[Reader-list] CPI (M) and West Bengal CM's Statements on Nandigram

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear All,

Even as reports of how DYFI (CPI-M Youth Mass Organization) cadre were 
involved in the violence at Nandigram are coming in, the official party 
line on the events at Nandigram is beginning to circulate on the internet.

See Economic Times, March 21, Nandigram Battle Now Veering Towards 
Courts (Gives a report on the involvement of DYFI cadre in the Nandigram 
  Violence)
(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Nandigram_battle_now_veering_towards_courts/articleshow/1785742.cms)

This morning, I received an e mail forwarded by Gayatri Chatterjee (from 
Pune) simply saying that point of view had not as yet been articulated 
on the Reader List. In the interests of the record and the ongoing 
debate on this list, I am now posting this on the Reader List.

I neither endorse, nor vouch for the contents of the CPI (M)'s official 
statements, nor do I claim to speak for the Chief Minister of West 
Bengal. My position on the culpability of the CPI (M), and the police 
and the government of West Bengal in the massacre at Nandigram remain 
unchanged, and those interested in knowing what my position is, need 
only to read my last posting on the matter on this list.

However, since these are public documents, I think it is only fair that 
they have a public life, and be publicly scrutinized, and if need be, 
interrogated.

regards

Shuddha
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1. CPI (M) Official Statement on Events in Nandigram


COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST)
Central Committee
A.K. Gopalan Bhawan, 27-29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg New Delhi 110 001
Website: http://www.cpim.org  email: cpim at vsnl.com

March 19, 2007


What Happened in Nandigram?



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.

------------------------------------

2. Statement by Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya
in the West Bengal Assembly on March 15, 2007
On Incidents At Nandigram

A proposal for setting up a mega-chemical hub and a multi-product 
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) over about 10,000 acres of land in Nandigram 
Police Station of Purba Medinipur district was under consideration of 
the state government. Though no final decision has yet been taken about 
the exact location of the projects, on December 29, 2006 an informal 
notice for public information regarding likely location of this project 
was circulated by the Haldia Development Authority to all blocks and 
Gram Panchayat offices of the area. This notice was by way of 
information only. No specific location of the project had yet been 
decided by the state government. Once this notice reached various block 
offices, there was massive resentment among those people who feared that 
their land would be acquired. A number of political organizations and 
parties formed a Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee. On January 3, 2007, 
an unruly mob of about  3,000 people attacked a police party under the 
charge of officer-in-charge, Nandigram police station and set fire to a 
police jeep. In another incident on the same day, another police jeep 
was set on fire at Garchakraberia Bazar. 23 police personnel also 
received injuries in these clashes. Three cases were registered in 
Nandigram police station over these incidents.

These incidents were followed by several meetings between the 
administration and the opposition parties in which it was clarified by 
the district administration that no notification for acquisition of land 
had yet been finalized. In spite of that, local feelings ran very high 
and a bandh was declared in Nandigram police station area on January 4, 
2007. Following this, peace meetings were held in several places of 
Nandigram police station on January 6, 2007, but even after the 
meetings, the situation turned violent. In the night of January 6/ 
January 7, 2007 there was a major clash between two groups – one owing 
allegiance to the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee and the other owing 
allegiance to the ruling Left Front. In this clash, four people, who 
were residents of various villages of Nandigram police station, were 
killed and two separate cases were started over this incident. This was 
followed by ransacking of CPI(M) Party Offices at several places and 
incidents of violence and arson at the residence of several local 
leaders of the CPI(M). The agitators also damaged many bridges and 
culverts and dug up several roads as a result of which, the movement of 
vehicles became impossible after January 7, 2007.

In a series of peace meetings convened by the district Magistrate, Purba 
Medinipur over this issue starting from January 8, 2007 it was 
unanimously decided that all parties would take necessary steps to 
restore peace in the locality and police camps would be set up at the 
disturbed places. Despite these resolutions, however, it was not 
possible to repair the damaged roads, culverts and bridges and it was 
also not possible to deploy the state police within the affected parts 
of the Nandigram police station. Despite several measures initiated by 
the district administration to restore peace, execution of all 
government projects and schemes came to a standstill since no government 
officer was allowed to enter the affected areas. Gradually, a number of 
people owing allegiance to CPI(M) had to move their places of normal 
residence in Nandigaram police station and take shelter in several 
temporary camps at Khejuri. Tension between the two rival groups kept on 
mounting. There were several incidents of violence between February 03, 
and February 06, 2007 in which fire was exchanged or bombs exploded 
between the rival groups. On February 07, 2007 a sub-inspector of 
police, Shri Sadhu Chatterji had gone to investigate a report received 
about destruction of road communication. He was waylaid by an unruly mob 
and killed. His dead body was recovered only on February 10, 2007. Over 
this incident also, a case was started but all these cases could not be 
investigated properly because the police was not able to enter the 
affected areas.

On February 11, 2007, the chief minister in a public meeting at a place 
close to the affected area made an open commitment that no land for 
setting up the chemical hub and SEZ would be acquired at Nandigram if 
the people of Nandigram were against such acquisition.
However, sporadic incidents of violence involving displaced people in 
the camps at Khejuri and the people of Bhangaberia and Sonachura areas 
of Nandigram police station continued. It was resolved in one of the 
peace meetings that both parties would maintain peace during the 
Madhyamik Pariksha (Class-X) which was going on. The Madhyamik Pariksha 
was over on March 5, 2007. The district magistrate, Purba Medinipur 
again convened an all-party peace meeting. In this meeting he proposed 
that peace should be restored, police should enter the affected areas of 
Nandigram police station, damaged bridges and roads should be repaired 
and normalcy restored to the entire affected areas. However, the 
representatives of the Trinamool Congress and the Indian National 
Congress did not attend this meeting.

It was decided that this law-less situation in Nandigram and its 
surroundings should not be allowed to continue, the damaged roads, 
bridges and culverts should be repaired without any further delay and 
police should take up the investigations in the cases of murder. 
Thereafter, police force was mobilized and it was decided that the force 
would enter Nandigarm through three separate routes under the leadership 
of senior offices. The police force was asked to exercise utmost 
restraint. They were further directed to use loud hailers to explain the 
purpose of the movement of the police party to the people of that 
locality which is to establish peace and restore normalcy. Ultimately, 
the police movement started about 10.00 a.m in the morning of March 14, 
2007. While one of the police parties could move into Nandigaram without 
any resistance two other police parties were confronted by large 
gatherings of hostile people. When the police asked them to disperse, 
they paid no heed and resorted to heavy brick-batting causing injury to 
some policemen. To disperse the mob, police lobbed tear gas shells. The 
mob them became more agitated and started hurling bombs followed by 
opening of fire. A few policemen sustained splinter injuries. To control 
the situation, police initially fired rubber bullets, but this, again, 
yielded no results. Ultimately, the police had to open fire in 
self-defence causing dispersal of the mob. This incident took place near 
Bhangaberia bridge. Another police party also met with violent 
resistance at Adhikaripara where heavy brick batting, bomb throwing took 
place. As a result, some policemen were injured. In both the incidents, 
12 policemen including Additional S.P, Tamluk and Assistant S.P. 
(Probationer) received splinter injuries and injuries due to brick 
batting. Serious and extensive injuries could be avoided as all the 
policemen were in protective gear. However, a number of people were 
injured in the police firing and it is believed that some of the 
agitators were also injured by the bombs that they were hurling. Till 
8.00 p.m on March 14, 2007, according to the report received at the 
State Headquarters, 14 people died including some critically injured 
people who succumbed to injuries. In addition, there were 63 injured 
people of whom 29 were shifted to Tamluk district hospital for 
treatment. 5 people were released after treatment to minor injuries and 
the rest were still at Nandigarm Rural Hospital to receive treatment or 
awaiting transfer to Tamluk Sub-divisional hospital. This is in addition 
to the 12 policemen injured in the incident who received medical 
attention separately.

Following the above incidents, there was no further organized resistance 
to the movement of the police party who were now able to move to 
Sonachura and establish a temporary camp there. Police was also able to 
reach a few other neighbouring villages. In course of police search, 8 
illegal fire-arms were recovered which had probably been used against 
the police party.

There is high tension prevailing in the area but the situation is 
currently under control. Police camps have been set up in the disturbed 
area. Senior police officers are also camping and making efforts to 
restore peace.


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