Bengal Governor slams state's politics of terror

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi lashed out at the Left Front government in the state for not doing enough to stop the post-election violence.

He's said that the situation in the state is one of a political tandav.

"Following the elections to the 15th Lok Sabha, our state has witnessed a veritable tandav of political violence. Not a day passes without someone somewhere being killed for his politics. When the leading political formations of West Bengal have the same objective, why should violence not abate? Because, I believe, those who can act are not doing so," said the Governor on Thursday.

Gandhi accused all the political parties in the state of not taking any concrete action to put an end to violence.

He said that to "identify the violent within their own organisations and leave them to be dealt by the law" was the responsibility of "all political leaders, right across party divides".

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which is the biggest partner in the ruling front and had criticised the governor earlier occasions, chose to exercise restraint.

The party will, however, issue a statement on Friday.

However, Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay accused the CPI-M-led of fomenting violence.

"They are killing minorities and naturally this doesn't become state subject. The CPM party is opposing us in Parliament. They are saying law and order is a state subject so we cannot raise this issue. I want to say that a political party in power for 32 years sitting in command... the way they have changed power in their position, they have become perturbed after their defeat. They couldn't digest it. I appreciate the Governor... has risen to the occasion," said Bandyopadhyay.

Delegations from all the major political parties and fronts - the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Left Front - have met Gandhi in the past few days and urged him to do something to stop violence.

The outburst is Gandhi's second against the state government.

Earlier, he had strongly criticised Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government's handling of the Nandigram crisis.