West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday charged the Trinamool Congress with “openly and directly” associating with the Communist Party of India (Maoists) for “political gain.”
Expressing grave concern over alleged “overt and covert'' support extended by the Trinamool, the main Opposition party in the State, to the Maoists, the Chief Minister reiterated his government's resolve to disarm armed groups active in some areas.
Meets Manmohan
Mr. Bhattacharjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday and discussed the security scenario in West Bengal with them. Describing the January 7 killing at Netai village in Lalgarh as “unfortunate,” he said the government would make efforts to ensure that such incidents did not recur.
“I told the Home Minister that he should tell them [Trinamool Congress] in no uncertain terms that they must dissociate from the Maoists,” Mr. Bhattacharjee told reporters later.
While earlier the Trinamool was having “secret contacts” with Maoists and giving them “covert support,” it had come out in the open now.
The Chief Minister said that the Trinamool and the Maoists as well as their frontal organisations were holding joint public meetings, adding that some Trinamool leaders were also recently caught escorting Maoists, injured in encounters with joint forces, for medical treatment in Orissa.
Replying to questions on the Calcutta High Court directive on the Netai killings to disarm armed groups, he said the government was “firm” on the issue and the joint forces would disarm such groups in that area.
Mr. Bhattacharjee said that areas under 28 police stations were affected by left wing extremism but the situation had improved in most of the areas. West Midnapore, Bankura and half of Purulia districts — including the densely-forested Ajudhia Hills bordering Jharkhand — were still affected by Maoist violence.
“The joint forces are dominating in the three affected districts where government offices, panchayat and BDO offices are functioning normally. Schools and markets are open,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said, adding that the problem still existed in areas bordering Jharkhand and Orissa.
‘Dangerous situation'
However, Mr. Bhattacharjee said that “a dangerous situation” was being created by the the Trinamool's nexus with the Left extremists. He also accused them of jointly planning the agitation in Nandigram in 2007.
“I agreed with the Home Minister that the recent incident in Netai village was very unfortunate. We will ensure that such incidents do not recur,” he added.
“Some Trinamool leaders have organised open meetings with PCPA [Maoist frontal outfit] members. Statements of important Maoist leaders who have been arrested indicate some joint programmes with TMC about which the Union Home Ministry has been informed in detail,” the Chief Minister said.
