Bengal polls 2018: CPIML Red Star leader Alik Chakrabarty will contest the panchayat elections

Alik Chakrabarty, leader of Red Star, confirmed today that his party will participate in the electoral process in the state. The last time it did, it was in 2014 general elections.

Chakrabarty's Red Star is leading a people's movement against setting up of a power grid station over fertile agricultural land and having a residential hub within less than half a kilometer in Khamarait in Bhangar.

Jomi Jibika Vastutantro O Poribesh Raksha Committee (Land Livelihood Homestead and Environment Protection Committee) formed in 2016 with the locals is fighting for the people of over a dozen villages, which would be adversely impacted once the grid starts transmission of power through high tension lines.

After addressing a gathering at Khamarait, adjacent to the site where the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited's power station was supposed to come up, Chakrabarty said that they will not bow down to pressure or repression from the government.

"If they think by arresting me they will bulldoze the movement, they are wrong," he stressed that Bhangar men were ready to shed blood and sacrifice their lives.

The close to a year old movement has forced the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited to suspend work, but the state government is adamant to resume work before panchayat elections.

The Trinamool Congress Minister and MLA from the area, Abdur Rezaak Mollah, have announced that the government will go ahead with the power grid and will not buckle under any pressure. Mollah's declaration has only helped to firm up the resolve of the villagers.

Braving the bombing, fear of violence and attack and above all threat to life, going on for the last week, today's rally saw huge turnout, especially record presence of women.

The police could not enter the village but they stopped people, on their way to the rally. A team coming from Assam, Krishak Mukti Sangharsha Samity members under Akhil Gogoi were detained some 20 kilometres from the venue of the rally. Gogoi's team had come to share similar bitter experiences of having transmission lines over farm lands.

The government's renewed vigour to suppress the movement comes in the wake of the Red Star's decision to participate in the polls and other Opposition parties deciding to support them.

Red Star enjoys huge support in Bhangar by virtue of Chakrabarty guiding and being with the people is definitely going to apply brakes to Trinamool Congress' plans of winning all the panchayats hands down.

Hence, the haste and desperation to rein in the movement.