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West Bengal worse than Bihar: Fernandes

Union Defence Minister George Fernandes on Friday night apprised Home Minister L K Advani on the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal.

Fernandes, who had been sent to West Bengal to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, is understood to have told Advani that the situation was worse than that in Bihar.

Home ministry sources told UNI that Fernandes, who had called on the home minister immediately on his return, will present a detailed report on the situation on Saturday.

The decision to send Fernandes to Bengal followed complaints by the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party government, including the Trinamul Congress that the law and order machinery had broken down in the state.

In Midnapore, Fernandes claimed collapse of the democratic apparatus in Left-ruled West Bengal, even though Chief Minister Jyoti Basu refused to give much credence to allegations of breakdown of law and order machinery.

Fernandes, who flown down from Bombay to visit the trouble-torn areas of Midnapore district, on instructions from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, described the situation as ''serious'' and alleged the "entire democratic apparatus has collapsed".

After his whirlwind tour, Fernandes, however, refused to spell out whether the Centre would consider imposing President's rule in the state, saying, "What will happen now I cannot say. Whatever I have seen and heard I will place before the government and then we will again deliberate on the issue".

The octogeneraian chief minister, however, brushed aside allegations of collapse of law and order in the state, as he told newsmen in Calcutta that "not much violence is taking place in Midnapore and we want that victims, irrespective of poltical affiliations, return home''.

Fernandes' visit followed a persistent demand by Trinamul Congress chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for central intervention in West Bengal.

Banerjee, who was camping in Midnapore, expressed happiness at the visit of Fernandes to affected areas of Midnapore and said she had ''some talks'' with him while returning to Calcutta. She, however, did not elaborate.

Agencies

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