Medha to launch anti-land acquistion campaign at Nandigram

Kolkata, Jan 12: Social activist Medha Patkar left the city for Nandigram this morning for her campaign against land acquisition, two days after police arrested her aborting her move to visit Singur.

''As a citizen of India I am free to travel anywhere in the country. The Left Front government will commit a mistake if it tries to stop me,'' she told reporters here.

Accompanied by Swami Agnivesh and more than a score of fellow activists including membes of National Alliance for People's Movement (NAPM), she would address a meeting at Nandigram after reaching there by road.

Nandigram, in East Midnapore district, witnessed a series of violent incidents over the past one week resulting in the death of seven people following a reported move of the government for taking over land for a proposed SEZ.

Police had arrested Ms Patkar and three others fearing a possible trouble at Singur at Hoogly district, which she had planned to visit.

Ms Patkar was arrested when she was about to board a car from the city's Saltlake area to reach Howrah station on way to Singur, where prohibitory order under Section 144 Cr PC were in force following violence over land acquisition for Tata motor's small car project.

She was however freed on bail by the court yesterday.

UNI