NEW DELHI: (AMN) Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has expressed serious concern over law and order situation in West Bengal and asked the state government to ensure that the armed cadres be immediately disarmed and demobilised..
In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Chidambaram asked him to ensure that the armed cadres belonging to ‘Harmad Vahini’ are "immediately disarmed and demobilised".
"I wonder what is the role of security forces, especially central para military forces which have been deployed at the request of the state government"? he said in the letter.
Chidambaram’s letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee comes in the wake of ally Trinamool Congress alleging misuse of central security forces in the state and offering to quit if the charge was proved wrong. The Home Minister also said it was a matter of grave concern that these cadres have been provided with arms.
Chidambaram said the "violence presented an alarming picture, which was completely unacceptable in a democratic system."
A Trinamool Congress delegation had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and conveyed to him alleged misuse of central security forces in West Bengal.
According to Home Ministry figures upto December 15, 2010, the number of TMC cadres killed and injured were 96 and 1237 respectively.
Likewise, CPI(M) cadres who have been killed and injured number 65 and 773 respectively and Congress cadres who have been killed and injured number 15 and 221 respectively.
"These numbers present an alarming picture and point to a virtual collapse of law and order in parts of West Bengal," Chidambaram said.