Nandigram, in the east Midnapore district of West Bengal, has not yet turned violent. However, tension prevails at every nook and corner.
Roads have been blocked and police station gheraoed in protest against a recent arrest
KOLKATA: Nandigram, in the east Midnapore district of West Bengal, has not yet turned violent. However, tension prevails at every nook and corner and there are indications that there may be bloodshed again.
The atmosphere had become tense during early 2007 before violence had erupted. From Monday onwards, with the Trinamool Congress and the Suci-led Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (land eviction resistance committee) having announced publicly that they would not allow entry of the police and security forces in Nandigram during night time, it is becoming tense again.
For the whole of 2007, Nandigram was in the news for continued violence that left 35 dead. At that time also, the police were prevented entry there. Like in the previous year, the process of destroying connecting roads to Nandigram has started during the last couple of days.
This came as a reaction to the arrest of committee convener and Suci leader Nanda Patra on Sunday night on charges of murder and rape. Committee supporters immediately arranged for a “gherao” of the Nandigram police station.
Political analysts here suggest the nature of ‘gherao’ this time is same as the violent 2007 days. Women activists gathered a crowd by blowing conch-shells and then equipped with brooms, sticks and household utensils constituted the front rows of the team. They were followed by the male activists. In 2007 also, the teams engaged in clashes were lead by women and child activists. However, the prevailing tension does not seem to be having any impact on the political parties in the state. They are continuing with provocative statements that can fuel tensions further.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that CPI(M) and the police administration are once again trying to cordon off Nandigram to establish a reign of terror there. “We will not allow this and will go for an all out resistance this time,” she said.
Local Trinamool MLA Subhendu Adkhikari and the Suci state secretary Prabhash Ghosh alleged that police were framing false cases against committee activists. “This is a kind of pressure tactics to give the CPI(M) an advantage in the coming panchayat elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) central committee leader Benoy Konar in a recent party meeting has instructed his party workers to be pro-active to ensure victory at Nandigram and Singur in Hooghly district in the forthcoming panchayat elections. He also instructed experienced party workers from adjacent areas to start a public relations exercise there on an emergency basis.
r_sumanta@dnaindia.net
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