Jamait warns against land acquisition

Kolkata, Jan 18 (UNI) In a significant turn of events, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee today called upon the people to rise above religion and political belief to oppose the Left Front Government's land acquisition policy as the Jamait-E-Ulema-I-Hind, held a protest rally pledging to launch a 'broadbased movement'.

Sharing dais with divergent Opposition outfits, including the Trinamool Congress, SUCI and Naxalites, at a protest rally, the Jamait also demanded that the SEZ act be scrapped and the Land Acquisition Act amended.

Pledging to put up a ''grim fight'' against any move to acquire farm land, the Jamait leaders warned that if the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Government put at peril the existence of farmers, they would break the tyrant's hands''.

'' It is the struggle for our survival...this is our land and not of the Tatas or Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee..we shall win this battle with the help of divergent forces, '' Jamait state secretary Sidiqullah Chowdhury said, addressing the meeting.

He also condemned the alleged statement of the Chief Minister that a ''communal outfit'' was in campaign to whip up people's passion in Nandigram.

Declaring that she would soon return to take part in the movement against land acquisition, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee warned the state Government in a letter not to use force in taking over land and urged it to immediately withdraw all notifications for land acquisition.

Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee read out the letter of Ms Banerjee, who was recuperating at home after being discharged from nursing home yesterday.

'' We have to rise above politics and religion to resist the Government's aggressive, undemocractic and inhuman move to acquire agricultural land for industry. I will soon visit Nandigram, Singur and other places where land acquisition is on cards to take part in the movement, '' she said.

Echoing her, Mr Chatterjee warned that the Government would be responsible ''if a civil war breaks out'' in the state over the issue.

Blasing the CPI(M)-led Government for ''hoodwinking'' the people in the name of industrialisation, SUCI state Secretary Provas Ghosh alleged that the model of development the Chief Minister was talking about would benefit industrialists and not the poor people.

Leaders of Samajwadi Party, the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS), a breakaway faction of the CPI(M) and Naxalite Students' organisations besides two former Left Front Ministers also were present at the meeting.

UNI