ASSAM-Left Parties to Government s Rescue

April IL 1981 ASSAM Left Parties to Government's Rescue Udayon Misra IN whatever manner the CPI (M)-led Left group now tries to rationalise its support to the Congress (I) ministry during the recent no-confidence motion, March 24 will go down in Assam's history' as a day of betrayal by the Left parties. For the first time, in the staffs history, the Left parties played a crucial role, in deciding the fate of a Congress ministry. The survival of the Taimur ministry was due almost solely because of the stand taken by the 23 member strong Left group comprising the CPI(M) (11), the CPI (6), the RCPI (4) ami the SUCT(2). Barring the lone CPI (ML) member, the entire Left group abstained from voting thereby allowing the Congress(I) government to survive. The CPI (M) and its allies have all along been highly critical of the Congress (I) government's performance; and yet, by abstaining on the crucial no-confidence motion, the CPI (M)-led has shown that it is not prepared to jeopardise the position of the Left Front ministries in West Bengal and Tripura by helping to topple the Congress (I) in Assam. By this abstention, the Left group has helped to keep in office a government which in the past three months of its existence has shown scant regard for democratic rights and civil liberties.