Guv lauds state's achievements, oppn terms it political speech

With West Bengal governor M K Narayanan lauding the state government's achievement in various fronts during his inaugural address of the budget session of the Assembly, the opposition parties termed it as a mere "political speech" scripted by the ruling party.
Narayanan in his speech lauded the state government's overall performance in curbing crime against women and holding free and fair panchayat polls.
"The overall law and order situation in the state has been broadly under control with no major communal incidents or significant increase in general crime. The social evil of offences against women is being addressed and has been given the highest priority by the state administration," Narayanan said in his speech.

"The 8th Pancahayat general elections to the three tiers of Panchayati Raj institutions were completed in a free and fair atmosphere," the Governor said.
Both the opposition Left and the Congress cried foul over the Governor's speech and said it was a political document of the Trinamool, merely read out by the Governor.
"According to rules, the Governor reads out what he is being given by the state government. The state tops the chart in crime and rapes on women. Law and order situation has gone for a toss. In the last panchayat elections, more than 60 people were killed in political clashes. So what the Governor read out today, is a political speech given to him by the state government," Congress leader Manas Bhuniya said.

Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said he would reply to the Governor's speech on the floor of the House, but demanded that the Chief Minister be present during Question Hour of the Assembly.

"The best thing is in the last two and half years, we have never got the Chief Minister to answer any question. We want her to be present during Question Hour," Mishra said.
State Parliamentary Affairs minister Partha Chatterjee lashed out at both the Congress and the Left and said they have reached an agreement to destroy and malign Bengal.
"What are both of them trying to say? The Left during its 34 years rule had ruined Bengal economically and the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre is deducting huge amount of money as interest on the debt taken by the Left. They should not talk much," Chatterjee said.