Kolkata:
The West Bengal Governor, M K Narayanan, condemned the Lalgarh violence which resulted in the death of eight and said it is a day of sorrow and shame for the state. Earlier the Home Minister P Chidambaram yet again wrote to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee asking him to "reschedule all appointments and visit Delhi immediately".
Here is the statement issued by the Governor of West Bengal:
I am deeply disturbed, saddened and concerned by the news of persons killed in the violence between two groups of people in Lalgarh today. I offer to the families of the deceased my heartfelt and most sincere sympathies.
For sometime now, reports have been appearing almost daily in the media about political violence from our State. With unfailing regularity, each day begins and ends with news of political clashes in different areas of the State. Hardly a district remains unscarred by such conflicts. Khejuri, Nanoor, Sashan, Mangalkot, Jhalda, Indas, Canning, Ketugram, Khanakul... the circle of bloodshed has been expanding. Today's carnage in Lalgarh has by now claimed seven lives with more than a dozen seriously wounded. Not even mothers and daughters have been spared. For our State it is a day of sorrow and shame.
No democracy can allow such violence; no civilized society can tolerate such wanton disregard for human lives and no State can accept such mindless discord.
This has gone on for far too long. It is incumbent upon the authorities to begin to act decisively to preempt, prevent or quell attempts at violence, irrespective of the affiliations of the groups involved. A decisive stage has been reached for the Government to act, before it becomes a point of no return.