Centre`s weakness behind rise in terror attacks: Mamata Banerjee

Lalgarh: There has been a spurt in terror strikes and Maoist attacks in the country because of the Centre`s `weakness` to deal firmly with such activities, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged.

Claiming that the Left-wing ultras were planning to eliminate her and other Trnamool leaders, Banerjee said she was not afraid of such threats and vowed action Maoist sympathisers "sitting in Kolkata". Pointing out that terror knows no caste, creed or religion, she said, "I am shocked over the strike at the Mahabodhi Temple, the gruesome Maoist attacks in Chhattishgarh and at Pakur in Jharkhand. It was due to Centre`s weakness in taking firm steps against such attacks that this kind of incidents are taking place increasingly." "They are indulging in such activity in a planned manner. If there is weakness on the part of the Centre, it increases. The government should fight them like a tiger calf. And our jawans are giving their lives to fight them," she said. "If some people remaining in the government patch up, then it is unfortunate," Banerjee, who was addressing a panchayat election rally at Lalgarh in West Midnapore district, a former Maoist stronghold, said without elaborating. Claiming that the Maoists were trying to sneak into West Bengal through its border with Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar to create trouble in Jangalmahal, she urged the Centre to seal the border. "Maoists are being brought into the state from Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. They are trying to regroup. But I must make it clear that violence of any kind will not be tolerated. We will not spare those who hand over guns to innocent villagers," she said. Accusing the Maoists of colluding with the CPI(M) to create fresh trouble in Jangalmahal, she said, "The Maoists have formed a suicide squad to kill me, Mukul (party general secretary Mukul Roy), Subhendu (party MP Subhendu Adhikary) and some other leaders". She also warned Maoist sympathisers, allegedly working from Kolkata, that action would be taken if they were found encourging the ultras. PTI