Pranab blames Left Front for rise in Maoism

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said the wrong policy and non-functional police of the Left Front government in West Bengal were responsible for the rise of Maoism in the state.

"The Left Front government should be blamed for the rise of Maoists in West Bengal. Their wrong policy and non-functional police have allowed the Maoists to enter the state and strengthen their base in Junglemahal," the senior Congress leader told an election rally at Harishchandrapur.

"It is a shame that policemen in the state flee from police stations when Maoists attack them. The state government has weakened the morale of the police force which had once been the pride of the nation," Mukherjee said.

Things had come to such a pass that for every law and order problem, the state government seeks the help of central forces, be it in Darjeeling or elsewhere, he said.

Referring to former chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Mukherjee said he contained Naxal violence through the state police and did not ask for the assistance of central forces.

"The Left Front government has failed on all fronts including education, health and economy during its 34-year-long rule. Bengal has lost its glory under the Marxist regime. They have no moral right to seek votes for another term," he said.