Narayanan`s comments will provoke people: Bengal minister

Confronting West Bengal Governor for criticising the administration, state govt said he was speaking more like a politician.

Kolkata: Confronting West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan for criticising the administration over political clashes, the state government Thursday said he was speaking more like a politician and his comments would provoke people.

A day after Narayanan dubbed the recent clashes as "some kind of goondaism", Panchayat and Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee said: "If whatever has appeared in the media is true, I feel it was incorrect on the part of the governor to make such comments regarding the law and order as the state`s constitutional head". Mukherjee said because of Narayanan`s comments, confusion among the people would increase. "Had he wanted to know the details of the incidents, he should have sought a report from the government, called our officers like the chief secretary, taken all reports, and then spoken on that basis," he told reporters at state secretariat Writers` Buildings. Narayanan`s comments came in the wake of the attack on opposition CPI-M leader and former minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah, allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists led by former legislator Arabul Islam in Bhangar in South 24-Parganas district Sunday. Following the attack, many have been injured in clashes between ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) workers. Describing the violence as "isolated", Mukherjee said Narayanan should not have criticised the government in such strong terms merely by reading about it in the media. "He has spoken like a politician. People will misunderstand his comments because he is a Congress-appointed constitutional head. His statements will only provoke the people," he said. "Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of elected representatives. His statement will not go down well with the public," he said. Speaking on the sidelines of a programme here Wednesday, Narayanan also asked police and administration to function impartially while arresting the guilty. "This is not a good political culture. I think this is some kind of goondaism going on here...," he said. "The last two-three days have been more distressing and very disturbing. This violence should not have taken place." "We cannot and should not tolerate the violence. A city like Kolkata and state like West Bengal cannot accept this," Narayanan said. Asked if he was satisfied with the role of police in tackling the clashes, he said: "Clearly, when there is a major law and order situation, there are weaknesses around." IANS