Chidambaram invites Buddhadeb for discussion on Bengal situation

NEW DELHI - Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday invited West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to discuss prevailing situation in his state.

Chidambaram has sent two letters today in reply to Bhattacharjee’s letter. Both letters have been faxed as well as sent by speed post.

In the concluding part of the first letter, the Home Minister has invited West Bengal Chief Minister to Delhi, at his earliest convenience, to discuss the subject and agree upon the way forward.

Earlier, Bhattacharjee wrote to the Home Minister, alleging that his assessment of the Bengal situation “was surprising and not impartial.”

In his letter, Bhattacharjee also said that Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) “which was earlier maintaining secret contacts with Maoist leaders and outfits are now openly organising meetings with them.”

Bhattacharjee was replying to a letter written by Chidambaram to him, in which he was sharply critical of law and order in the state.

In his reply, Bhattacharjee also stressed that he has asked all parties in West Bengal to work together to prevent political clashes. But Banerjee’s TMC alone remains uncooperative, he said.

The Home Minister had virtually ordered Bhattacharjee to disarm and demobilise the armed cadres of his party and referred to them as “Harmad Vahini” - a derogatory term used by Banerjee’s party for the Left’s cadres. (ANI)