Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here on Sunday that the West Bengal government should reply if it had received Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's letter on law and order.
Responding to persistent media queries, Mr. Mukherjee said, “The State government will reply to the letter when it gets it.” While the Union Home Minister had discharged his responsibilities by writing the letter, the State government too should fulfil its duties. “This is the expectation.”
Mr. Mukherjee, however, did not make any comments on the contents of the letter.
The missive reportedly revolved round camps set up by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the Jangal Mahal area.
The Trinamool Congress had alleged that the camps were being used as a subterfuge for sheltering armed goons. The thugs terrorised people, especially political rivals and used the joint security forces as their cover, the party said.
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and senior officers in the Secretariat had denied receipt of any letter on such camps from the Union Home Minister over the last weekend.
Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said on Saturday that the Chief Minister told him that he had not seen such a letter as yet.
Asked for his comments in the light of Mr Mukherjee's comments, Mr. Bose reiterated that no such letter was received as yet and a reply would be sent after its receipt and on checking its contents.
On the issue of camps, he said this was nothing new. “Definitely there are camps. People evicted from the Jangal Mahal area by the rebels had to be given shelter in the CPI(M) party offices and nearby areas, which came to be known as camps,” he said.
On the list furnished by the Trinamool of its supporters killed over the last few months, Mr. Bose said just like the CPI(M) had prepared a list of its supporters who were killed, the Opposition too should submit facts and figures instead of trying to mislead people.
