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Fernandes leaves for disturbed areas of WB

Rifat Jawaid in Calcutta

Union Defence Minister George Ferdandes arrived in Calcutta early Friday morning and left immediately for the strife-torn regions of Midnapore and Bankura districts in a helicopter.

Both Midnapore and Bankura in recent months have been witness to a series of bloody clashes between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres and the workers of the Trinamul Congress.

Fernandes' West Bengal visit follows Trinamul Congress chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's demand for imposition of President's rule in the state to prevent more attacks on her party workers.

Banerjee, whose party is a crucial ally in the ruling National Democratic Alliance in Delhi, has threatened to withdraw from the government if her demand was not accepted.

After touring Midnapore and Bankura, Fernandes is likely to submit a report to the Union Home Ministry.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Industries has ranked West Bengal 7th for its law and order situation. The states ahead of Bengal in the list are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Goa and Orissa.

Variables taken into consideration while deciding the rankings were: human rights violations, murder rates, police force, index of violence, backlog of cases, working judges and disposal of cases.

The CPI-M mandarins are clearly buoyed by both the report and the timing of its publishing.

Fernandes rushes to WB to soothe Mamata
Trinamul may part ways with NDA
The Statesman dares Jyoti Basu

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