'Vandalism by political parties won't be tolerated'

Kolkata: Warning that "politics of destruction" would not be tolerated, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government was considering bringing in a law to penalise political parties indulging in vandalism.

"We can't tolerate vandalism, hooliganism and politics of destruction. We can't accept the destruction of public property during shutdowns and strikes by political parties," Mamata told reporters here on a day an opposition-sponsored shutdown saw sporadic violence.

Protestors torched and damaged buses, disrupted train movement and tried to forcibly prevent people from going to offices in the state.

Mamata said she would seek advice from legal and constitutional experts and the common people before formulating the law.

"I would seek the advice of the legal, constitutional, political experts. I would also seek advice of the common people in order to formulate such law. Destroying public property, government busses cannot be tolerated," she said.