Kolkata: Naxalite outfit CPI-ML (Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist) today (Sep 13, 2004) severely criticised CPM (Communist Party Marxist) for 'deviating' from its stand of consolidating the communist movement in the country and "acting like a lap dog of the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre and not a watch dog''.

''This revisionist party CPM is, in fact, a lap dog and not watch dog'' of the UPA Government, CPI-ML General Secretary Kanu Sanyal told reporters in Kolkata while announcing the merger of CPI-ML with CPI-ML Red Flag, one of the naxalite factions.

Sanyal further alleged that in the name of blocking the return of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to power at the Centre, ''they (CPM) are, in fact, helping the UPA Government in suppressing the people's movements in different parts of the country''.

About the merger of the two-naxalite parties, Sanyal said the CPI-ML would consolidate a 'real' Communist movement ''different from the movement of the revisionists CPM and CPI, and left adventurists PW (People's war) and MCC (Maoists Communists Centre)". He called upon all 'Communist revolutionary forces' to close their ranks and unite into a single party of the Indian proletariat to strengthen their movement in the interest of the people.

"The role of the CPM-led Left Front, the CPM in particular, clearly exposes the pretensions to represent the workers and peasants", he said adding that ''whatever little resistance they offered to the NDA Government against its policies of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation, had been minimised''.

"This proves that they are in fact lap dogs and not watch dogs'', he added.