Police should be sent to Nandigram: Basu

Kolkata, May 6: Veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu today said police would be sent to Nandigram to restore normalcy if the Opposition continued to boycott all-party meetings. ''Police must go there,'' he told reporters after attending the party's state Committee meeting, when asked what the state Government should do if the Opposition parties did not participate in all-party meetings.

Mr Basu, however, reiterated that there was a need for holding all-party meetings to sort out differences between the rival political parties and bring back peace in the area, lying battered by violence for more than four months.

The comments of the nonagenarian Marxist leader came in the background of a stalemate with the Opposition parties, especially the Trinamool Congress, refusing to take part in any of the all-party meetings, convened thrice by the state Government after the March 14 police firing.

Today's CPI (M) state Committee meeting was called to chalk out a strategy to tackle the situation in Nandigram where unrest was still simmering and the opposition remained adamant on not joining any peace process.

Alleging that CPI(M) cadres were attacking Nandigram from the adjoining Khejuri, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee had categorically said no peace talks were possible unless the Marxists stopped violence.

Though Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee made repeated requests, the Trinamool Congress and the Congress said they doubted the sincerity of the Government. The Opposition said they could consider attending the all-party meet only if it was called by Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

As the situation put the state Government in a tight spot, violence continued unabated in Nandigram even after the Chief Minister made it official that no land would be acquired in the area for setting up of industries. Almost the entire area virutally remained cut-off by land from the rest of the state and remained a ''free zone'' as members of the Trinamool-led Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee dug up roads and stood guard against the entry of any outsider while about 5,000 CPI (M) supporters had been evicted from their home.

Shy of taking any hard measure following the March 14 unpheavel, when police made a futile attempt to take control of the area and at least 14 villagers were killed, the Left Front Government ordered the police not to force their way into Nandigram, while administrative and development work remained paralysed.

But according to CPI(M) sources, the situation gave rise to a strong feeling among a section of party leaders and workers, who refused to ''lie low to the treat'' and see '' a helpless Government giving a long rope to the opposition, enjoying a free run in the area.'' While at least one person was killed and many injured in fresh clashes on April 29, Trinamool Congress supporters allegedly destroyed relief camps, sheltering the families of evicted CPI (M) workers and demolished houses and drove out rival party supporters in renewed attacks over the past three days.

With all development and economic activities having come to a standstill in Nandigram, the Calcutta High Court recently directed the state Government to restore normalcy. However, high Government officials said there was no immediate plan to deploy para-military forces in the area.

Meanwhile, in its status reports submitted to the Calcutta High Court, the state Government reportedly admitted armed CPI(M) supporters being involved in clashes with Trinamool activists on April 29.

When asked about the status report, Mr Basu said, ''If the fact is like that then the Government should make a mention of it.''

UNI