1971-05-24
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From Our Special Correspondent Calcutta, May 23
The Indian police are expected to start a search tomorrow for Mr. Tariq Ali, the Pakistani radical, who was formerly active in British left-wing student circles.
He slipped into West Bengal three weeks ago to start a left-wing separatist movement among communist underground organizations.
Mr. Ali was smuggled into the country by local Trotskyites. He has been in touch with radicals from both East and West Bengal and hopes to encourage a separatist movement which will lead to the secession of West Bengal from India and ultimately to a "united socialist Bengal " comprising East Pakistan and West Bengal.
Mr. Ali has moved among underground communists in Calcutta and many border areas during the past few days hut police officials were astonished today when they learnt that he was in the country.
I met Mr. Ali yesterday on the vast lawns in front of the Victoria memorial in the centre of Calcutta.
"The revolutionary movement has a big opportunity in Bengal and if we can capitalize on it, we should soon make tremendous headway ". he said.