Following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that Naxalism was the biggest threat to internal security, Trinamool chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday again made a case for Central intervention in West Bengal, charging the CPM of endangering the security of the country in “collusion with Maoists”.

“From pen-gun to sten-gun, the CPM has everything. It has amassed huge quantity of arms. The CPM is also hand-in-glove with the Maoists. Country’s internal security is in danger as West Bengal is a gateway to Bangladesh, Bhutan and even China through Arunachal Pradesh. I will take up the matter with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and urge him to act,” Mamata said.

Making a case for central intervention, Mamata quoted the Home Minister that the state government had turned “useless”. She pointed out that the Centre lent a helping hand to the state by sending paramilitary forces but it failed to check the Maoists. “Chidambaram was very right when he said the West Bengal government was useless,” she said. “There is no government in the state. It is doing nothing,” she said and added that she would ask the Centre to come out with a white paper about the amount of funds it has given to the state and how much of it has been utilised.

Ever since the Trinamool became a partner in the UPA government it has been demanding Central intervention in West Bengal. The Centre, however, has turned it down underlining constitutional constraints.