Will quit if I fail to prove CPI(M) misusing forces: Mamata Banerjee

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee tonight said that she was ready to quit if she cannot prove that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] was misusing central security forces brought for anti-Maoist operations in West Bengal.

"The CPI(M) is misusing the central forces. I would have nothing to say if the central forces were used against Maoists. If I cannot prove that the central forces are being misused by the CPI(M), I am ready to quit. Will the CPI(M) government also do so?" the Trinamool Congress chief told Press Trust of India.

The Railway minister said if she could prove that the central forces were being used, then the Centre would have to withdraw them from the state.

"Central forces are being used to kill Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal. 2,000 workers and supporters have been killed since the Lok Sabha elections. CPI(M) has unleashed a reign of terror," she claimed.

Banerjee said that she had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and apprised them about the CPI(M)'s terror tactics.

"We have been stating repeatedly that state sponsored violence is going on. How many times we will have to say this? Our party met Union home minister P Chidambaram 20 times," she said, adding that governor MK Narayanan had also given a report over the political violence to the Centre.