“The reports appearing in The Indian Express (a known mouthpiece of American interests in India) and some other media that Com. Jyoti Basu does not agree with the Party’s decision to vote against the UPA government are fabricated. Such motivated reports are being floated to hamper the rallying of all the forces who are committed to oppose the nuclear deal and bring to book the UPA government’s failure to tackle price rise and other problems of the people.” — CPM central committee office, New Delhi, July 12.

• The Indian Express stands by the report that Basu on Friday night told West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Industries Minister Nirupam Sen that he wanted the party’s top leadership to consider if it would be proper to vote with the BJP against the government.

As this newspaper has written on several occasions, the CPM packs in more intellect and moral high ground per comrade than any other party.

The Indian Express is proud of its tradition of independence and of welcoming criticism in all its forms — the incisive to the invective.

The CPM’s label to this newspaper falls in the latter category and deserves no response.

editor@expressindia.com

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