Jyoti Basu condemns Andhra police firing; demands inquiry

Condemning the police firing on a protesting mob at Mudigonda village of Andhra Pradeshs Khammam District, which claimed eight lives yesterday, former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Jyoti Basu today demanded an inquiry into the incident.

Kolkata, July 29 : Condemning the police firing on a protesting mob at Mudigonda village of Andhra Pradesh's Khammam District, which claimed eight lives yesterday, former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Jyoti Basu today demanded an inquiry into the incident.

"I hope there will be an inquiry to find out whether the firing was unprovoked or absolutely necessary. I hope that our party's Andhra unit will raise demand for an inquiry into the incident," Basu told reporters here.

Basu said this at the state party headquarters, where he came to attend the state committee meeting.

The Left parties are observing a daylong shutdown in Khammam district to register their protest against the police firing.

The Andhra Pradesh State Government has already ordered an enquiry into the incident.

Andhra Pradesh Police fired at a protest rally of Left parties against the State Government's land policy turned violent.

Protestors in the village started pelting stones on police, who retaliated first with a baton charge, and then with firing on the 1000-strong mob.

The CPI-M said in a statement that police resorted to "brutal" firing on people participating in a "peaceful rasta roko" as part of the bandh to protest police repression and the refusal of the government to concede their "genuine demands."

The CPI (M), CPI and 195 mass organisations have been conducting a movement for house sites and land for the poor, since May 2 this year.

"Instead of discussing and settling the issues, the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh resorted to brutal attacks against the people. Hundreds of people were seriously injured in police lathicharges in different parts of the state and thousands were sent to jail," the party said.

The Congress Government had promised distribution of surplus land to the landless poor. The state has so far distributed about 450,000 acres of land to about 300,000 beneficiaries.

ANI