The Hindu : National : Only selective use of ban order: Buddhadeb

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Only selective use of ban order: Buddhadeb

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), under which the Communist Party of India (Maoist) has been deemed a banned outfit, will not be enforced indiscriminately in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee reportedly told the core committee of the Cabinet here on Monday.

Mr. Bhattacharjee’s remark comes in the wake of questions raised by leaders of certain constituents of the ruling Left Front over the enforcement of the Act.

Misgivings on the matter were cleared at the meeting of the core committee.

The Chief Minister told the meeting that the government would enforce the Act “very selectively,” Minister of State for Water Resources and senior leader of the Communist Party of India, Nandagopal Bhattacharya, who was present at the meeting, told The Hindu.

Mr. Bhattacharjee said the security forces were able to free nearly 95 per cent of Lalgarh and its adjoining areas from Maoists since the operation against them began, PWD Minister and senior leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kshiti Goswami, who was also present at the meeting, told journalists.

Extremists flee

Most of the extremists had fled towards Jharkhand, while some went into hiding in parts of the neighbouring Purulia district, the meeting was told.

In all, 22 suspected Maoists have been arrested so far in the operation, but none under the UAPA. They were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The Chief Minister will take it on himself to decide when to enforce the Act and would not do so unless he is “convinced,” he was stated to have told the core committee.

Mr. Bhattacharjee said the State had to accept the Act as it was passed by Parliament. “But he assured us that it will definitely not be enforced indiscriminately in the State, but only after he considers it and not unless he is convinced,” Mr. Goswami said.

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