Mamata questions shifting of CRPF

Kolkata, Nov 19 (UNI) Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today charged the Centre with maintaining a ''studied silence'' on Nandigram and questioned the justification behind the shifting of the CRPF from the violence-torn villages.

Addressing a rally here, Ms Banerjee said, '' If the Centre thinks so, it could dismiss the CPI(M)-led Left Front Government, specially after the Calcutta High Court verdict, indicting the state government for March 14 police firing in Nandigram, and Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi's terming the happening as unlawful and unacceptable. '' She said, '' I know the UPA Government at the Centre has no option but to take the support of the Left under political compulsion, but the compulsion could never be at the cost of human lives. '' Ms Banerjee stated that the CRPF was requisitioned for the embattled Nandigram, but the forces were allowed to the strife-torn area only after 48 hours, and it smelt a ''rat'' behind the shifting of the CRPF.

The Trinamool Congress chief alleged when the CPI(M) failed to take control of Nandigram after the March 14 incident, the party abjectly took the help of cadres, criminals and the ''harmads'' (mercenaries) to recapture the areas.

She also said, '' The state government is now alleging that for the past 11 months, there was no law and order in Nandigram. But the responsibility should be borne by the government for the failure to bring peace in the area. '' Ms Banerjee announced a series of agitational programmes throughout the state to protest the Nandigram incident and called upon all to express their solidarity.

UNI