NDA to corner UPA over Nandigram in Parliament

Kolkata, Nov 13 (UNI) Holding the Central and West Bengal government equally responsible for the volatile situation in Nandigram, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today asserted that it would raise the issue forcefully in Winter Session of Parliament, demanding an explanation from the Union Government for its ''inaction''.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani, who led a nine-member NDA delegation to Nandigram, said in a statement that ''private armies'' were ruling the strife-torn area who were not allowing even the CRPF to restore order.

''The CPI(M) cadres have let loose a reign of terror with their private armies under protection of the police and the State government behaving like an occupation force,'' He said the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, ''which pathetically clings to power on the CPM's life support system is helpless''.

The NDA's ''justice-seeking mission'' found that the situation in Nandigram had only worsened since the ''massacre'' of innocent people on March 14. ''Not even a single perpetrator of the violence has been punished so far,'' he said.

''The CPM has declared war not only on the people of Nandigram but also on the Indian state,'' Mr Advani added.

He claimed that ever since the killings in March, the Communist party workers have systematically perpetrated violence, targeting scores of innocent people, driving them away from their homesteads.

Alleging that perpetrators of violence enjoyed full support of the police and state government, Mr Advani said they have barred the entry of not only humanitarian agencies like the Red Cross and the media but also the CRPF was chased away.

''Even in insurgency-affected regions like the Kashmir Valley or the Northeast, the CRPF has not been chased away by a private army. But this has happened in Nandigram,'' Mr Advani said.

The veteran BJP leader said West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stands exposed in view of the brutal violence in Nandigram and the police action on the peaceful protest by intellectuals in Kolkata.

He also flayed the West Bengal government for accusing Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi of ''overstepping'' his constitutional limits.

''Instead of responding with dignity to Governor Krishna Gandhi's expression of anguish and pent-up pain, the CPM reacted with frenzy, accusing him of overstepping his limits,'' Mr Advani said.

He expressed solidarity with the victims of violence in Nandigram, saying NDA stood by all democratic organisations in West Bengal, ''which are fighting a brave battle to restore the rule of law and constitutional rights to the terrorised people of the State''.

Besides Mr Advani, Ms Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Mr Sharad Yadav (JDU), Braj Kishore Tripathy (BJD), Surender Singh Ahluwalia (BJP), Sukhbir Singh Badal (Akali Dal), Ananth Gude (Shiv Sena), Sharad Joshi (SBP) and Chandan Mitra, MP were part of the NDA delegation.

UNI