Asked by reporters here whether he was satisfied with the steps being taken by the Centre to ensure a safe tour of Pakistan cricket team in India, Basu said ``is there a Government at the Centre? They have failed totally.''

To a question whether he would demand arrest of Bal Thackeray, he said it was upto the Centre. ``It (the Central Government) will have to take all measures.''

He said the inaugural Asian Test championship tie at the Eden Gardens would be held as scheduled (from February 16). ``West Bengal is a civilised state. Holding the match here will not be a problem,'' Basu added.

In Mumbai, the Shiv Sena chief ridiculed Basu for warning the Sena activists of stringentaction for any attempt to disrupt the impending tour.

Thackeray referred to the hue and cry made by West Bengal when Saurav Ganguly was dropped from the team that played in the Sahara Cup in Toronto against Pakistan in 1996 and charged West Bengal with bringing ``caste and religion in cricket'' and said the Shiv Sainiks are fighting for the country's interest.''

``Your pride was wounded when a lone Bengal player was not selected. But our Sainiks are fighting for the entire country,'' Thackeray was quoted as saying in the party mouth-piece Saamna.

The Sena chief appealed to Basu to consider this fact (that country's interest was paramount in the mind of the Sainiks while opposing the Pak tour) before initiating any action against them.