Countering the Left Front’s allegations that the entry of Maoists into Lalgarh was facilitated by the Trinamool-Congress combine, state Congress leaders said such allegations were “just gossip”, and the tense situation in Lalgarh was caused by the continuing stand of the state government to not ban parties like the People’s War Group and the CPI(Maoist).

“Why haven’t these groups been banned? They are banned in other states. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said these parties would be politically dealt with. Apparently nothing has come of it as the situation now is far worse than before,” Congress Legislative Party leader Manas Bhuniya said.

Reiterating the Centre’s stand that law and order is a state subject and state government forces should be deployed before Central Paramilitary Forces (CPF) are called in, Bhuniya said the police shouldn’t be seen holding back their men while the CPF are sent to the field.

The Union Home ministry has agreed to deploy 1,300 CPF troops in the area, but has made it clear that the state should deploy forces available with it like the State Armed Police, Specially Trained Armed Company (STRACO) and the East Frontier Rifles.

“This shows the ineffectiveness of the state government. The CM has failed. The Centre is right in attaching a rider while sending the CPF to Lalgarh. Law and order is a state subject and the state must answer for this situation,” Bhuniya said.

The Congress MLA categorically denied that his party was supporting Maoist activities in Lalgarh. “The Congress will never support the Maoists or any armed struggle. Our approach has always been democratic. In this situation, we are calling for peace to be restored at the earliest. The Left Front is in power. Let the Chief Minister speak up. We haven’t been kept in the loop regarding the developments in Lalgarh by the state government,” he added.

... contd.