The Hindu : National : No Maoists in West Bengal, says Mamata Banerjee

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No Maoists in West Bengal, says Mamata Banerjee

Special Correspondent

Seeks withdrawal of security forces
'State-sponsored atrocities have exceeded limits'

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee told journalists here on Wednesday that “there are no Maoists” in West Bengal. Joint security operations are under way in parts of the State to flush out left-wing extremists.

She would like to ask Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, whether the operations were against the people there or aimed at providing access into the region to activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

“In the name of joint operations why are you doing this…letting armed CPI (M) cadres set up camps [in the region],” she asked Mr. Chidambaram, even as she reiterated that the security operations should be withdrawn. “The joint operations are wrong…Why should the CPI (M) be a part of an operation being conducted by governments?,” Ms. Banerjee wondered.

“There are no Maoists; the region is totally under the control of armed activists of the CPI(M) who have set up nearly 200 camps,” she said of Jangalmahal. These are forest areas spanning Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur districts where the extremists have been active.

Ms. Banerjee also demanded “the arrest” of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for “misusing his powers under the Constitution,” for engaging in “undemocratic and unconstitutional” activities.

“Why should not any action be taken against him because of his politics of individual killings and mass murder?... I feel it is my social responsibility to say so” she said.

Ms. Banerjee said 60 leaders and supporters of her party had been killed by violence “let loose by the CPI (M)” in the State over the past three months. “The killings that started since the Lok Sabha elections continue till today,” she alleged. “Where is the administration? There is no governance; State-sponsored atrocities have exceeded all limits,” she said, charging that arms from neighbouring countries were flooding the State.

“The CPI (M) believes that it can stay on in power by perpetrating killings. The people will not allow this. We will rescue democracy in the State,” Ms. Banerjee said.

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