'CPI-M, Maoists, teachers trying to stop development'

Kolkata, April 29 (IANS) West Bengal Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee Sunday blamed the opposition Left Front and a section of teachers for trying to stop the developmental work in the state by spreading canards against the 11-month-old TMC-Congress government.

"The CPI-M and the Maoists who are wearing the mask of the communists are trying to stop the developmental work in the state. A section of teachers who are affiliated to the frontal organizations of the CPI-M are also behind it. They are trying to stop Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by spreading canards against the government. But they won't succeed in it," said Chatterjee.

For the last few months, the state government led by Banerjee has been attracting criticism from all sections of society including the intellectuals - who had once supported her in her fight against the Left Front - over various issues starting from the Park Street Rape Case to the assault on college principals by Trinamool supporters to the arrest of a Jadavpur university professor for circulating cartoons.

Recently the issue of assault on a woman professor - who dared to take on a Trinamool Congress leader for allegedly throwing a jug at her inside the teachers' staff room - has attracted severe criticism as the state government vehemently tried to shield the culprits.

"If they (opposition) think that they can stop us in this way then they are wrong. The people of Bengal are with us they will give them a befitting reply," said Chatterjee.