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National

Mamata backs agitating tribals

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday pledged her support to the agitating tribals in the Lalgarh area of Paschim Medinipur district.

Ms Banerjee was addressing a congregation in the Ramgarh area of Lalgarh — large parts of which were cut off by the agitators — after paying her last respects to three persons killed in Monday’s violence there.

She accused the State government of “dividing the Adivasi community in the region by pursuing a divide and rule policy.”

Her visit to Lalgarh is aimed at stirring fresh trouble in the region, alleged Biman Bose, chairman of the Left Front Committee.

“Her going there only proves that Chhatradhar Mahato [a leader of the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities – the resistance group spearheading the agitation at Lalgarh] is a local leader of the Trinamool,” he alleged.

Resistance committees

The Maoists have extended support to the committee since its formation in November 2008 in protest against alleged police excesses on local villagers. Ms. Banerjee shared a makeshift rostrum with Mr. Mahato, who has called for the setting up of “resistance committees” in villages of the region to prevent the police from entering there.

“It is now clear as daylight that those who claim to belong to the Trinamool in the day are Maoists by night … By talking to them Mamata Banerjee is trying to provoke them into fomenting fresh violence in Lalgarh,” Mr. Bose, who is also the Secretary of the West Bengal State CPI(M) Committee, said.

“Unleashing terror”

Ms. Banerjee charged the CPI(M) with “unleashing terror in the area the way it had in Nandigram.”

“Instead of playing with fire and only serving the interests of the CPI(M), the State government should sit for talks with the Adivasis,” she said.

“There is no law and order in this area. The State government should work towards restoring peace and provide compensation to the families of those who died and injured in Monday’s violence,” she demanded.

Ms. Banerjee was earlier advised by the local administration against visiting Lalgarh in view of the volatility of the situation.

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