Kolkata: Drawing a parallel with
the release of terrorists in Kandahar, West Bengal Home
Secretary Ardhendu Sen on Saturday said such exchanges have happened
in the past, but Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya termed
it as his personal opinion and not the official line.
"No government can say that whatever be the situation, we
will not compromise. This kind of incident happened in the
past in Kandahar, Delhi and Kashmir. Every time in the past,
whenever such incidents took place, this question arose.
However, we have to see that this kind of incident does not
recur," state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said in Kolkata.
However in Delhi, the Chief Minister said Sen "should not
have said this. It may be his personal opinion but not the
official reaction of the state government."
Sen's comments and the Chief Minister's reaction came in
the wake of the release of 26 women agitators on bail in
exchange for Officer-in-Charge of Sankrail police station,
Atindranath Dutta.
Sen had equated the exchange with Kandahar hijack and
Rubaiyya Sayeed episodes, saying it was due to "soft"
character of the state unlike Israel.
"The state and Central governments always take a flexible
attitude in this type of incident," Sen had told reporters
yesterday when asked if the state government had softened its
stand towards Maoists in securing the release of the police
officer.
Questioned if the government would enter into a deal
for their release, the chief secretary retorted "what deal?
There can be discussions."
On the chief minister's assertion that it was the
personal view of Home Secretary Ardhendhu Sen that the
government had been 'soft' and gone for negotiation with
Maoists in the case of Atindranath Dutta, Chakraborty said "it
is a closed chapter."
He said he spoke to the chief minister in Delhi and
Bhattacharjee did not state that the two policemen were dead.
"The reference may be to some others but not the two missing
policemen."
Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said the government was in
close contact with the families of the two abducted policemen.
Asked if the state government would adopt the same
strategy which was employed to secure the release of Dutta,
Sen said "that will be done case by case."
He said no decision had been taken on Dutta's
transfer.
To a question, he said the chief minister had sought
more forces from the Centre to counter Maoists in the state
and anti-Maoist operations by joint forces would continue.
Earlier at a review meeting, it was decided to fortify
all police stations, repair walls, improve police training and
and raise the number of sentries in West Midnapore district.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 19:46