Cong extends support to AITC bandh,demands deployment of army

Kolkata, Oct 30 (UNI) West Bengal Pradesh Congress today extended moral support to Trinamool Congress-sponsored Bengal bandh tomorrow.

Congress Legislative Party leader Manas Bhuiya told a news conference this evening that ''we have taken several programmes for October 31 to mark the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and had urged Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to defer the proposed 12-hour bandh by a day but she insisted to go ahead with her earlier decision''.

He, however, said since their appeal was rejected, the Congress would extend its moral support to the democratic agitation against the ruling Left Front in the state.

''We all are united against the ruling alliance and therefore would not oppose the bandh under any circumstances sponsored by an oppostion party on the violent Nandigram issue,'' Mr Bhuiya said.

He also demanded deployment of army in violence prone Nandigram immediately.

Citing an example of violence in Siliguri following an adverse comment by an FM radio jockey on latest Indian Idol, the state government did not hesitate to deploy military forces to restore normalcy and peace there, but in the case of Nandigram even after the death of so many people, the government was not sincere enough to do the same at there to bring back normalcy, Mr Bhuiya observed.

''Today I have sent a letter to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee urging him for sealing the border of Nandigram and Khejuri and immediate deployment of military forces for restoring peace in the area,'' the CLP leader said.

UNI