“Camps of CPI(M) cadres present in Jangalmahal”

Rubbishing Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s claims that camps being run by the party in West Bengal's Maoist-affected Jangalmahal region were to shelter homeless people driven out by the Maoists, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee reiterated here on Thursday that the Marxists were sheltering armed cadres there.

Ms. Banerjee also announced “a month-long anti-terror movement across the State” that shall include marches and rallies from September 6, to highlight ‘attacks and atrocities' on supporters of her party by the CPI(M).

She claimed even Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has pointed to the existence of these armed camps. There has been loot and atrocities by Marxist cadres in the Jangalmahal region, Ms. Banerjee told journalists.

“It is amazing that even some Ministers in the Left Front government have been holding out threats against Trinamool activists.However, our movement will be democratic and peaceful,” she said. The movement includes a march from Lalgarh to Dharampur in the Jangalmahal region on September 9, she added.

Ms. Banerjee has courted controversy ever since her August 9 rally at Lalgarh where her comments on the death of Maoist leader Azad rocked Parliament with Opposition parties claiming that her remarks were in contradiction to the stated stand of the UPA government.

Ms. Banerjee also claimed there was a crisis in the State where the Constitution has been misused for petty party purposes by the CPI (M).

She said her party was behaving properly.