The ruling Left Front in West Bengal today took a swipe at Union home minister P Chidambaram for telling the state government to ensure law and order, saying it was the Trinamool Congress which was responsible for "lawlessness".
"I have not heard or read of what Chidambaram has said. If he has given such advice, the state government should deal with the situation accordingly. As per the Constitution the responsibility of maintaining law and order lies with the state government," Left Front chairman Biman Bose told a press conference here.
"If the state government asks for Central help, the Centre can help," Bose said in a barb directed at the UPA government of which Trinamool Congress is an ally, soon after Chidambaram asked chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to ensure law and order in the state following yesterday's clashes between TC and CPI(M) members in Hooghly district.
"The Trinamool Congress is creating lawlessness in the state for the past few months and is resorting to falsehood to confuse the people," Bose, state secretary of CPI(M), said.
Bose said that the state government was showing any laxity in dealing with the situation.Stating that for some time theTrinamool had been demanding invocation of Article 355 and also 356, Bose said that the constitution was clear on the position under which Article 356 could be invoked.
Bose pointed out that Banerjee's claim that the Left Front came to power in 1977 after President's Rule was incorrect. "This is not correct. Elections were held at that time after lifting of the Emergency."
Asked about a Nepali Maoist leader's admission that they were supplying arms to Maoists in India, Bose said he had seen the media report. "I can't comment on what appears in the media. Sitaram Yechury in now abroad, I will talk to him."
Bose also claimed that since the Lok Sabha election, 102 left workers had been killed in the state.
Comments