Trinamool helping Maoists: Buddhadeb

NADIA - West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Saturday criticised the Trinamool Congress for demanding the withdrawal of joint forces from Maoist-hit areas of the state, alleging the party was helping the left-wing rebels.

“We will defeat the Maoists as we have defeated the Naxals during the 1970s. The people of West Midnapore have stood up against the Maoists. It is taking time to defeat them as they are getting help from the Trinamool Congress,” Bhattacharjee said at a rally at Krishnagar area in Nadia district.

“Trinamool Congress is demanding the withdrawal of joint forces. They are so sympathetic to the Maoists. They are not willing to let the forces do their job,” he added.

The Maoist insurgency began as the Naxalbari movement in the 1970s in West Bengal which was put down. But it later revived and spread to other states.

Bhattacharjee, without naming Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, said she always speaks lies and never utters a true word.

“The Trinamool Congress has a leader who never speaks truth… She always speaks lies. Few days ago, she said someone was trying to kill her and made a truck driver suffer,” he said.