Maoists want to kill me, other Trinamool leaders: Mamata

[1]

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday claimed that the Maoists wanted to kill her and union minister Mukul Roy, besides other Trinamool Congress leaders.

"A few days back, some Maoists were seen around my house. They threatened to kill me. They have also threatened to kill Mukul and my party leader Srikanta Mahato. A few days back they held a rally in Junglemahal where a Maoist leader said all Trinamool leaders are their targets," Banerjee said.

As an opposition leader, Banerjee had time and again claimed that there were no Maoists in the state and even adopted a soft approach towards the ultras after coming to power earlier this year calling for talks and a peaceful solution to the problem.

However, rattled by the series of killings by the ultras since late August, she said on Sunday night said she now personally felt no negotiations were possible with such outfits.

"We had a commitment. We wanted negotiations for a peaceful solution to the problem. But now I personally feel no negotiations are possible. When we are trying to create an atmosphere for talks, they are trying to break such negotiations. Peace cannot be a one way process," a fuming Banerjee said on a day the ultras killed two people in West Midnaproe district.

Expressing shock over the killings, she termed the Maoists as "jungle mafia", and charged the ultras with making money by selling jungle wood.

"In the name of Maoism they have killed all leaders from other parties who were active in those areas. We want development, we want to give jobs, food to the poor people of Junglemahal (Maoist affected forested stretches in the state's western districts). Why are they not allowing us? They actually have no feelings for the poor," she said.

Lashing out at "Maoist collaborators" in the metropolis, the chief minister said: "They have a network across the world. These leaders from Kolkata give them support.

"They have some teams in educational institutions like Jadavpur University, Presidency College and Calcutta University. These collaborators go to Junglemahal and back them. There are also some NGOs who buy rifles and collect subscriptions for them," she said and accused the Maoists of receiving funds from abroad.

Alleging that some Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders were holding talks with the guerrillas, she said some firearms earlier used by CPI-M backed miscreants had now landed in the hands of the ultras.

She warned the Maoists that she would not be cowed down by murders of Trinamool activists. "We will fight those who are misleading people. We will fight them not with arms, but politically, democratically and for peace and development".

Banerjee said the Maoists were using the social network site Facebook to propagate their ideology and carrying out a whispering campaign in colleges and universities.

Urging students to stay away from the Maoists, she said: "Keep away from their campaign if you want to save your future".

Banerjee also alleged that a section of media were emotionally with the Maoists.