'Mamata government becoming fascist'

Kolkata, May 3 (IANS) Civil society members and clerics Saturday accused the West Bengal government of turning "fascist" while condemning the recent attack on some religious leaders allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists.

Claiming that an attack like the one on Tuesday on Hooghly district's Furfura Sharif clerics Ibrahim Siddiqui and Kasem Siddiqui was unheard of in Bengal, former IPS officer Nazrul Islam, former Maoist leader Azizul Haque and educationist Pabitra Sarkar said the Mamata Banerjee-led government was growing increasingly intolerant and turning fascist.

The Siddiqui brothers claimed Trinamool activists assaulted them after they criticised the state government for not doing anything for the minorities and only making false promises.

"The Trinamool is giving a message that people can use their democratic right only if they speak in its favour. Whoever dares to oppose or criticise it will have to face action whether at the hands of the government or the party. This is Nazism, this is fascism," said Islam.

Speaking on the same lines, Sarkar expressed concern over the "alarming situation" prevailing in the state.

"Not a single day passes when this government does not infringe or rob the common man's democratic rights. The question is how long people will tolerate this fascism," he said.

Ex-Trinamool MLA Dipak Ghosh, now a Banerjee baiter, too attacked his former party saying it had not fulfilled even a single promise that it put for the minorities in its manifesto.

"Trinamool leaders used to pat our backs when we used to criticise the (erstwhile) Left Front government. But now when we are raising genuine issues, the same leaders are accusing us of indulging in politics and engineering attacks on us," said Ibrahim.

The Siddiqui brothers, who had complained about the matter to Governor M.K. Narayanan, said they will approach the president seeking punishment for the attackers who are roaming about scot free.