Sunday, September 12, 2010

Kolkata : The Trinamool problem

Kolkata Confidential

Express News Service Posted online: Mon Sep 13 2010, 06:50 hrs

Kolkata : The Trinamool problem

The Trinamool Congress had the government in a spot again last week, this time over the riots in Deganga, with party MP Nurul Islam accused of fanning communal tensions. It took some deft handling at the highest levels in Delhi for the situation to not get completely out of hand.

Realising the implications if the riots spread, the Centre took the lead and decided to send in two columns of the Army without even a formal request from the local administration or the West Bengal government. The Army, for a moment, even asked whether it should wait for the request to come officially.

The Defence Minister, however, was clear that he was acting under express instructions and that the formalities would be completed later. So the Army carried out flag marches, was present for three days, and was only derequisitioned on Saturday. It is still a mystery to many as to how the decision to call in the Army was expedited. Either ways, the consternation within the government over Nurul Islam's role in the entire episode remains.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kolkata-confidential/680911/0

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