Trinamool, CPM take battle to PM’s court

The two main political rivals in West Bengal shifted their battle to Delhi on Friday. Two separate delegations from the Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing each other of stoking Maoist violence in the state.

The two main political rivals in West Bengal shifted their battle to Delhi on Friday.

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Two separate delegations from the Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing each other of stoking Maoist violence in the state.

Demanding army deployment in the Maoist-hit districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee told Singh the Centre must act to protect minorities, women and weaker sections.

“We asked the Prime Minister to end the ‘genocide’ in the state,” Banerjee said. The delegation also submitted a memorandum on the alleged killing of 500 Trinamool workers by “CPM-supported goons” in the past three months.

Climbing down from her earlier demand to dismiss the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government, she said, “We only want the rule of law to prevail.”

The Left parties’ delegation presented “evidence” of how the Trinamool was using its alleged nexus with Maoists to expand its support base.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said Singh had assured them that the Left’s documents would be sent to the home ministry for a “proper and thorough probe”.

“This contradiction in the Union cabinet is untenable.”