Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today blamed “irresponsible comments” made by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for the death of four jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles, who were shot dead by Maoists yesterday at Gidhni near Jhargram.

“It is the irresponsible comments made by the chief minister that has led to the killing of the four EFR jawans. Hours after Buddhababu talked about driving them away from the state, the jawans were killed by the Maoists in retaliation. At a time when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is talking about peace and harping on talks, Buddhababu is making irresponsible comments,” Banerjee said at a rally in Esplanade.

The chief minister, during his visit to West Midnapore yesterday, had said the forces would go all out against Maoists and drive them away from Bengal. Banerjee today led a rally from College Square to Esplanade against the rising violence in the state.

“I have been greatly pained by the death of the jawans. It is all the chief minister’s doing,” she said. “Buddhababu, why can’t you work impartially... why can’t you bring back peace in Bengal?” she asked.

Banerjee, who left for Delhi after the rally, said she would meet Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and other Cabinet members and highlight the worsening situation in Bengal.

The Trinamool chief said it would take her three seconds to solve the Lalgarh and Darjeeling problems. “One has to look not through a political prism, but from a human point of view. A human approach is needed,” she added.

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