Political parties condemn police action at Singur

Kolkata, Dec 2 (UNI) Several political parties and Human Rights organisations in West Bengal condemned today's police lathicharge on ''innocent'' villagers at Singur, the much talked about site for Tata Motors' proposed small car unit.

Describing the police action to ward off agitating villagers as ''inhuman and totally uncalled for'', West Bengal Pradesh Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharya said here tonight that the administration should have been more cautious in handling the situation which had already become ''explosive''.

West Bengal Chatra Parishad, the students wing of the party, had decided to observe a statewide ''Protest Day' tomorrow expressing solidarity with the agitating Singur farmers.

Among others Socialist Unity Centre of India(SUCI) and Samajwadi Party, West Bengal state unit severely condemned the alleged ''brutal police lathicharge'' and claimed that more than 100 people were injured in the ''unprovoked police action'' .

The SUCI had also called a 24-hour Bandh in Hooghly district on December four and asked its members to wear black badges tomorrow besides holding statewide rallies and peace march protesting the Singur incidents.

West Bengal Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice Shyamal Sen also condemned today's incident at Singur and described it as undesirable. The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights(APDR) also criticed the alleged ''barbaric police lathicharge on innocent farmers at Singur'' and demanded stern action against the guilty officials.

At least 18 APDR members were also arrested while protesting the police action, its general secretary Bhaskar Sen demanded immediate withdrawal of the prohibirotory orders.

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