By IANS,
New Delihi : The Congress Wednesday said the Maoist violence in West Bengal is condemnable but is the result of prolonged “misgovernance and subversion of democracy” in the state by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
“What Maoists are doing is condemnable….it is the result of misgovernance and the mistakes that the Left have done during its regime of 32 years in West Bengal. For 32 years it has been rule of cadres rather then democracy in West Bengal and the situation has not come to this point overnight,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.
Tewari said if the Left government had not used funds meant for development to build CPI-M offices such situation would not have arisen.
“If they can not run the government in accordance to the provisions of constitution then the state government must step down,” Tewari said.
Asked if he was suggesting the imposition of article 355 in West Bengal, Tewari said: “Maintaining the law and order in the state is the duty of the state government. Whatever help they need will be made available and if the Left is unable to run the government in accordance with constitution then they should step down”.
Violence continues in West Bengal with suspected Maoists gunning down three ruling CPI-M workers Wednesday in the Jhargram area, close to the troubled zone of Lalgarh, even as more central forces reached West Midnapore district.
Lalgarh has been on the boil since last November when a landmine exploded on the route of the convoy of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and then central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada.
Maoists have been active in the three western districts of the state – West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. They also backed the Trinamool-sponsored movement against the state government’s bid to establish a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.