West Bengal governor briefed on law and order status

Kolkata, Nov 5: On the day Home Minister P. Chidambaram asked the West Bengal government to maintain law and order, state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen called on Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi to brief him on the current situation.

During the half-hour meeting, the home secretary apprised the governor of the law and order scenario with special focus on the West Midnapore district belt of Lalgarh, where central paramilitary troopers and state armed forces are jointly combating the Maoists rebels.

"We have discussed the law and order situation in the state with special focus on Lalgarh," Sen told reporters after the meeting.

However, he refused to give details.

The meeting came hours after Chidambaram called up state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and asked him to maintain law and order "whatever be the provocation", following political clashes.

"I had spoken to the chief minister. I impressed upon him that whatever be the cause of inter-party clashes, it is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order," Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi.

Clashes have been taking place in various pockets of the state since the April-May Lok Sabha elections, with political parties fighting over turf.