Mamata calls for Central intervention in Nandigram issue

Kolkakta, Apr 29 (UNI) Holding Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee responsible for the fresh violence in Nandigram, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today again called for ''central intervention in the issue of state terrorism'' while announcing a string of agitational programmes in West Bengal.

''The Chief Minister is playing with blood. He is directly responsible for the continued state-sponsored terrorism, unleashed by police and CPI(M) men. He has no right to continue in office and should be sacked,'' she told a news conference at her residence.

Ms Banerjee said the party's Rajya Sabha member Dinesh Dwivedi had made a representation in the Prime Minister's Office this morning, calling for immediate central intervention into the Nandigram affairs.

Alleging that the situation in Nandigram aggravated because of the Chief Minister's ''threatening the opposition'' at a rally in North 24-Parganas district yesterday, Ms Banerjee said the CPI(M) cadres from outside attacked the area (Nandigram), leading to the clashes.

She also alleged that the CPI(M) men used long range sophisticated rifles, provided by police.

''After the March 14 incident, we have repeatedly called for restoration of peace. But the Government has done nothing. What can we do if the Government wants to continue state-sponsored terrorism ?'' she asked.

At least one person was killed and four were injured in today's clashes between members of the Trinamool Congress-led Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee and CPI(M) supporters.

The Trinamool leader alleged the administration was not taking any action against those responsible for the March 14 killings while it had falsely implicated 1950 Trinamool supporters in different cases.

Claiming that the state Government was being run only by the CPI(M), and not by a coalition, Ms Banerjee called upon all other political parties, including the smaller partners of the ruling Left Front to ''take to the streets'' in protest against the unabated violence in Nandigram.

She announced that a Trinamool Congress delegation would visit Nandigram while the Krishi Jami Raksha Committee, a platform of opposition parties, would put up road blocks in different areas of the city tomorrow and organise protest rallies in every block on May one as part of the movement programme. Trinamool workers would also gherao police stations across the state on May two.

UNI