Mamata contests Chidambaram's statement on state violence

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday night contested Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement about a spurt in inter-party clashes in the state, saying his information was "incorrect".

"From where did you get such information? Such information is incorrect," she said in a letter to Chidambaram, claiming that incidents of political clashes had gone down considerably under the present dispensation and the state was now peaceful.

Banerjee said the information provided by Chidambaram on law and order in the state was incorrect, and the actual figures would speak differently.

Providing statistics, Banerjee, who holds the home department portfolio, said that in 2011, which included five months under Left Front rule, 62 people were killed in political clashes.

Of these 62 victims, 35 belonged to the Trinamool Congress and 27 to other political parties, the letter said.

Banerjee said that in 2012, only five people have been killed in political clashes in the state. Of these, four belonged to the Trinamool Congress.

Chidambaram had on Thursday said that 82 people were killed and 1,112 injured in inter-party clashes in the last six months in the state, which was a matter of concern.

Panchayat Minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee earlier described Chidamabaram's statement as a 'threat and conspiracy' against the state government prior to the Presidential election.