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Telangana, Naxals top Buddha agenda
Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Sunday said he raised the issue of Telangana with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh besides stressing the need for taking the anti-naxal operations into the interiors of the state afflicted by the Left-extremism.
Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Sunday said he raised the issue of Telangana with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh besides stressing the need for taking the anti-naxal operations into the interiors of the state afflicted by the Left-extremism.
“Telangana issue has a direct bearing on our state. The demand for separate statehood is growing in the state. Prime Minister told me the Centre will start the consultation process with political parties on the Telangana issue,” Bhattacharjee said.
The CPM-led government in Bengal is wary of the Telangana issue emboldening the Gorkhaland statehood demand.
Bhattacharjee also said the proposal of a second-organisation commission will open a “Pandora’s box” as demands for 28 different states exist in the country. “Our party is opposed to this proposal”, he said.
He said the state government wants the joint anti-naxal operation of Centre and state to be taken to the interiors. “Now, we are successful in controlling the areas, and guarding the installations. But we want the operations to enter deep into the forests where the Naxalites are based”, he told reporters. He said the anti-naxalite operations should also begin in Jharkhand.
When asked how state can justify Maoist leader Kishenji talking to state Principal Secretary Madan Lal Meena and others, and still be at large, he said “It’s very difficult. He (Kishenji) talks to hundreds of journalists too. We can locate the mobile tower of the location from where he talks. But we couldn’t get into the exact location...”
Regarding Meena’s telephone conversation, he said, “I will have to talk to the officer as soon as I return” to Kolkata.
Asked if he took up the issue of Maoists being in connivance with Trinamool Congress — as alleged by his party — with the PM, he said, “Prime Minister is a knowledgeable man”.
