Nandigram: BJP to observe black day on Jan 9

Kolkata, Jan 8: BJP in West Bengal today congratulated the people for successfully observing today's 'Bangla Bandh' and said it would observe tomorrow as a 'Black Day' to protest the unabated violence at Nandigram.

Briefing newspersons about the impact of today's dawn-to-dusk bandh, which was also called by the state BJP along with its electoral partner Trinamool Congress and the SUCI, Party State General Secretary Rahul Sinha said a senior party delegation led by state BJP Chief Sukumar Banerjee would meet Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi here tomorrow seeking his immediate intervention in both the Singur and Nandigram issues.

Claiminig today's bandh as 'total' in the wake of people's overwhelming response, Mr Sinha charged the ruling CPI-M with resorting to violence for its failure. He also congratulated the people for ignoring the threats and other provocations from ruling party workers while supporting the causes for the bandh.

He also lashed out the state police for their 'utter failure' in not realisiting the gravity of the situation and simmering tension at Nandigram even after the Singur fiasco and take proper and immediate action to prevent violence on Saturaday night which had claimed at least seven lives.

Describing the situation at Nandigaram as ''very explosive'' which could lead to further violence, Mr Sinha said BJP all India President Rajnath Singh, who arrived here tomorrow morning en route to Guwahati would be apprised of the latest situation by a party delegation to seek immediate and direct intervention of the party for a peaceful resolution of the issue.

UNI