CPI(M) hints at inter-state conspiracy behind Nandigram violence

Kolkata, Jan 8(UNI) Touching upon the name of social activist Medha Patkar, the CPI(M) today hinted at an inter-state conspiracy behind the Nandigram violence involving people from outside.

Calling for an inquiry into what led people from Bihar and Orissa to assemble in a house in the Nandigram police station area, party's state Secretary Biman Basu said the blue print for the recent violence over land acquisition was pre-planned.

''We have information that many people from Kolkata's Metiabruz, Bihar's Gaya and Orissa had been staying and holding meetings in a house in the area. Ms Medha Patkar had attended a meeting there on December three...it should be probed by police what deep mystery is there,'' he said while briefing reporters on today's Bangla bandh.

Mr Basu said owned by a former local hoarder, the four-storied house had been a meeting place of divergent people from outside for about one-and-a-half month. Some of those coming from Kolkata were students and researchers and the people were still in the area, though not in the same house.

''The blueprint for digging up roads, damaging bridges and all that happened in the area in recent times was drawn much before. The incidents deserve importance,'' he commented.

Ms Medha Patkar had been in the state for most part of December while organising a protest move against the acquisition of agricultural land at Singur for Tata Motors's small car factory.

Siding with Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee, who had been on a hunger strike, the Narmada Bachao Andolon leader had flayed the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Government for ''forcible eviction'' of farmers.

Ms Patkar had also visited Nandigram to talk to the local people and hold a meeting on the proposed land takeover in the area for two SEZ projects.

Nandigram witnessed violence first on January 3 when thousands of villagers assembled in front of the local panchayat office and went on a rampage following a report that their land was going to be acquired for the Salim Group's proposed SEZ.

They also clashed with police injuring 15 of them.

The hostile villagers kept the police at bay digging up roads and putting barricades with felled trees and boulders to prevent entry to any of the 27 villages under the police station from outside.

Rival groups, involving CPI(M) supporters and the members of ''Krishi Jami Uchched Raksha Committee'', a platform of those owing allegience to the Trinamool Congress, Congress, SUCI and some other people calshed early yesterday resulting in the death of seven.

Mr Basu calimed that the government had not issued any notice for land acquisition in the area and the whole unrest was whipped up with a ''cobweb of conspiracy'' being spread.

Commenting on the bandh, the CPI(M) state Secretary said it had no major effect as life in general was normal in the state. ''The bandh had no impact particularly in the rural areas and the toiling people did not respond to it,'' he said.

Alleging that Congress, Trinamool and SUCI activists had teamed up to attack government offices in many places to prevent people from doing duty, Mr Basu said 18 Government buses were damaged and several drivers had been injured by bandh supporters.

UNI