Gyaneshwari attack on 28 May 2010 was an act of terrorism, which killed 148 people. An organization called People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), with links to Maoists were found to be responsible for the attack. This was confirmed by both CBI & PCAPA admission.
Immediately after the accident, the then Rail Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed then ruling party CPM for the attack. Intellectuals supporting Mamata Banerjee held a press conference as well.
Right after she took defeated the left and took over as CM of West Bengal, she did a U-turn blamed the Maoists instead. That's in Nov 2011. Then in Feb 2012, she did another U-turn and again blamed CPM.
But that's ok. We're used to her U-turns.
CBI took over the case, and named PCAPA for the train tragedy. But what's PCAPA? Where is it now?
People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) spearheaded a tribal resistance against police at Lalgarh after a landmine blast targeting the convoy of then CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee & Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. It was led by one Chhatradhar Mahato, now a TMC leader.
Coming back to Gyaneshwari attack, CBI named Bapi and Umakant Mahto, senior PCAPA activists, and PCPA convenor Asit Mahto as the main accused. Point to be noted: Trinamool was in alliance with the UPA government - a key partner. CBI was Mamata Banerjee's demand.
Upon Mamata Banerjee's request/ order CBI took over the investigation as she did not trust CID. Now of course CID is trusted over CBI.
Anyway, CBI took over the case, and named PCAPA for the train tragedy. But what's PCAPA? Where is it now?
People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) spearheaded a tribal resistance against police at Lalgarh after a landmine blast targeting the convoy of then CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee & Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. It was led by one Chhatradhar Mahato, now a TMC leader.
Coming back to Gyaneshwari attack, CBI named Bapi and Umakant Mahto, senior PCAPA activists, and PCPA convenor Asit Mahto as the main accused. Point to be noted: Trinamool was in alliance with the UPA government - a key partner. CBI was Mamata Banerjee's demand.
A bit more about Bapi. He was a member of Mamata's Trinamool Congress before he joined the PCAPA, a frontal organisation of the Maoists. Apart from the Jnaneswari derailment case, Bapi was also wanted in 10 other cases, including murder.
To her credit, Mamata Banerjee was able to manage the Maoist violence once she came to power. Dreaded Maoist leader Kishenji, who wanted Banerjee in power was later killed. Many PCAPA leaders have formally joined TMC and some of them like Suchitra Mahato got government job.
I must add
@Comrade__Vijay
's tweet here. The #CoromandelExpressAccident was unfortunate, but the political vision should be questioned for the mishap. Same way, the Gyaneshwari attack needs to be retold.
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