LF cannot brand "tribal movement" as "Maoist movement" : Cong

Kolkata, Nov 13 (UNI) The West Bengal Congress today asserted that the CPI(M)-led Left Front Government could not brand the ''adivasi people's movement'' at Lalgarh of West Midnapore district as ''Maoist movement''.

'' The government should not brand the tribal movement as the Maoist movement. The situation at Lalgarh is deteriorating day-by-day and the movement has already spread to the neighbouring state of Jharkhand, but till now Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and his administration have not taken any decision against those policemen, who had tortured the tribals after the landmine explosion, '' Congress Legislature party leader Manas Bhuniya told newspersons here.

The Lalgarh block of West Midnapore district remained blocked by the tribals in support of their six-point charter demands.

He alleged that the situation had come to such a pass following the Chief Minister and his administration's ''faulty'' steps.

'' I have already meet Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty and urged him for immediately taking action against the culprits and start talks with the tribal leaders to ease the situation, '' he stated.

The Congress will organise a rally in West Midnapore and gherao the DM and SP offices on November 17 to protest alleged police excess on the adivasis of Lalgarh district, he informed.

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