New Delhi, Apr 11 (IANS): Cracking the whip on the Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal, the Union Home Ministry has written to the state Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police seeking action against the 'dilution' of lockdown measures in the state, functioning of shops selling non-essential items and permission for religious gatherings by the state police.

"As per further reports received from security agencies, gradual dilution of lockdown has been reported from West Bengal, with an increase in the number of exceptions being provided by the state government," read the letter sent by the Internal Security Division of the MHA.

Earlier, the Mamata Banerjee government allowed sweet shops to stay open. There were also reports of the Bengal government allowing flower shops to open. But what brought discomfiture to the Mamata government is mention of allowing a huddle at certain minority dominated places that may be used by the opposition to cry appeasement, a charge Banerjee's government has often faced.

"There is no regulation of vegetable, fish and mutton markets where people have been thronging in complete violation of social distancing norms in Rajabazaar, Narkel Danga, Topsia, Metiabruz, Garden Reach, Ikbalpur and Maniktala in Kolkata," read the letter written by Deputy Secretary Srinivasu K.A.

The MHA told the Bengal top bureaucrat and top cop that these are in complete violation of the MHA orders which involved the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to enforce a complete shutdown for 21 days across India and is now tipped to be extended for another couple of weeks.

The Ministry has not only demanded strict action by the Mamata Banerjee government in the matter but asked for a report on the action it has taken against the violators.