By IANS,
Kolkata : The central government should carry out a statewide operation by deploying central forces to recover illegal firearms from different parts of West Bengal, Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said here Monday.
“The Centre should take up this responsibility and conduct operations to recover illegal firearms from across the state,” she said.
Accusing the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) of acting as facilitators in the hardcore Maoists fleeing from the Lalgarh region, Banerjee said: “CPI-M has facilitated the Maoists to escape the region and relocate to neighbouring Jharkhand and two other forest-covered West Bengal districts – Bankura and Purulia.
“They (CPI-M) have made a comfortable passage for the Maoists through Sarenga. Now what CPI-M is doing is nothing but a well-planned drama. This issue has to be probed first.
She said that in the name of joint operation the state administration was torturing the tribals and minority population in Lalgarh, Shalboni and Garbeta.
Instead of playing with fire, the government must concentrate on protecting the democratic rights of common people in Lalgarh and they should undertake developmental works there, Banerjee said.
“I’ve asked the Centre to immediately convene a meeting for restoring normalcy in Lalgarh. The meeting is likely to be held amongst me, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P. Chidambaram.
“I’ve had a word with Mukherjee four-five times on the Lalgarh issue and also discussed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“More than 40,000 villagers have fled Lalgarh and its adjoining areas in the fear of police operation,” she said, terming the Maoists as CPI-M’s friend.
Banerjee also claimed that CPI-M hooligans were entering Lalgarh region along with the security forces to recapture the trouble zone. She said the CPI-M had sent their cadres inside Lalgarh to receive the security forces during the operation to flush out the Maoists.