Law and order situation improved: Buddha
Denying that West Bengal is a part of 'Operation Green Hunt', launched by the Centre to flush out Maoists, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that development and the law and order situation in Lalgarh area has improved but needs to be enhanced further.
"The situation in Lalgarh and its adjacent areas where there was easy access for Maoists, the law and order situation has improved to a considerable degree. But keeping in view the recent attacks we have decided to strengthen the force and increase the security system in the area further," Bhattacharjee said at a press conference here.
"After reviewing the situation of Jhargram sub-division we have decided to increase the strength of the police in the police stations, enhance the security system like building of boundary walls and keeping sandbags and provide more weapons including sophisticated arms to combat the Maoist and the PCPA people who are creating disturbance in the area," he said.
When asked that despite the existence of joint forces in the area there have been several murders and killings, the CM said "think about the situation one year back. Police was not able to enter the area and the entire region was in possession of the Maoist and the PCPA.
"It is true that that we don't have control over the whole area but our forces have been successful in gaining control over the strategic points and major roads and villages of the area."
"Moreover there has been proof that Trinamool Congress and some NGOs are hand in glove with the Maoist and they are in constant touch with them. Naturally help from the political party is making the job of the joint forces difficult. A major political party having terms with a banned organisation -- nothing can be more pathetic," he alleged.
Asked whether Mamata Banerjee has some links with the ultra left organisation, Bhattacharjee said "I cannot name any person. I can only say about the party and the rest you should understand."
"Now we are trying to enter into the jungles and the deep villages of the area and our area of control will increase with days to come," the Chief Minister said in the press conference after holding a meeting with Chief Secretary A M Chakraborty, DGP Bhupinder Singh and the DMs and SPs of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.
When asked whether all the preparations are made as a part of 'Operation Green Hunt', Bhattacharjee said "West Bengal is not a part of the operation. That is being done in the other three states.
"We can handle the problem by our own. We had asked for additional forces and they sent six companies of forces and that is enough for us to control the Maoists."
About the possibility of having talks with the Maoists, the chief minister said "there is no possibility of speaking with Maoists or the PCPA. They must lay down their arms and abjure violence and that is the primary condition to speak with them."
