Worried over the growing influence of Pakistan's ISI-backed Muslim fundamentalists in districts like Murshidabad, Maldha, North and South Dinajpur and Nadia, the state Communist Party of India (CPI) has decided to take up the issue with the Left Front Government.

Speaking to The Indian Express, party's state secretary and national executive member Manju Mazumdar said, ``We have decided to discuss the issue at a high-level state secretariat meeting.''

Interestingly, the official spokesmen of the West Bengal Government, including ministers, who have admitted in recent months of the presence of ISI in the state, for long chose to play down the role of Muslim fundamentalists funded and nurtured by the Pakistani agency.

However, Minister for Home (Police) Buddhadeb Bhattacharaya admitted here that thefundamentalist groups were using the Bangladeshi infiltrators for entering the state. But Bhattacharaya refused to divulge the details about the official measures taken to combat the situation.

A report published in the CPI's Bengali mouthpiece Kalantar has for the first time flashed out details about the activities of Muslim fundamentalists in Bengal.

In startling `disclosures', the report said during the recent Urs festival in Furfura Sharif in Hoogly district, agents of the Muslim fundamentalists distributed objectionable books, leaflets and literature.

The report also alleged that Saudi Arabian money was being used by fundamentalist groups and ``some NGOs'' to win over economically poor Muslims and spread communal disaffection. It also alleged that `Afghan-backed and funded groups have opened two schools for minorities in Birbhum.'

Elaborating this point, the report said during the recent Jamat-i-Hind's state conference in Behrampore in Murshidabad districts, the deligates ``usedprovocative language and carried out a campaign against the Bangaladesh Premier Shiekh Hasina Wajed.''

Incidentally, West Bengal Governor's budget session speech yesterday mentioned the state administration's ``watch on the activities of fundamentalists and divisive forces.''

A top state CPI leader told The Indian Express that the growing influence of Muslim fundamentalists ``bode ill for the overall Left movement in the state.''