CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim.
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri

The West Bengal leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday (May 9, 2025) urged for the de-escalation of the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan, asserting that “no one wins in such a war”.

CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim said that attacks and counter-attacks become part of a cyclical process and no one wins such a war. The senior CPI(M) leader cited the example of the war between Russia and Ukraine and added that in today’s world nobody occupies the territory of another country.

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“War means destruction. The more there is war mongering, it has to be emphatically said that war is not a solution to any problem,” Mr. Salim said.

The CPI(M) leader, however, added: “Terrorism has to be confronted. Terrorists have to be identified, which India has done. Everyone has supported it. The whole world has supported it. But then this retaliation, escalation continues continuously”.

The CPI(M) leadership had supported Operation Sindoor and in a statement added, “In the all-party meeting convened by the Union Government, all the political parties had extended support to the measures taken by the Union Government aimed against the terrorists and their handlers”.

Mr. Salim who made the comments at an event to observe the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore said, “Rabindranath is always relevant, not only in times of peace but also in times in war. That is why he is called world poet”.

The CPI(M) leader added that war should not be considered a video game. “The war is between the soldiers, but in fact there are innocent villagers, ordinary people, whose lives are becoming miserable. The governments of both countries are not taking steps to make the lives of their people from miserable to bearable,” he added.

Also read | Operation Sindoor: Mehbooba, Mirwaiz urge India, Pakistan to ‘de-escalate’

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who participated in the Rabindra Jayanti celebrations in the West Bengal Assembly, targeted Ganashakti, the Bengali mouthpiece of CPI(M) published from West Bengal. Mr. Adhikari questioned the coverage of Operation Sindoor and the recent attacks and counter attacks between India and Pakistan by the publication, which has emphasised a diplomatic solution to the escalation at the border.

Mr. Adhikari said that CPI(M) leaders have recently made fun of mock drills and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. He threatened to conduct a surgical strike of CPI(M) leaders and “throw them to Pakistan” once the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in West Bengal.