George report makes CPM see red

Stung by Fernandes8217; statement describing West Bengal8217;s law and order as worse than Bihar8217;s, CPI-M accused the Defence Minister of pandering to Trinamool Congress8217; political demands after visiting three villages in the entire state.

8220;By suggesting that the life of Mamata Banerjee is threatened, the Defence Minister has resorted to political chicanery of the lowest form,8221; CPI-M leaders said, adding that by using the threat of Article 356 against West Bengal Left Front Government, the BJP-led government has exposed its 8220;authoritarian tendencies8221;.

In Calcutta, the West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu said the report was 8220;full of lies8221; and dared the Centre to take any action. He said his government had received the report from the Centre and added that he would personally reply to it. 8220;I told the Chief secretary not to reply. I will reply tomorrow,8221; he said.

Other Left Parties have also rallied behind the CPI-M in condemning the NDA Government move and said all regional parties are in agreement with the Left parties that the misuse of Article 356 should be ended once and for all.

8220;What should concern other political parties, including those who are allies of the BJP, in the NDA, is the constant invocation of the draconian Article 356,8221; the CPI-M leaders said.

Promising that the Left Front in West Bengal would fight back and oppose tooth-and-nail 8220;the violent and undemocratic tactics of the Trinamool Congress-BJP alliance8221;, 8220;the BJP-led Government should not engage in an act that would disturb the Constitutional framework and already volatile Centre-state relations in their cynical anti-Left pursuit.8221;

Janata Dal Secular president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda too joined issues with Defence Minister George Fernandes, for comparing the law and order situation in West Bengal with that of Bihar. 8220;The threat of imposing President8217;s rule in the state is unfortunate and politically motivated,8221; he said. 8220;I don8217;t know if he is talking to please someone or doing it out of his old habit of talking,8221; he added.