Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), one of the major partners in the Bengal Left Front, has again reiterated its opposition to to the arrest of Maoists and their sympathisers under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

“It is a draconian law and the 2008 Amendment has given enormous powers to the police. We want Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to clarify his stand before the steering committee of the cabinet. Our party is opposed to implementation of UAPA in Bengal,” remarked PWD minister Kshiti Goswami said after a meeting of the Front on Tuesday morning.

The Front partners met on Tuesday to announce their list of candidates for the 7 November by-elections of 10 assembly seats in Bengal. But the allies did not get any opportunity to raise the UAPA issue as Buddhadeb left in a hurry barely 15 minutes after the meeting got started.

The RSP had earlier expressed its reservation in this matter and demanded bi-partite talks with the CPI(M) leadership.

The Bengal government has recently slapped UAPA against several tribal leaders in Bengal.

Right now five tribal leaders and their sympathizers are behind bars facing charges under UAPA. The list includes Chhatradhar Mahato, 44, spokesperson, People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), 60 plus Gour Chakravarty, spokesperson Communist Party of India (Maoist), Sukh Shanti Baske, 38, treasurer, PCAPA, Raja Sarkhel and Prasun Chatterjee.

The last two are members of Gana Pratirodh Mancha.