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Pak match: Bengal govt issues red alert

Arup Chanda in Calcutta

The Bengal government has issued a red alert throughout the state to thwart the Shiv Sena threat to disrupt the cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta on February 16.

West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu blamed the central government for failing to take appropriate measures to rein in Sena activists including its leader Bal Thackeray.

Asked whether he was satisfied with the steps taken by the Centre, Basu replied, "Is there a government at the Centre ?" On the demand to arrest Thackeray, he said," It is up to the Centre which has to take all the measures."

On the Asian Test championship tie between India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens, Basu remarked, "West Bengal is a civilised place and holding the match will not be a problem for us."

Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee condemned the Shiv Sena and demanded at a press conference on Wednesday evening that either the Bharatiya Janata Party impose President's rule in Maharashtra or withdraw support from the Shiv Sena-BJP ministry there. "Sports should be kept above politics. Cricket has fetched glory for India and we will not tolerate any organisation attempting to malign it in this fashion," she said.

The BJP's Bengal unit also condemned the Sena's demonstration in front of International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya's Calcutta home. BJP spokesman Rahul Sinha said, "We are opposed to Bal Thackeray in this regard. There should be no politics in sports. We support his views on Pakistan which is trying to dismember India with the help of the ISI. But sports is something different. The fitting reply to Pakistan should be a crushing defeat in the cricket match".

Shiv Sainiks in Calcutta have gone underground fearing arrest. The 22 Shiv Sainiks arrested on Monday for the demonstration at Dalmiya's home have been remanded to judicial custody till February 2. They have been charged with unlawful assembly and attempting breach of peace.

According to a senior Calcutta police officer, the Sainiks had planned to ransack Dalmiya's home.

Alerted to the Sena's presence in Bengal, a high-level meeting was held at Writers Buildings -- the state secretariat -- on Wednesday in the chamber of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the minister for home. The meeting was attended by Dalmiya, the state's director general of police, Calcutta's police commissioner and senior intelligence officials. They discussed the security arrangements for the match.

All police stations near the state's borders with Bihar and Orissa have been directed to keep a watch on trains and vehicular traffic. There are intelligence reports that Sainiks from other states may sneak into Calcutta through this route. A watch is also being kept on incoming passengers at Dum Dum airport.

All police stations in Calcutta and its neighbouring districts have been directed to obtain reports about Shiv Sainiks who have gone underground.

The police has provided a special escort for Dalmiya. Security arrangements have also been made for Saurav Ganguly when he returns to the city on Thursday. A special Calcutta Police commando unit will protect Ganguly from any harm. The squad will not travel in a separate vehicle -- as in the case of Z category VIPs like the chief minister -- but travel in the same vehicle with Ganguly.

Similar arrangements have been made for Board of Cricket Control in India officials. Security has been provided to Board president Raj Singh Dungarpur who arrived in Calcutta on Wednesday after the BCCI headquarters moved to Calcutta. Shiv Sainiks had ransacked the BCCI office in Bombay on Monday.

The Calcutta police is confident of dealing with the Sena threat. Eden Gardens has been turned into a fortress. A large contingent of policemen has been posted there and no unauthorised person is allowed entry. Calcutta police commandos in plainclothes are present even at press conferences. The pitch is being guarded by stengun toting guards. Sniffer dogs have been deployed at the stadium.

A police official said there are intelligence reports that the Sainiks plan to enter Eden Gardens as spectators and set themselves aflame. Glass bottles are not allowed inside the stadium and the police will check all plastic containers so that the Sainiks do not smuggle any inflammable liquid in.

"Whatever happens on the galleries, the match will go on. We will take action against troublemakers before they do any damage," a joint police commissioner said.

The Pakistan cricket tour

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