Maoists are cowards, devils: CM

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee hit out at Maoists groups operating in the state and said, 8220;Maoists are cowards and devils...

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee hit out at Maoists groups operating in the state and said, 8220;Maoists are cowards and devils, who are running their operations from the neighbouring Jharkhand.8221; He was addressing a rally of Democratic Youth Federation Of India DYFI, the CPM8217;s youth wing, at the Brigade Parade ground on Saturday.

Bhattacharjee also slammed separatist movements carried out by forces like Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and the ultra-Left forces. He made it clear that the government will not tolerate any attempt to divide the territory of West Bengal.

With the Lok Sabha polls just round the corner, he suggested that the Left forces would have to float a third alternative without the BJP and the Congress. 8220;Both the NDA government and the UPA government followed a foreign policy, which was influenced by the US. We don8217;t want these parties to come to power again in Delhi,8221; he said. Bhattacharjee, however, added: 8220;We know that forming the third alternative will be a difficult task for the Left .8221;

The chief minister claimed that India became a victim of the economic meltdown in US and banking, steel and IT sector of India were adversely affected. Bhattacharjee also said the Left has played a major role in preventing US companies from entering the Indian market. 8220;We have saved our countrymen from a stringent economic crisis by preventing the US banking and insurance companies from entering our market,8221; he added.

Regarding the rollback of Nano project, Bhattacharjee said: 8220;Did we commit any mistake by setting up a car manufacturing unit in Singur? West Bengal has produced record quantities of rice and vegetables. Now people want jobs and for that we need industries.8221;

The CM accused the Trinamool Congress of creating hurdles for industrialisation. 8220;The principal opposition party in our state is trying to confine our operations only to agriculture. But the agricultural sector does not have the capacity to provide huge employment,8221; he said.

DYFI rally throws traffic out of gear

The DYFI rally brought traffic to a standstill in various pockets of the city as thousands of party supporters made their way to the Brigade Parade ground on Saturday.

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Commuters were at the receiving end, with buses remained stranded on the road and commuters deciding to take the Metro, which was jam packed.

8220;I usually take a bus. But the rally compelled me to take the Metro, which was so congested. I had to walk from Park Circus to Rabindra Sadan to catch a metro,8221; said Anuj Phanuka, a resident of Baguihati.

According to traffic department, entire stretch from Esplanade to Rabindra Sadan to Park Street remained congested. 8220;All the major junctions were blocked and traffic became normal only after 5.30 pm,8221; said an officer at traffic control room, Lalbazar.