Mamata Banerjee holds emergency meeting after Left's buses are attacked

Kolkata: Buses filled with members of the Left were attacked today as they headed to Kolkata to participate in a  massive protest rally.  Local channels showed at least one van on fire, and injured people being brought to hospital.

The Left says the attacks were engineered by the ruling Trinamool Congress, whose leader Mamata Banerjee, is chief minister of West Bengal. She was unwell today but rushed to her office at Writer's Building for a briefing.  She is expected to hold a press conference soon.

The Leftclaims that the buses were stoned, bombs hurled, and its workers were fired upon atBamunghata, 30 kms from Kolkata.

Left leaders will meet the Governor of the state this evening to complain about the assault on their workers.

The CPM was holding a demonstration in south Kolkata to demand the arrest of Trinmool leader Aarabul Islam.  On Sunday, he allegedly led an attack on  Rezzak Mollah, who served as a minister when the Left was in power.