Assembly mayhem a reaction to action : Mamata

Kolkata, Dec 1 (UNI) After yesterday's mayhem in the West Bengal Assembly, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said whatever happened yesterday was "unfortunate".

"Whatever happened yesterday--my detention, the assault of peasant women and the subsequent incidents--was unfortunate," she said.

Accusing the Left Front legislators of inciting the Trinamool MLAs before the rampage that witnessed a largescale destruction of Assembly property yesterday, Ms Banerjee, however, said "every action has its reaction".

Ms Banerjee alleged that CPI(M) MLAs had provoked and even assaulted some Trinamool Congress legislators who had run amok inside and outside the Assembly House yesterday after she started a dharna in the lobby in protest against her "illegal detention" by police on way to Singur.

Ms Banerjee claimed that her party was forced to call today's 12-hour 'Bangla bandh' in protest against the "state sponsored terrorism" unleashed to quell the movement against acquisition of agricultural land.

"We are fighting for a greater cause and the administration is trying to gag the opposition voice. The Chief Minister still has time to shake off his ego and take measures against setting up of industries on farm land," she said.

Ms Banerjee alleged that even today police had beaten up those who had gathered to protest against the demarcation of the acquired land at Singur.

The Trinamool leader, however, called off the bandh, scheduled to end at six pm, one-and-a-half hours ahead on the ground of the "convenience of the people".

UNI KDG-AKM PL KLC1705