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NDA backs Mamata on law and order in Bengal

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The Centre kept alive on Saturday the hopes of the Trinamul Congress that it would declare certain violence-prone districts of West Bengal disturbed areas. Simultaneously, the co-ordination committee of the ruling National Democratic Alliance gave the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government a mandate to take all steps necessary to "restore normalcy" in the state.

"The NDA commends the courage and fortitude of Ms Mamata Banerjee and her colleagues in the Trinamul Congress and associates from the BJP in facing the Marxist violence and providing protection and succour to the tens of thousands of poor people who have fled from their villages and taken shelter in refugee camps," said the resolution adopted at the end of the meeting.

According to the NDA's spokesman, Defence Minister George Fernandes, the allies made various suggestions about what ought to be done to remedy the situation in the Marxist-ruled state, but he refused to share them with reporters.

"I choose not to share these suggestions with you," he told the large gathering of reporters at Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 7 Race Course Road residence, where the meeting was held. Vajpayee had presided over the meeting.

The ruling coalition at the Centre called upon the West Bengal government "to end the violence unleashed on the people and take steps to restore normalcy, without which democratic politics will cease to have any meaning".

Fernandes said Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani told the coordination committee about his letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, the latter's "rude" reply and the "intemperate language" used against Banerjee.

A Trinamul Congress Member of Parliament told rediff.com that with BJP president Bangaru Laxman favouring President's rule in West Bengal (which he is now touring), his party was hopeful that "at the very least, some districts where the CPI-M has run amok will be declared as disturbed areas". He declined to elaborate.

Significantly, Fernandes refused to say what the Centre's action in West Bengal would be, but indicated that the NDA's request to the Vajpayee government regarding restoration of normalcy should not be taken lightly.

The Trinamul MP also pointed out that the language in Saturday's NDA resolution was a "replica" of the report given by Fernandes following his recent tour of the state.

The resolution underlined that the fact "that the victims of these depredations by the CPI-M are mostly Muslims, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and women and children only goes to show how hollow are the claims of the CPI-M that they care for the suppressed and downtrodden people".

A senior government official, who was present at the meeting, contended that the Trinamul chief had let the NDA allies know that her party's future political strategy depends on what action the government takes in West Bengal.

"She [Banerjee] only talked about her party's future course of action, but her statement's full import was not lost on the allies," the official pointed out.

On the proposed increase in prices of petroleum products, Fernandes said that while no deadline had been set, the rising international crude prices and their impact on India's oil pool deficit were bound to force the government's hand. Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik will be making the crucial decision, he said.

EARLIER REPORT:
NDA appeals for peace in Bengal

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