CALCUTTA, SEPTEMBER 2: In her all-out campaign against the Left Front in West Bengal, Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee has no qualms in fielding her officials to make the state government squirm on the ``frightening law and order situation'' in the state.Six dacoities on trains between January and August this year in Bengal - five of them last month - has been enough provocation for the General Manager of Eastern Railway, I I M S Rana, to feel ``frightened'' and meet the state chief secretary yesterday. ``After all passengers are our customers, guests and we must go out of our way to protect them,'' he said.Rana admitted that this step had the approval of the ``MR'' (minister for railways). ``She is perturbed over the dacoities and asked me to hold a meeting with the state government,'' he said.At a time when Mamata Banerjee is persistently demanding imposition of President's Rule in West Bengal, the General Manager's move is likely to annoy the Left Front government. A senior state police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ``Is the GM sitting with the Bihar chief secretary also where crimes on trains far exceed the figure in Bengal?''The railway officials present at the GM's meeting with the Press said in Bihar the figure for this year up to August exceeded 30 compared to six in Bengal. But, they argued, the situation in Bihar had improved remarkably during the past two years.Senior railway officials explained that the railway management now was much more concerned about the passengers' needs and safety. What had been worrying them was the `zero' investigation of the crimes, they said. Besides, the problem of touts had been raised time and again with the state government without any effective response. In the Howrah station complex alone there were about 600 touts who caused severe inconvenience to the passengers. The Railways could not take any chances with the festive season approaching. ``The chief secretary appreciated our concern and assured us that the government would ask the CID, instead of the GRP, to look into railway crimes,'' said Rana.But the concern over the ``frightening law and order situation'' seemed to be exaggerated when the Railway officials were asked to compare the figures of dacoities for the past three years. They disclosed that in 1998 it was 26 and in 1999 it was 23. When it was pointed out to the officials that till August there had been only six cases, they said: ``Yes, we must give credit to the state government for that.'' Then, why the panic!
