The latest issue of People’s Democracy has an editorial on the Gujarat riots in the wake of Tehelka’s sting operation. It says “Today, five years later, the cases of these crimes continue to languish in the courts. This is turning out to be a severe indictment on the efficacy of our justice delivery system. In fact, Babu Bajrangi is on record stating that the CM got him out of jail and kept on changing judges to protect him...”

The editorial argues that the details revealed by the sting operation must be admitted as evidence in court. It urges the central government to intervene to ensure that justice is delivered. “After all, the UPA was formed to protect and strengthen the secular foundations of modern India.”

Back to Nandigram

Nandigram continues to haunt the Left Front government in West Bengal. A report in People’s Democracy says it is the Maoist-Trinamool-Naxalite alliance that’s creating trouble. Says the report “It is now widely believed that the popular resistance that prevents the Trinamool-Maoists-SUCI-Naxalite ‘front’ from occupying newer areas at Nandigram has made the criminals desperate. Even on the day of the bombing of the Sher Khan Chak relief camp, more than 100 people, men, women, and children, defied the ‘ban’ imposed by the forces of reaction and sectarianism on their return to their villages, and marched home, red flags held aloft. The criminals dared not attack these brave and completely unarmed villagers, carrying their meagre belongings on their heads.”

... contd.