Congress demands Centre's intervention in Nandigram

Kolkata, Nov 8 (UNI) The West Bengal Congress today sought immediate intervention of the Centre for restoring peace in strife-torn Nandigram.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, party working president Pradip Bhattacharjee urged him to take necessary steps to ensure that the displaced people return home at the earliest.

He came down heavily on the state government for ''failing'' to ensure peace in the area and safety to its people.

Mr Bhattacharjee alleged that for the past four days, there had been a series of clashes and heavy exchange of fire in several villages of Nandigram.

He charged the CPI(M) activists with unleashing a ''reign of terror'' by forcefully evicting more than 4,000 villagers, who had taken shelter at the Nandigram High School.

There had also been severe scarcity of drinking water, food and medicine supply in the relief camps, Mr Bhattacharjee alleged.

UNI