Congress calls 12 hour bandh in Jhargram May 2

Kolkata, Apr 30 (UNI) West Bengal Congress today called a 12-hour Jhargram bandh on May 2 in protest against ''police excess'' on party workers for taking part in the road blockade programme during the Nandigram violence yesterday.

CLP leader Manas Bhuniya told newsmen that two people were killed in the violence at Nandigram yesterday. He said democracy in Bengal has been destroyed because of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's arrogance and the CPI(M)'s aggressive policy.

He alleged that several party workers had been beaten up by Officer-in Charge of Jhargram police station Debashis Chakraborty, who had threatened to 'kill' the protestors in Nandigram if they did not withdraw the road blockade.

''The state government should take administrative steps against the Jhargram Officer-in-charge,'' he demanded.

Mr Bhuniya said the Nandigram situation would worsen if the state government did not take initiatives immediately. ''We think peace can be established only if the Chief Minister withdraws police forces and frees the Khejuri area in West Midnapore from the party's cadres,'' he stated.

''We will soon meet President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and apprise them of the state's latest position on land acquisition issue and also seek their intervention.'' UNI AKM KK SY DB2020