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Fernandes rushes to WB to soothe Mamata

Defence Minister and convenor of the National Democratic Alliance George Fernandes is rushing to West Bengal Friday to take stock of the situation arising out of recent political violence in some parts of the state.

The decision to send Fernandes to WB was taken at a meeting called by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee shortly before he left on his 13-day visit to the United States late Wednesday night, official sources said.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister L K Advani, Union Home Secretary Kamal Pande, heads of intelligence agencies and the attorney general.

Fernandes, who is on a visit to Bombay, is likely to fly to Calcutta on Friday where he will visit Midnapore, Bankura, Birbhum, Hooghly and Burdwan districts.

The visit of the NDA convenor assumes significance in the wake of Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's demand for Central intervention in the state.

A team of NDA MPs had earlier visited various troubled areas in the state and recommended that all the five affected districts be declared "disturbed" to facilitate deployment of central para-military forces.

The prime minister is understood to have convened the meeting on the basis of two recent reports submitted by the governor, intelligence inputs and the state's response to home ministry's advisories.

Senior home ministry officials are believed to have shown reluctance to opt for sending a central team for a spot assessment or summoning senior officials from the state to Delhi fearing stiff resistance from the Marxist-ruled state.

In June 1998, the WB government had refused to interact with the Central team saying law and order was the sole responsibility of the state.

PTI

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