Comrades don’t attack Antulay

NEW DELHI: CPM, which is usually the first to give angry soundbytes against misdemeanour by those in power, has chosen to remain silent over minority affairs minister A R Antulay���s statement on Hemant Karkare���s killing in Mumbai attack.

The easily offended CPM MPs have remained indifferent to the calls for resignation of the minister from the Opposition benches. Its silence became starker as there is considerable unease even within the Congress over the minister���s recent statements. The CPM���s former fellow traveller Amar Singh, too, has said that the minister should have refrained from making such comments.

It was only when reporters insisted on a response from the CPM, party MP Sitaram Yechury offered to comment on the issue. While doing so, Mr Sitaram Yechury was to suggest that there was nothing unusual in Mr Antulay���s statements.

���The BJP was attacking Karkare when he was probing the Malegaon blasts. But it called for a Maharashtra bandh two days after his death,��� he said. However, to a specific question whether he was supporting Mr Antulay, he said, ���We are neither supporting or opposing the minister.���

The response of the CPM is not surprising as the party has been quite supportive of the demands from hard-line community elements. The party had in the past participated in protest marches organised by hard-line outfits in Delhi as well as Uttar Pradesh. Mr Yechury had recently told the Rajya Sabha that India���s engagement with the United States was the main cause of spurt in terror attacks.