Bengal Guv likely to visit riot-hit areas

Governor CV Ananda Bose overrides Mamata Banerjee's advice

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday met a group of victims of the Murshidabad riot at Raj Bhavan and then announced plans to visit neighbouring Malda district on a "fact-finding" trip.

Hundreds of victims of the trouble-torn areas have taken shelter in Malda, which lies across the river from Murshidabad. This came despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging him not to embark on the trip.

Speaking at a media conference at the State secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee urged non-locals not to visit Murshidabad. "I would appeal to the Governor to wait for a few more days, as confidence-building measures are underway. The situation is normalising," she said.

The Chief Minister said that she herself decided against visiting the affected areas at present to avoid triggering political one-upmanship.

Despite Mamata Banerjee's request, Governor Bose said that he intends to visit the district to make "an objective assessment of the ground situation".