A long way into history: Mamata brings victims of Nandigram and Tebhaga on one platform

It was a rare occasion to see relatives of those killed in the Tebhaga movement,which was launched by the communists for share-croppers,sharing the dias with the family members of those killed in the police firing in Nandigram.

By paying tributes to these martyrs,Banerjee attempted to hijack the core communist ideology in Bengal.

“We speak for all the martrys of Bengal. We want to pay respect to them and their families. We should not forget their contribution to Bengal,be it people killed by police firing in Nandigram or during the Tebhaga movement,” said Banerjee.

“The CPM failed to give them justice and even remember them. But we will be on their side. We share their grief. They have lost their near and dear ones,” she added as the kin of the victims looked on from a separate stage erected for them.

The rally was also attended by the families of Tapasi Malik and graphic designer Rizwanur Rehman — victims of high profile murder cases that had put the Left Front government in a dock. Kishwar Jehan,mother of Rizwanur Rehman,was among the speakers who addressed the rally.

“I pray for the souls of those mothers who lost their beloved like me. I am waiting for justice like them and I hope one day we will get it. I want no mother to face the same situation in their lives and therefore I am with Mamata Banerjee,” said Jehan.

ONCE THE LEFT’S MOVEMENT
The TEBHAGA MOVEMENT was a militant agitation launched by Kisan Sabha (peasants’ front of Communist Party of India) in 1946. At that time share-cropping peasants had to give half of their harvest to the owners of the land. The demand of the Tebhaga (sharing by thirds) movement was to reduce the share given to landlords to one third.

The FOOD MOVEMENT was launched by the CPI in 1959 when the state was suffering from acute food shortage.

MARTYRS’ DAIS
A separate stage was erected near the main dais where the relatives of the victims of the movements launched by the Marxists and the Trinamool were seated together

On the stage were
* Daughter-in-laws of Nilkantha Samantha who died during the Tebhaga movement in 1946
* Mahadeb Bhuiyan,son of Gajendranath Bhuiyan killed during Tebhaga movement
* Keshab Singha,son of Ahalla Batasi Singho,another victim of police firing during the Tebhaga movement
* Kishwar Jehan,mother of Rizwanur Rehman. Rehman was found dead near railway tracks after he was forced by senior police officers to break his marriage with hosiery baron Ashok Todi’s daughter
* Molina Malik,mother of Tapasi Malik. Tapasi was killed allegedly by CPM leaders in Singur