TMC knows how to deal with communal forces: Mamata

“Don’t treat a criminal on the basis of religion”

UP IN ARMS: Congress MLAs staging a walk-out from the Assembly in protest against the Chief Minister's absence during the question hour, in Kolkata on Friday. Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Friday that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) knows ‘how to deal with communal forces’ and will not yield ‘an inch of space’ to those who try to create communal divide in the State.

A number of members of the opposition had raised the issue during the debate on the State Home Budget underscoring that communal ‘elements were getting stronger’ in the State.

Ms. Banerjee said she would not tolerate rise of any communal force in the State, without naming any particular outfit.

“If any force tries to disturb the communal harmony in the State, we will treat that force as our greatest enemy...the religion should not be mixed with crime, a criminal is a criminal,” Ms. Banerjee said.

Law and order peaceful

Despite the allegations of post-poll violence by the parties in the Opposition, Ms. Banerjee said the law and order situation in the State was ‘very peaceful’.

She said that the opposition was wrongly projecting incidents of ‘family strife’ as that of political violence.

Participating in the discussion on the Budget of Home Department, Ms. Banerjee said there was a drop in the cases of political violence as well as crime against women in West Bengal under the Trinamool Congress government.

Citing figures of political violence, she said while 14 people had been killed in political violence in the State in 2014, the number was 1,018 in 2010.

“The hills and Jangalmhal region are peaceful, but many do not like it,” she said referring to the opposition.

In connection with a rape in Bamangola in Malda district, the trial had been completed in 24 days, she said. The Chief Minister pointed out that she did not interfere with the affairs of statutory bodies like State's Human Rights Commission and State's Women Commission.

Cooperating with Saradha probe

The Chief Minister denied the allegations that her government was not cooperating with the central agencies involved in the investigation into Saradha scam. “We have already written a letter to hand over documents to them (central agencies),” Ms. Banerjee said.