New Delhi:
A day after the Bhubaneshwar-Delhi Rajdhani was stalled for hours by Maoist-backed activists in West Bengal, the CPM has alleged that a Trinamool Congress minister knew about the attack before it happened. The Congress has risen to its ally's defence saying there is not an iota of truth in the allegation. And Mamata Banerjee, in the eye of the storm, is still scoring political points.
The CPM has hit out at the Trinamool Congress directly, questioning if one of its central ministers, Shishir Adhikari, knew about the attack on the Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani before it happened on Tuesday.
In the past, Mamata Banerjee has shared a platform with Chhatradhar Mahato the PCPA-activist whose release was being demanded by those who held up the train.
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said the "Maoists did not get emboldened because of the swap deal. The Trinamool should realise that the very people who put a front for Maoists in Lalgarh were behind the train attack".
The main thing, he said, was that there should be joint operations in areas bordering West Bengal and states like Jharkhand and Orissa.
Senior leader Sitaram Yechury demanded a probe on "how the Rajdhani train, which travels at 120 km came to a halt, even if he (driver) applies emergency brakes".
Asked whether he was suggesting that the driver knew of trouble in advance or was directed to stop, Yechury said: "I am saying this should be probed. We have a union minister who said he knew of the incident much in advance.
Asked to name the minister Yechury said: "Shishir Adhikari". He also asked what business a rural development minister had with the Railways.
Yechury also demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh explain why one of his ministers had links with the Maoists, saying, "If your objective is to use the Maoist for your political gains in West Bengal, for that can Railways be jeopardized? The PM has to explain how come one of his cabinet ministers is in political complacency with the Maoists.
The Congress has reacted sharply and said the CPM's allegations are baseless.
Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi dismissed the charge as "baseless, mindless", and said there was "not an iota of evidence." He also cautioned the CPM saying, "Political parties must be more responsible."
It was Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement on Tuesday, during the hostage stage crisis, that has now landed her in a political spot. She said, among other things, that, "If you want to talk there is no problem. Anybody can talk to anybody."
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee took the opportunity to score a political point. She said Marxist and Maoists were the same: "It is Marxist chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's own baby, Maoists and Marxists are brothers. They recently killed our leader Nishikant Mundol. The chief minister is the pillar of this Maoist movement."