Bengal intelligentsia erupts in anger, sorrow

Kolkata, Mar 16 (UNI) A day after the "Black Wednesday" of Nandigram, the famed Bengal intelligentsia, known to tread the Left path, is on a discordant note, terming the blood-spilling as "heinous and avoidable" and even demanding Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's resignation.

Former Sherrif of Kolkata and acclaimed litterateur Sunil Gangopadhyay, and a leading member of the Nandan lobby, told UNI, " The state has been shocked to a dead silence. There was no necessity of sending 3000 armed police to take control over villagers, mostly women and children. " " When emotion runs high, when people are agitated, the government has to show restraint. It was heinous. We could have avoided it, " he said, bitterness evident in his voice.

The voice of Bibhas Chakraborty trembled and trailed off as the veteran theatre personality said, " I was shaking and agitated. I could not take it and then my nine-year-old grandson watched television for a while and asked me: " You know Buddhadeb Bhattacharje. Why don't you ask him to stop. " Chakraborty, who won high acclaim for his play 'Madhav Malanchi Kanya', added, " I am resigning from the state-run Natya Academy (Theatre Academy) in protest. I will not ask him (Budhadeb Bhattacharjee) to resign. It is his conscience. But next time when he comes to Nandan I will like to see him dressed as a policeman, " he said.

At least 14 people were shot dead and 39 injured in Nandigram, about 150 km southwest of Kolkata, as police opened fire to quell mob and regain control of the villages after unrest over acquisition of farmland for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in January.

With three decades of Left Front rule in West Bengal, the actors, singers, playwrights and litterateurs have mastered the art of flattering the communists on the hot seat and have even campaigned for them in elections.

But today they are upping the ante and even asked the people to rethink.

Buddhadeb Dasgupta told UNI, " This situation could and should have been avoided. This was not expected from a people's government. " " We cast our vote and elect the government. This is the time to think and take action. They should evaluate whom are they electing.

" While bandhs can't be a solution, people should protest this incident and start thinking, " he said.

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