State transport minister terms AITC stand in Nandigram as fascist

Barrackpore, Dec 16 (UNI) West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader Subhas Chakrabarty today described the Nandigram situation as a fascist movement.

''Such a movement is unconstitutional, where the Opposition has been trying for the last one year not only to undermine an elected state government, but also to dislodge it, he said.

Addressing a workers' rally organised by the North 24 Parganas District Committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU) on Industrialisation and protection of rights of the working class, he observed that the movement spearheaded by Trinamool Congress at Nandigram was not a movment for land, but an effort to dislodge the Left Front Government in the state.

The minister also criticised the Governor of West Bengal for his statements on the Nandigram issue, as well as said, ''Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh came out with a different approach by asking the state government to defend the law and order situation irrespective of all political parties, as if the state government here were blind.'' ''People in West Bengal will prevent such fascist effort, while remaining under the red flag,'' he further remarked.

Echoing Mr Subhas Chakrabarty's opinion, CITU state president Shyamal Chakrabarty criticised the Governor for his comments on Nandigram soil stating that the area was suitable for agriculture and not for industry.

He said Nandigram was an area of saline water and if agriculture was to improve there, water of the area should be made free from its salt content. Mr Chakrabarty also maintained that without industrial support, agriculture could not be improved anywhere.

He was equally vocal against Mamata Banerjee and members of the intelligensia, who protested against the Left Front government's actions in Nandigram.

The other speakers, addressing the rally, said that a large number of industries in Barrackpore had been destroyed due to the vindictive and destructive policies of Congress and the Government at the Centre, so as in the case of NDA and UPA, which had always hatched conspiracies to prevent progress of the Left Front government in West Bengal.

The speakers included Tarti Baran Topdar and Amitabha Nandi, both MPs from Barrackpore and Dum Dum.

UNI