Chidambaram invites Bhattacharjee to discuss situation in WB

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) A day after Chief Minister of
the east Indian state of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
slammed his assessment of the law and order situation in the
state, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram Thursday invited him
for a meeting to discuss the Maoist issue.
Chidambaram on Thursday sent two letters to
Bhattacharjee, as a reply to the Chief Minister's December 28
communication.
"Both letters have been faxed as well as sent by speed
post," a Home Ministry statement said.
"The Home Minister has invited the Chief Minister of
West Bengal to Delhi at his earliest convenience to discuss
the subject and agree upon the way forward," the statement
said.
Bhattacharjee, in a strongly-worded reply to
Chidambaram's letter last week, had taken strong exception to
use of the word 'harmad' (hired killers) in the communication
while asking the Left Front government to disarm CPI(M)
cadres.
"Your assessment of the situation in the state is
surprising and is far from an impartial overview of the
situation," he had said.
The Chief Minister had sarcastically described the
Home Minister's letter sent on December 21 as 'secret' after
he and the CPI-M took umbrage at the apparent leak of its
contents before it could reach him. He said the letter was
received on Monday.
Chidambaram's earlier letter had asked the state
government to disarm CPI-M cadres. He had questioned the West
Bengal government on its use of central forces in the state,
saying the killing of activists of political parties point to
a "virtual collapse" of law and order there.
Admitting that it was not a happy situation,
Bhattacharjee had said, "I am trying to disarm and demobilise
all armed groups engaged in violence in some pockets in the
state." PTI ACB
PBL


The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain
proprietary, confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify
the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments
contained in it.