Justice (retd) Ganguly: Mamata rule 'worse' than emergency

Former Supreme Court judge, Justice (retired) A.K. Ganguly, on Friday alleged that the rule in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state was 'worse' than the emergency imposed under former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

"The situation in West Bengal is very grim and is threatening at the same time. The way the police is behaving in the state is atrocious and the way the common people are being harassed, they have no security to their life and property. They are also losing their chance of earning a livelihood. Therefore, the common man has been affected in this process in a way that is more serious than it was during the emergency," Justice (retired) Ganguly told ANI.

"The people of West Bengal are feeling very helpless. They do not know what is going to happen tomorrow. If they are going to be attacked, how innocent people are going to suffer because of these terrorist activities," he added.

Justice (retired) Ganguly also said that the breaking down of the law and order in West Bengal under the Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule was comparable to state-sponsored terrorism.

"The records against TMC MPs are very disturbing and it has been proved that Ahmed Hassan Imran has links with SIMI and other terrorist outfits. I call this is state-sponsored terrorism," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the members of the BJP's fact-finding team on the attacks on party leaders in Birbhum were arrested and then released on bail. The BJP's fact-finding team comprising of party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Members of Parliament Kirti Azad and Udit Raj were detained by the West Bengal Police for attempting to enter Makra village in Birbhum district.

Earlier this week, three persons were reportedly killed and as many injured, and at least five houses were set on fire when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP supporters fought a gun battle at Makra village in Birbhum district.