With an eye on the forthcoming panchayat elections, the CPM has initiated a damage control exercise among its Muslim cadres. Top party leaders, in a special convention held on Saturday, claimed that the party and the state government are taking new initiatives for the development of the Muslims.

In a booklet, titled ‘Development of Minorities and Our Responsibilities’, the CPM has outlined its own line of action for minorities. It proposes development activities like improved education, housing, health and infrastructure amenities for minorities’ dominated areas.

Other schemes include setting up of a corpus fund of Rs 50 crore for meeting the “development deficit” of the minorities, recruiting teachers for teaching Bengali in Urdu-medium schools and offering housing opportunities to poor Muslims.

Senior party leaders addressed Muslim representatives from across the state at Nazrul Manch, where only CPM members were allowed entry .

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said, “Attempts are being made to mislead Muslims by telling them that their land is being snatched away by the government.” He added that the CPM and other secular parties would be able to defeat communal forces.

Reiterating the fact that the Union Government had failed to offer minorities a sub-plan for development, Bhattacharjee said, “The state government has already taken up a special action plan for the minorities.”

He added that he is not in favour of reservation as it will benefit only a certain section of the society.