing government propaganda to curry favors from the government for their chit fund business, and the government and the ruling political parties are aiding the chit fund companies for their own interest.
Come, let us stand against this malicious attempt by the government to silence the voice of the people.
Mahendrakanti Majumdar (8101409681)
(State Secretary) Krantikari Naujawan Sabha
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