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Basu's reply under examination: Advani

Union Home Minister L K Advani on Thursday said he had discussed the situation in West Bengal with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday night and that his ministry was examining the reply sent by West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu on violence in that state.

He told reporters in Hyderabad that he was disturbed with Basu's intemperate language against Trinamul Congress leader and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee even while not denying political violence in some districts.

Admitting that Basu need not satisfy him, the minister said it was Basu's duty to satisfy people of West Bengal and reassure all democratic people that democracy was safe and secure there.

''I have seen that the basic fact of political violence prevalent in some districts has not been denied. There is no contradiction in the letter in respect of our advisories that Marxist cadres were resorting to violence against political opponents,'' he added.

Ridiculing Basu's contention that the violence was 'retaliatory', he said he did not expect that reply from the state government.

''Violence is violence. It is unjustified,'' Advani averred.

There are different versions and the state government had given its version, he said and added that it should see that all violence ended.

UNI

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