In a lively Lok Sabha session on August 6, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy clashed with Union Home Minister Amit Shah over strategies to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
Roy highlighted ongoing conflicts between security forces and Maoists, noting that West Bengal had successfully managed LWE under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He praised the state’s approach, which combined development projects and job creation for tribals. Roy asked if the central government would adopt West Bengal’s model in Chhattisgarh and other states struggling with LWE.
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Roy’s comments followed recent Naxal attacks in Chhattisgarh. In mid-July, Naxalites triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Bijapur District, killing two security personnel and injuring four others. Earlier in June, another IED blast by Naxals in Sukma District resulted in the deaths of two CRPF personnel.
Responding to Roy, Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed the suggestion. Shah said the central government is open to adopting successful models from any state. However, he implied that no state would prefer to replicate West Bengal’s approach.
This exchange wasn’t Roy’s first criticism of the central government. On Thursday, he condemned the government’s handling of the education system, accusing it of turning it into a money-laundering scheme. He also criticized the rising influence of the RSS in education and lamented the lack of world-class institutions in India, comparing the country’s educational standards unfavorably with Harvard, Cambridge, and Yale.
