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The Rediff Interview/Mamata Banerjee

'Anarchy in Bengal'

The recent killings in Keshpur once again prompted the arch rivals of Bengal politics to spew venom against each other. While Trinamul chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the CPI-M of creating a reign of terror in Midnapore ahead of the by-election in Panskura, her bete noire and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu defended his party workers' action as acts of defence. Mamata was in north Bengal, flagging off the toy train of Darjeeling, when news of the massacre of supporters came in. The firebrand lady was quick in cutting short her programme and going to Keshpur. In an exclusive interview with Rifat Jawaid in Calcutta, Mamata, who visited the affected, lashed out at the CPI-M and demanded the immediate ouster of Midnapore SP Gaurav Dutta. Excerpts from the interview:

How do you react to the recent spate of killings of Trinamul workers, allegedly by CPI-M activists?

I am shattered. It's unfortunate that the killings gained momentum since the Election Commission decided to hold elections in Panskura. In four months, CPI-M arsonists have murdered more than 50 Trinamul activists. Ironically, nobody, not even ministers, seem to be aware of the ground realities. The police are hand in glove with goons. They act like party cadres. There is sufficient evidence of State Transport Minister Susanta Ghosh supplying arms to local cadres. Our men are hanged in police lockups, but we are told that they have committed suicide. Where will you witness more human right violations than in Keshpur. A section of the media is being fed with distorted information.

The CPI-M has many party officials near Keshpur, but when we decided to open out, the Keshpur administration did not allow us. Where is democracy?

Biman Bose has been accusing you of receiving foreign aid to buy arms.

I don't take Bose's statements seriously. How can I pay heed to an allegation by somebody who's not even an elected representative of the people? Ask to him to first get elected, even in panchayat polls.

The CPI-M says it was your inflammatory speeches in Keshpur last week that led to the killings of Trinamul supporters. Comment.

I never made provocative statements. I said was that we'll not sit idle if provoked by CPI-M goons. The media distorted my remarks.

Your workers have accused the Midnapore SP of being biased. Comment.

What can I say about Gaurav Dutta? It will only give unnecessary publicity to a man responsible for overseeing the killings of hundreds of innocent ordinary citizens. He has ruined the administration in Keshpur. The State Human Rights Commission blacklisted him. It had started that Dutta could not be appointed SP of any district. But Home (Police) Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya feels that Dutta is indispensable. That's because he wanted to keep his party's electoral prospects alive in Parskura.

What about the law and order situation in Midnapore?

What law and order? There is anarchy in the state. The common man is under constant threat. In Kashmir, there are terrorist groups, which have been posing a threat to law and order, but here Marxist goons are responsible.

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