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No link with Maoists: Trinamool

Ananya Dutta

KOLKATA: Denying the Left allegations of links between the Trinamool Congress and the Maoists, Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee on Friday said the Lalgarh attacks were a factional fight of the CPI(M).

“It is a fight between the haves and the have-nots of the CPI (M),” he told The Hindu here, adding that unlike other States, the West Bengal government had not banned the Maoists, because if “they did, they would be banning their own people.”

Demanding a ban on the Maoists, the Trinamool leader said Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was responsible for the present situation.

He said some CPI (M) leaders, amassing wealth in places where people were not even getting food, brought things to this state.

If the Trinamool was helping the Maoists, how was it the Left Front won six Lok Sabha seats in Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur (districts affected by Maoist activity), Mr. Chatterjee asked.

Accusing the CPI (M) of connections with the Maoists, he said they encouraged poll boycott and ensured that the Left Front won.

The Trinamool, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, wanted to curb violence, he said. “She has already shown her commitment to non-violence by her 26-day hunger strike in Kolkata and 21-day dharna at Singur.”

Commenting on the ongoing paramilitary and police operations, Mr. Chatterjee said the Lalgarh issue arose from underdevelopment. The need of the hour was not the bullet, but development, food, shelter and employment for the people.

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