Buddhadeb replies to Chidambaram’s letter

Kolkata, Dec28 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Tuesday replied to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s letter alleging that the state’s ruling Marxists had set up armed camps in Maoist-prone areas.

‘Yes I have faxed a reply. But I won’t divulge the contents today…You will get to know that in the right time,’ Bhattacharjee said at the state secretariat here.

Later Bhattacharjee said copies of the letter would be given to the media Wednesday.

Chidambaram’s missive had created a furore with West Bengal’s ruling Marxists flaying the minister for his ‘partisan approach’ and asking him to explain how his letter was leaked to the media three days before it reached the chief minister’s office.

An angry Bhattacharjee had also said Monday that he would give a ‘befitting reply’.

Chidambaram had said in the letter that complaints received by the central government ‘indicate that armed cadres of the CPI-M were deployed in a covert manner under the guise of ‘village protection groups’ to guard against Naxal (Maoist) attacks.

‘There is evidence to show that the camps are mostly located in CPI-M offices and those of local cadres. It is a matter of grave concern that these cadres have been provided with firearms,’ he had said.

Bhattacharjee had accused Chidambaram of sending the letter to appease the Trinamool Congress, which is a partner of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.