Kolkata: Defending its party chief Sonia Gandhi on the issue of 'bad' law and order in Uttar Pradesh, Congress today (Sep 16, 2004) attacked the Left Front Government in West Bengal for "not doing enough to stop the continuing political violence and atrocities" on women in the State.

"She (Sonia Gandhi) has spoken the truth about the situation in UP. It is a matter of serious concern in West Bengal where there are atrocities on women, while Congress workers are being attacked," the AICC (All India Congress Committee) General Secretary Salman Khursheed told reporters in Kolkata.

"It is a great tragedy. It is not only hurting us. It is not helping the Left Front Government either," Khursheed, who is in-charge of party affairs in West Bengal, said after his meeting with Congress leaders in the State.

He said the CPM (Communist Party of India)-led Left Front Government was harming itself by not reining in its cadres and not asking officials to stop such oppression.

"Everyday, we receive political representation about our people going missing, being oppressed and with people's complaints not being heard," he said.

"Why were 11,000 people who were active political workers killed during the years of the Left Front regime?"

He said the Government and political parties should concentrate only on development.

"There is a big question mark," he said when asked how his party viewed the performance of the Left Front Government in West Bengal at a time when Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressed concern about the situation in UP.