HM accepts failure in some aspects in Bengal's Maoist attack

Terming the Maoists attack on a police camp in West Bengal as outrageous, Home Minister P Chidambaram today accepted there were indications of "failure" in some aspects which only a detailed review would reveal.

"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day light, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said in a statement here.

The Home Minister, who spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said the attack is "another outrageous attempt by the banned organisation to overawe the established authority in the State."

"I condemn the attack.  There has been a massive loss of lives. Besides, more than 40 weapons are reported to have been looted. The leader of the CPI (Maoist) has claimed responsibility for the attack and has threatened to repeat such attacks in the future.

"Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of the CPI(Maoist). Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is violence. No organisation or group in a democratic republic has the right to take to violence to overpower the established legal authority," he said, criticising a number of "well meaning organisation" that find "legitimacy" in the armed struggle by CPI (Maoists).