NRIs take to RTI route to extract information on Nandigram
New Delhi, Nov 18 (UNI) Concerned at the recent spate of large scale displacement and violence in Nandigram, 74 NRIs have filed a collective Right to Information (RTI) application at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC seeking information on the number of people killed or injured in the violence since November 4.
These NRIs hail from diverse group of academics, professionals, lawyers, students and are supporters of the organisation- Association for India's Development.
They want the West Bengal government to provide reasons for delay in providing protection to citizens, human rights activists who tried to visit the area, the number of police force deployed in the area, actions taken to restore peace, provide relief, rehabilitate the displaced villagers, and action taken against the criminals perpetrating the ghastly acts of violence and those who blocked the entry of media and the CRPF jawans in Nandigram. They have also sought the status of land acquisition and the SEZ project in the area.
Denouncing the ''recapture'' of Nandigram villages by CPI(M) cadres as ''completely illegal and undemocratic'', the NRIs had preferred to file the RTI application as an instrument to enforce accountability and transparency.
''On
behalf
of
the
concerned
NRIs,
we
urge
the
government
of
West
Bengal
to
respond
to
the
crisis
in
Nandigram
in
a
democratic
and
just
manner
and
make
sure
that
people's
basic
constitutional
and
legal
rights
are
upheld
and
security,
peace
and
justice
in
the
area
restored.
We
also
expect
a
prompt
response
to
our
application
for
information,''
Mr
Somu
Kumar,
a
spokesperson
said
in
a
release
to
UNI