Nandigram limps back to normal; leaders make a beeline

Kolkata, Jan 9 (UNI) Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi arrived here today on a visit to Nandigram in East Midnapore district as police set up camps in four places of the strife-torn area witnessing bloody violence over acquisition of land for SEZ.

BJP President Rajnath Singh said a five-member delegation of the party MPs, led by Ms Sushma Swaraj, would visit Nandigram tomorrow to take stock of the situation.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA) would also take up the issue for discussion at its meeting, Mr Singh said on his arrival in Kolkata.

Mr Dasmunsi will visit Sonachura village, the scene of worst violence that surged on Sunday last in which seven people were killed. He will also address a public meeting.

Police, so far kept at bay by the aggressive villagers, set up camps at Hazra Kata, Tekhali Bazar, Basulichak and Sonachura as a result of the agreement reached at the all-party meeting held yesterday, DIG(Western Range) N Rameshbabu said.

Members of the Bhumi Uchched Protirodh Committee, resisting land acquisition and fighting a bloody battle with CPI(M) supporters, had cut off the Nandigram area from the rest of the state by digging up roads, damaging bridges and putting up barricades with felled trees and boulders.

However, a second peace meeting, held at the Nandigram police station, could not take place with the representatives of the Congress and Trinamool Congress staging a walkout, demanding release of the Bhumi Uchched Protirodh Committe convenor from police custody.

The DIG said nothing untoward had been reported from the area so far since yesterday when a section of villagers burnt down a CPI(M) office and fought with police, prompting them to open blank fire.

Meanwhile, the BJP president, who was in the city for a few hours, discussed the Nandigram issue with the party's state leaders before leaving for Asom. ''The party's delegation will submit a report on Nandigram for discussions at the NDA meeting,'' he told reporters.

Social activist Medha Patkar would visit Singur tomorrow with a group of associates as part of her programme to follow up with the anti-land acquisition campaign. Ms Patkar would also visit Nandigram on Thursday.

UNI