Nandigram limps back to normal after Buddha's move

Nandigram, Jan 10 (UNI) With West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee moving to heal the Nandigram wounds, the situation in this strife-torn area started limping back to normal today.

While no violence was reported in the past 24 hours, the 'Bhumi Uchched Protirodh Committee' agreed to give outsiders an access to villages for repairing roads, though with a rider that no police will be around.

A five-member BJP Parliamentary team, lead by Ms Sushma Swaraj, visited the area during the day to make an on-the-spot study of the situation and demanded imposition of President's rule in the state for atrocities on farmers.

Pleased at the government's retreat in putting on hold land acquisition, members of 'Bhumi Uchched Protirodh Committee' started exhorting farmers door-to-door pleading for a truce with the administration.

''We are taking people into confidence about the agreement reached in the all-party meeting to allow them from outside the area to repair roads. However, we have put a condition that only labourers of the contractors will be allowed and police have to remain in their camps,'' Mr Liaqat Sheikh a committee functionary said.

He pointed out that only the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Block Development Officer would be allowed as government representatives during the repair work.

MORE UNI