Not a day passes without someone somewhere being killed for his politics. The widow's wail rends each day,' said Gandhi, whose stint in the Raj Bhavan has been marked by his much-discussed statements on vital political developments.

Referring to the requests from Congress, Trinamool Congress and the state's ruling Left Front that he do his bit to 'stem this violence', the governor asked: 'When the leading political formations of West Bengal have the same objective, why should violence not abate?'

'Because, I believe, those who can act are not doing so,' he added.

Gandhi said the political life in the state was being engulfed by the fires of fear, bereavement and rage.

He reminded the political leaders that it was their duty to ask their followers to stamp out the fires and ensure 'nobody provokes or gets provoked by violence into further violence'.

'It becomes their duty to identify the violent within their own organisations and leave them to be dealt with by the law. This responsibility lies with all political leaders, right across party divides,' he said.

On the Left Front legislators asking him to cooperate with the state government to protect life, property and democratic rights, Gandhi said: 'I have done so in the past and consider it to be my duty to do so again and again. I believe that all of us must do our duty.'