New Delhi:
The drama ended on Wednesday evening for passengers who were held hostage in their train in Bengal on Tuesday; a special train brought them to Delhi, delivering them to safety.
But for political parties, the real drama seems to have only just begun, with Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee and the CPM both accusing each other of having links with the state's Naxals.
The CPM, which is in power in West Bengal, went for the jugular, accusing its opponent, Mamata Banerjee of complicity in the attack. CPM Leader Sitaram Yechury said, "If your objective is to use the Maoists for your political gains in West Bengal, for that can railways be jeopardized? And the PM has to explain how come one of his Cabinet ministers is in political complacency with the Maoists."
The CPM's allegation refers to Mamata's support of Chattradhar Mahato, the leader of the PCPA or People's Committee Against Police Atrocities in Lalgarh, who was arrested last month. The PCPA has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's train crisis; in fact, the train-jacking was organized partly to seek his release. It worried both the Centre and the local government that the PCPA asked for Mamata Banerjee by name, asking for her to negotiate with them.
What's even more indicting for the Railways minister is that in June, Naxal leader Kishanji, speaking to NDTV, had claimed that it helped her party's strong showing in the elections. He said, "We have helped Mamata in Nandigram. Now she should help us here."
The Congress has come to Mamata's defence; she is, after all, a key ally and a Cabinet minister. "Baseless...mindless..." is how Congress spokesperson Abhishekh Singhvi described the CPM's allegations against Mamata.
Mamata, for her part, had gone on record on Tuesday against the Left, declaring "Marxists are the same as Maoists."
Earlier this week, she also asked what many citizens wanted to know: how come the state government couldn't find Kishenji when he did a series of phone interviews with the press in connection with a police officer he was holding hostage?
Politics aside, what matters is this. The Centre is pressing for joint action across Maoist-hit states, which is why it has made one thing clear. Regardless of who says what, it believes that the Maoists organised the attack on the Rajdhani.
But for political parties, the real drama seems to have only just begun, with Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee and the CPM both accusing each other of having links with the state's Naxals.
The CPM, which is in power in West Bengal, went for the jugular, accusing its opponent, Mamata Banerjee of complicity in the attack. CPM Leader Sitaram Yechury said, "If your objective is to use the Maoists for your political gains in West Bengal, for that can railways be jeopardized? And the PM has to explain how come one of his Cabinet ministers is in political complacency with the Maoists."
The CPM's allegation refers to Mamata's support of Chattradhar Mahato, the leader of the PCPA or People's Committee Against Police Atrocities in Lalgarh, who was arrested last month. The PCPA has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's train crisis; in fact, the train-jacking was organized partly to seek his release. It worried both the Centre and the local government that the PCPA asked for Mamata Banerjee by name, asking for her to negotiate with them.
What's even more indicting for the Railways minister is that in June, Naxal leader Kishanji, speaking to NDTV, had claimed that it helped her party's strong showing in the elections. He said, "We have helped Mamata in Nandigram. Now she should help us here."
The Congress has come to Mamata's defence; she is, after all, a key ally and a Cabinet minister. "Baseless...mindless..." is how Congress spokesperson Abhishekh Singhvi described the CPM's allegations against Mamata.
Mamata, for her part, had gone on record on Tuesday against the Left, declaring "Marxists are the same as Maoists."
Earlier this week, she also asked what many citizens wanted to know: how come the state government couldn't find Kishenji when he did a series of phone interviews with the press in connection with a police officer he was holding hostage?
Politics aside, what matters is this. The Centre is pressing for joint action across Maoist-hit states, which is why it has made one thing clear. Regardless of who says what, it believes that the Maoists organised the attack on the Rajdhani.
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