Ruling Left Front against banning Maoists in Bengal

West Bengal's ruling Left Front said it was against banning the CPI (Maoist) and will counter such outfits politically, days after Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stated that his government will give a serious thought to proscribing the Naxals. 10 Deadliest Naxal attacks in India in the last six years | See map

West Bengal's ruling Left Front on Monday said it was against banning the CPI (Maoist) and will counter such outfits politically, days after Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stated that his government will give a serious thought to proscribing the Naxals.

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"We have decided that such outfits, which follow misguided politics, cannot be countered by banning them. It is important to counter the activities of these outfits politically," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said in Kolkata.

He said that the fight of the Leftists against the 'misguided politics' of the Maoists was on. "We are opposing the terrorist activities of the Maoists and that is why we are attacked," he said in a statement.

Bose said it was a continuous political process to 'alienate' people from the 'dangerous politics' pursued by the Maoists. "This work has to be carried on," he said.

He, however, said that it was necessary to take administrative steps to restore normal life of the people.

Bhattacharjee, after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday, had stated that his government was considering banning the CPI (Maoist) after the Centre's suggestion in this regard following the Naxal violence in Lalgarh.