Lalgarh revolt rows, Centre asks LF to act

Lalgarh, which has been a CPI(M) bastion for almost 30 years, continued to burn on Wednesday as the much-awaited Central forces were unable to flush armed Maoist cadres out of the so-called "liberated zone" in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

Mobs allegedly led by Maoists went on a killing spree in neighbouring Jhargram, slaughtering three CPI(M) cadres. West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee is expected to discuss the situation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

As violence escalated in the state, under Marxist rule for three decades, Union home minister P. Chidambaram said it was time the state administration took action. The Centre said while paramilitary forces might provide a supporting role, it was primarily the job of the state police to tackle the situation in Lalgarh.

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Singur talks positive

Friday’s much awaited meeting between the West Bengal government and the Trinamul Congress-led Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee) on the Singur imbroglio ended on a positive note. “We are heading towards a solution. Discussions are on and will resume tomorrow,” Trinamul delegation leader Partha Chatterjee said after the talks, chaired by West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The meeting at Raj Bhavan began at 4.10 pm and lasted three hours. State industry minister Nirupam Sen, who led the government side, said later he was hopeful of a positive outcome. “We discussed all issues, including land. We had a free and frank discussion, and we are hopeful that tomorrow, when the talks resume, we will arrive at a solution,” he added. Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is under considerable pressure from her own party to withdraw her agitation soon.

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