Kolkata: Left Front partner Forward Bloc
on Saturday questioned the timing of the arrest of tribal leader
Chhatradhar Mahato, saying it could affect normalcy in the
state which is hard-pressed to maintain law and order during
Durga Puja festivities.
"I wonder whether his arrest at this time would help
normalise the situation. The state government should justify
the timing of the arrest at a time when there is a warning
from the Centre about a possible terrorist attack in the
state," party's state general secretary Ashok Ghosh said.
Ghosh said that Mahato, who has been in open contact with
political leaders for sometime and was issuing statements
regularly, could have been arrested three months ago through
the same process as today.
"Every action has a reaction and the government should
justify the timing of the arrest of Mahato," he said.
He, however, parried questions on whether Mahato, who led
an agitation against alleged police atrocities since November,
last year in the Lalagarh area, was a Maoist and if his arrest
was justified.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, September 26, 2009, 20:00