Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS) Urging the Maoist guerillas to eschew violence and return to the mainstream, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Sunday promised to extend help to the surrendered ultras to lead a normal life.
In his Independence Day address, Bhattacharjee asserted that violence and anarchy need to be erased to usher in the state’s development.
‘This is the desire of the people of the state. Those seeking to free themselves from the left wing guerillas’ subversive activities should come forward to lead a normal life. The government will help them,’ the chief minister said.
He also referred to the trouble in northern Bengal’s Darjeeling hills where the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland has led to violence and caused much bloodshed over the years.
‘But we find that people in the hills have started to raise their voice against violence. The government needs the cooperation of the people to restore democracy in the hills,’ the chief minister said.
He claimed that even as agriculture suffered in other parts of the country, West Bengal saw a 4.2 percent rise in the sector.
Turning to the Muslims, who have been supporting the opposition parties in recent elections, the chief minister said 43 Muslim communities have got Other Backward Classes (OBC) status and they will be handed over the required certificates soon.
