West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee slammed Home Minister P Chidambaram's assessment of the law and order situation in the state as a "far from an impartial overview" and also accused Trinamool Congress of openly hobnobbing with the Maoists.
In a strongly-worded reply to Chidambaram's letter last week, Bhattacharjee also took strong exception to use of the word 'harmad' (hired killers) in the communication while asking the Left Front government to disarm CPI(M) cadres.
"Your assessment of the situation in the state is surprising and is far from an impartial overview of the situation," he said.
The Chief Minister had sarcastically described the Home Minister's letter sent on December 21 as 'secret' after he and the CPI-M took umbrage at the apparent leak of its contents before it could reach him. He said the letter was received on Monday.
In his reply, which was sent yesterday and copies of which were made available today, the chief minister said, "I strongly object to your using the word 'harmad' to described the CPI-M workers without knowing the actual meaning of this 'nasty' word coined by Trinamool Congress leaders".
Targeting arch rival Mamata Banerjee's party, Bhattacharjee claimed that Trinamool Congress which was earlier maintaining "secret contacts" with Maoist leaders and outfits is now openly organising meetings with them.
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The chief minister also sought to correct Chidambaram on the figures cited by him on the fallout o the violence, saying "69 CPI-M workers were killed in political clashes and 723 injured while 32 Trinamool Congress activists were killed and 601 injured. One Congress supporter was killed and 111 were injured".
Admitting that it was not a happy situation, Bhattacharjee said, "I am trying to disarm and demobilise all armed groups engaged in violence in some pockets in the state."
Chidambaram's letter had asked the state government to disarm CPI-M cadres. He had questioned the West Bengal government on its use of central forces in the state, saying the killing of activists of political parties point to a "virtual collapse" of law and order there.
At a public rally on December 27, Bhattacharjee had said that the letter had been sent "only to please Trinamool Congress" and went on to ask Chidambaram if he supports the 'Trinamool-Maoist morcha'.