Slamming Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee who today warned of a public outcry if intellectuals are arrested, Left leaders said she would be responsible if violence and anarchy break out in the state.

Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh, who had earlier criticised the state government for resisting intellectuals’ visit to Lalgarh, said he foresees a spate of violence in the state in the near future.

“She is insisting on violence. As she is part of the Union Cabinet, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee are responsible for reining her in from making such statements,” Ghosh said.

“The extreme right and the extreme Left forces are actively working against the Left Front government. We will resist them,” Ghosh said.

Meanwhile, singing in tune with the intellectuals who are up in arms against PCAPA leader Chhatradhar Mahato’s arrest, the CPI, which is a junior partner in the Left Front government, today said it was unfortunate that the tribal leader was charged under the UAPA.

“People are happy that Mahato was arrested but we are against the state home department’s decision to charge him under the UAPA,” said CPI leader and state Minor Irrigation Minister Nandagopal Bhattacharya.

The minister said his party had earlier opposed the arrest of Gour Chakraborty, the spokesperson for CPI (Maoists) in the state, under the UAPA.

“We are against the Act, not the arrest of Mahato,” he said.