Worse, divisions have surfaced within the CPI-M itself. Mr. Gautam Deb, the influential Minister for Housing, sensing the indignant public mood, has called for stern action against the killers, “no matter even if they belong to the CPI-M”. He deeply regretted the incident.

This is in contrast to the views expressed by the veteran party Secretary and Front chairman Biman Bose. Even before the report of the SP on the killings was received, Mr. Bose told newsmen in Kolkata on Jan 8 that he suspected the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Maoists to be responsible for the unprovoked firing on the local poor. For the record, armed CPI-M supporters open fire on poor, unarmed villagers who had gone to complain against their oppressive ways, from the sanctuary of a two-storey house on Jan 7. For good measure, the cadres had also called in more armed helpers from the area, fearing an “attack” by the unarmed people. Significantly, the SP, Mr. Manoj Verma has a reputation for efficiency, a rare commodity among state officialdom these days. Under him, the law and order situation had improved, although TMC leaders maintain that he is” pro-CPI-M”

In his report on the incident, at any rate, Mr. Verma cannot be accused of trying to help the CPI-M. His version of what had happened is more or less similar to the reports circulating in the print and electronic media.

The January 7 firing was a searing exposure of the falsity of the state administration’s position regarding the presence of camps of armed left cadres in Midnapore. This was the core allegation against the CPI-M made by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in his letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The latter, as expected, had denied this.

Now it was clear that the trigger-happy, uncontrollable elements within his own party had let the CM down publicly in his well publicised wrangle with Mr. Chidambaram. No wonder Bhattacharjee, impulsive as ever, first threatened to quit and later, as partymen persuaded him to carry on, minced no words in condemning Midnapore leaders at the CPI-M secretariat meeting on January 14. Along with other leaders, Bhattacharjee also felt that the killings had virtually put the party back to square one, post Nandigram incident on march 14 2007, reversing and halting its process of slow recovery among the voters in recent weeks.

Deb did no more than lend his voice to similar views, gloomy as they were to the party. But Bose and leaders of the Students’ and Youth wings of the CPI-M have apparently decided to brazen it out.

A DYF leader explains, ”The Netai incident will not be as damaging to our cause as Nandigram. The opposition has not been able to whip up a frenzy, as it did after Nandigram. Also it is common knowledge that no party can fight armed Maoists adopting Gandhian methods. Most political activists carry arms these days in Midnapore. Naturally people get killed as violence occurs.”

This is closer to the facts of the matter than Mr. Bose’s version, accusing the TMC and the Maoists. But it does not help the Chief Minister in his running war of words with Mr. Chidambaram. Such explanations concede that armed camps exist, that political violence continues to take human lives and that common people in Midnapore are in grave danger — precisely what Mr. Chidambaram was suggesting.

Within the Front again, there are major differences among the allies. The CPI and the RSP have maintained a studied reticence on Midnapore incidents of late. But they have made it clear that the CPI-M will have to take the rap for the Netai incident. Leaders of these parties are also worried over the impact on common people of what had happened and the weakening of the Left position vis-a-vis a hostile centre.

The Forward Bloc which relishes any opportunity to embarrass the CPI-M, is unfortunately painted with the same brush on Netai matters. Only some days ago, Maoists had killed seven poor Bloc supporters in the district. Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas had then called for people to take up arms on their own against the Maoists. No wonder the Bloc has not joined the public chorus and condemnation against the CPI-M for its reliance on armed anti socials to deal with its political opponents.

In any case with the problematic issue of seat sharing in the state Assembly now under discussion within the Front already, the smaller parties would exercise great care not to rub their big brother the wrong way, not too strongly.

All in all, the ruling Left finds itself in a pressure-cooker type of situation, as the opposition is busy making the best of its windfall. A team of non-left intellectuals is due to meet the Prime Minister, Mr. Chidambaram and others to keep them posted about the continuing violence in West Bengal. (IPA Service)