Intellectuals join protest march against Singur land acquisition

Kolkata, Jan 12 (UNI) For the first time since the Singur imbroglio rocked the state, a large number of city-based intellectuals like noted film and theatre personalities Aparna Sen and Kaushik Sen came out on street today to protest the government's land acquisition policy.

Coming down heavily on the state administration for allegedly trying to acquire multiple corp land at Singur for the Tata Motors' proposed small car plant, a large number of writers, novelists, poets, singers, theatre and film personalities took to the streets from College Square to Rani Rashmoni Raod in Central Kolkata, carrying banners, placards and festoons against the government's land acquisition policy.

Ms Sen questioned the state government's real intention on the whole issue and demanded that the entire process must be totally transparent.

''If the farmers handed over their land willingly, why the administration is preventing general public from travelling to Singur and has imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 CR Pc in the area,''Ms Sen asked and said all these had raised a number of questions.

Echoing similar sentiment Kaushik Sen, also a well known theatre personality, questioned the rastionale behind forceful closure of some of the recent plays in the city. '' Such acts also raised doubts among ourselves on whether we still live within a democratic framework, '' he commented.

Folk singer Pratul Mukherjee also expressed his firm oppositiion towards the alleged forceful acquisition of farm land at Singur in the name of industrial growth in West Bengal.

''Though we are all in favour of industry at no point of time they should be set up at the cost of precious farmland, '' he said adding because this would do no good to the poor and was totally contrary to the national policy.

Interestingly, today's protest march was the first of its kind organised by the city's large intellectual community onm the Singur issue, with majority of them believed to be belonging to left minded cultural institutions.

UNI