Mamata weeps alleging dishonour

Kolkata, Sep 26(UNI) Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today broke down in public alleging that she had been dishonoured by police.

The firebrand leader, who was on a dharna at the Gandhi statue, wept unconsolably as Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi visited her to extend solidarity.

''I am afraid of my honour. I do not want to be in politics in West Bengal. They have taken my izzat,'' she told Mr Dasmunsi, the former colleague, who has thrown weight behind her in a united opposition move against the ruling Left Front.

She was on the dharna to protest against the alleged police atrocities on party workers during a demonstration last night against distribution of cheques among farmers for selling their land for the proposed small car project of the Tatas at Singur in Hooghly district.

Police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to remove Trinamool demonstrators, who had viturally led to a siege to the local block development office and put in captivity the District Magistrate as well as about 245 farmers.

About 30 people were injured and 70 arrested in the police action.

Alleging that police had assaulted as well as grossly misbehaved with her, Ms Banerjee said the treatment meted out to her was not expected in a civilised society.

Mr Dasmunsi and other Congress leaders also condemned the police action.

UNI KDG KK AKJ KP2046