Mamata shifts focus to Lalgarh

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee once again cried war on Tuesday, vowing to launch a Nandigram-like agitation in Lalgarh and other parts of West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, if the administration applied the slightest of force to quell the ongoing tension there over alleged police highhandedness.

Supporting the Maoist-driven tribal movement in certain pockets of West Midnapore, Mamata said if police and the district administration resorted to force to suppress it, she will not hesitate to launch a Nandigram-like agitation in the district.

“At Nandigram, we resisted the administration’s atrocities. If necessary, we will do the same here,” she told a rally outside district superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar Singh’s office in Midnapore on Tuesday.

Upholding the demand of the agitating tribal group, Bharat Jakat Majhi Madhwa (Disham Majhi), Mamata said the state government should apologise for the situation. “I know the conditions tribals live in. The state government has done nothing for them so far. Now, if they try to undemocratically resist their democratic movement, I will not remain silent.”

Meanwhile, the district administration started the process of clearing some of the blocked roads in the Lalgarh-Jhargram area. Roads, which were blocked using tree trunks, were partially cleared.

However, Lalgarh continues to remain cut off from the rest of the district. Madhwa leaders said the blockade will continue till their demands are met.
r_sumanta@dnaindia.net