[Reader-list] The Tragedy of Nandigram

[prakash ray]

Dear Friends,



14 people have died in Nandigram due to the confrontation between the Police
and violent agitators. One person (out of that 14) died because a bomb that
he was trying to throw at the Police burst in his hands. Nearly 70 persons
have been injured. One more person, Abhijit Samanta (relative of Panchayat
Pradhan from CPI (M), Sankar Samanta, who was killled in the earlier phase
of violence in January) has also died because he was brutally attacked with
a chopper for refusing to join the "resistance" against entry of police into
the area.



The incident is unfortunate and highly regrettable because poor people have
lost their lives. It is particularly disturbing because it has happened
under a Left Front regime, which is committed to the cause of the working
people, particularly the rural poor.



However, the vitriolic campaign launched against the CPI(M) and the Left
Front by the entire opposition ranging from the BJP, Trinamul Congress,
Congress, SUCI and naxalite outfits stands as a testimony to their
culpability in this entire episode. They were not only waiting for something
like this to happen but have actively worked to create this situation. On
3rd February 2007 the CM had announced that no land would be acquired in
Nandigram. Since then he has repeated this announcement several times.
Several all-Party meetings were convened both at the district as well as the
state level to discuss and resolve the issue. The opposition deliberately
stayed away, because they wanted to precipitate the situation. This is a
hallmark of right-reactionary politics (which the ultra-Left also indulges
in); to indulge in mindless violence and create a situation of lawlessness,
provoke retaliation by the state machinery and then indulge in cheap and
destructive politics over dead bodies to perpetuate the cycle of violence
and counter-violence.



Those who are criticizing the Left Front Government or the CPI (M) may have
some legitimate grounds for criticism. But joining in the anti-CPI (M)
tirade without for once recognizing, let alone condemning, the total anarchy
and lawlessness created by the entire opposition under the leadership of
Trinamul and naxalites, only contributes to further deterioration of the
situation on the ground. Over 2500 CPI (M) sympathisers, all poor villagers,
have been staying in makeshift relief camps over the past two and a half
months since they were forcibly evicted from the villages. The area was
declared out of bounds for the district administration and all communication
links and roads were cut off. This was surely not a democratic form of
protest. Moreover, the demand on the basis of which the protest had
started was accepted by the State Government a month ago. What was
continuing in Nandigram after the CM's announcement was a violent spectacle
over a non-issue. A police personnel was lynched by the protestors inside
Nandigram without any provocation. Houses of CPI (M) supporters were
torched. There was an incident of murder of a young girl followed by gang
rape of another woman. In none of these cases was the Police allowed to
enter the villages and investigate the crimes/alleged crimes. The State
government is fully justified in taking action to restore normalcy since no
elected Government can allow such absolute anarchy and lawlessness to
prevail. The degree or intensity of police action can of course be
questioned. Any loss of life is certainly avoidable. However, if one choses
to look at the case from an objective point of view, the Government was
clearly pushed into this situation.



It is our appeal to progressive and democratic minded people to take a more
balanced and reasoned view of the two and a half month long series of
incidents in Nandigram rather than get swayed by the concerted campaign
launched by the anti-Communist gang up from the ultra-right to the
ultra-left aided by sections of the media.





 *Nandigram: A Statement of Facts**
*




The trouble in Nandigram began with attacks on Panchayat members,
administrative officials and police on 3rd January, 2007. The following is a
brief of what happened thereafter.



1. East Midnapur was poised to be declared as "Nirmal" district, for
excellent achievements in sanitation. A central team was scheduled to visit
Nandigram   on 13th and 14th January for this purpose. In fact, the central
team has already visited other areas of the district and watched the
noteworthy success in this regard. On 3rd January, the preparatory meeting
for the visit was taking place in Kalicharanpur Gram   Panchayat office.
Some activists of Trinamool Congress gathered there at around 11-30 in the
morning. They demanded that the land acquisition notice, served by Haldia
Development Authority be scrapped and the Panchayat declare that there would
be no such acquisition. Samerun Bibi, the Panchayat pradhan, refused to heed
their demand. They were violent and abusive. They ransacked the Panchayat
office. The Panchayat secretary was injured in the attack. The mob also
pelted stones on the health sub-centre. It was only after this that the
Panchayat pradhan informed the Nandigram police station. As the police
vehicle was proceeding towards the village, they were attacked by an armed
mob. 11policemen including 2 ASIs were seriously injured. The police vehicle
was torched. A rifle was also looted which was later returned to police
station by TMC MLA Subhendu Adhikary. After some time another mob attacked a
police car of Khejuri police station about five kilometers away and
attempted to burn it. The police have not entered the area since then.



2. The miscreants started moving with arms and began to destroy bridges and
culverts linking roads. They created an atmosphere of terror. On 4th and 5th
 January, they virtually destroyed every link road and bridge connecting
Nandigram and Khejuri to the outside world. They also burnt a 25KV electric
sub-station. An armed gang equipped with firearms attacked the CPI(M) local
committee office in Rajaramchawk  and burnt it. Cadres of TMC and other
forces roamed around and threatened CPI(M) leaders and sympathizers with
dire consequences. On both these days many houses of CPI(M) workers and
sympathizers were looted. A large number of CPI(M) workers were forced to
leave the villages and take shelter in a nearby camp. That the mob was armed
could be seen in the photographs published in newspapers. The entire
incident was meticulously planned.



3. The ousted CPI(M) workers and their families took shelter in a camp in
the southern side of the Bhangabera bridge in Khejuri area. On 6th January
miscreants of the so-called Jami Rakkha Committee (a conglomeration of TMC,
Congress, SUCI, Naxalite groups, Jamiat ulema-e-Hind) attacked the camp at
about 3 a.m. They even prepared bunkers for the attack. There was resistance
from the camp and in the ensuing conflict three of the attackers died. One
of them, Seikh Salim was a resident of South Kendemari, about 12 Kms away
from the spot. It was evident that they gathered there to attack the camp in
a planned manner.



4. On 7th January morning, the miscreants attacked the house of Sankar
Samanta, CPI(M) Panchayat member, looted his house and burnt it. They
dragged Samanta to Shitpara and burnt him alive in a haystack.



5. Bhudeb Mandal, another CPI(M) supporter was seriously injured in the
attack. The miscreants left him, assuming that he was dead. He however,
regained consciousness and somehow reached a relative's house. Later he was
hospitalized. In all 153 houses were looted. The houses and shops of Lakhman
Mandal, Sonachura Panchayat pradhan, Samerun Bibi, Kalicharanpur Panchayat
pradhan, Arjun Maity, Dr, Pratap Paul, Rabiul, Annapurna Das -- all CPI(M)
workers -- were burnt.



6. Among those evicted from the villages are 2 district Committee members of
CPI(M), 2 local committee secretaries, 6 zonal committee members, 16 local
committee members and 56 Party members. More than 200 families were forced
to stay in relief camp or relatives' houses. Later, the number surged and
more than 2000 people were ousted from the village. Their houses were looted
and their lands were forcefully occupied. Hundreds of people were forced to
pay ransom.



7. The attack spread to adjoining Khejuri and some parts of rural Haldia. On
7th February, 2007 a police party went to the village to discuss the issues.
They were brutally attacked without any provocation. The local OC was
seriously injured. Despite this, the police did not retaliate and returned
back. The miscreants dragged Sadhucharan Chatterjee, an elderly police
person and killed him. His body was found in the river after a three day
search.



8. On 10th February, Sunita Mondal, a student of class ten, was brutally
murdered after torture. Her body was found on a tree, with rope tied to her
neck. Her father was ousted earlier by miscreants. The police could not
enter into the village to collect information even after such an incident.
Members of the State Women Commission were also faced resistance when they
tried to investigate the matter.



9. On 17th and 18th February, another 22 houses were burnt by the TMC
miscreants. Many more families were forced to flee from the villages.



10. On 3rd March, one housewife (name withheld) was mass raped by a gang of
TMC miscreants led by Srihari Samanta, a local TMC leader. The victim is
from a CPI(M) sympathizer's family  and refused to  join the programme of
Bhumi Rakkha Committee. The victim was hospitalized and her entire statement
has been recorded.



11. The Chief Minister has stated categorically that there will be no forced
land acquisition in Nandigram. On 9th February the CM pointedly told in a
public meeting in Khejuri that without the consent of the people of
Nandigram nothing will be done. Later, on a number of occasions during the
last one month, the CM has repeatedly stated in very clear terms that the
proposed Chemical Hub would be shifted if the people of Nandigram did not
accept the proposal. Even after that, there was no respite from the
atrocities perpetrated by the Bhumi Rakkha Committee, making it amply clear
that the question is not at all that of "land acquisition" but a political
strategy to maintain a forced acquisition of Nandigram by a combination of
political forces.



12. The district  administration, meanwhile called a series of  all Party
meetings and peace meetings, mostly boycotted by TMC, Congress and Bhumi
Rakkha Committee. The last such meeting was organized on 10th March where
representatives from Left Front partners and BJP were present. TMC, Congress
and Bhumi Rakkha Committee declined the invitation. It was decided in the
meeting that the administration would move to restore reconstruction work
and normalcy in the area and anyone resisting the constitutional duties
would be legally dealt with.



13. On 14th March, the police entered the area after prior announcements
through loudspeaker. When they reached Sonachura, they were attacked with
bombs and guns. In the ensuing confrontation 13 people were killed. One more
person was killed due to bomb injury.







Regards
Prakash

-- 
Prakash K Ray
254, Sutlej, JNU, New Delhi-67
www.cinemela.org (available soon)
cinemela.blogspot.com
(0) 9811450214
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