In Delhi, Buddhadeb regrets making his Kolkata remark of tit for tat on Nandigram

Three weeks after he justified the violent takeover of Nandigram by the CPI (M) cadres, the Chief Minister of the Left-ruled state of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya today admitted that the violent situation in that part of the State was a political and administrative failure.

New Delhi, Dec 4 : Three weeks after he justified the violent takeover of Nandigram by the CPI (M) cadres, the Chief Minister of the Left-ruled state of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya today admitted that the violent situation in that part of the State was a political and administrative failure.

He also regretted his 'tit for tat' remark, which he had made in Kolkata.

''We paid back in their own coin, I said. But I should not have said this because now I want peace, peace for all, peace for all sections,'' said a mellowed Buddhadeb, who is here to attend his party's politburo meeting.

On November 13, just days after CPI (M) cadres took over the control of Nandigram after fierce clashes between the Left and the activists belonging to a Trinamool supported land protection committee, Buddhadeb had justified his party's cadres act by saying, "The people who suffered were paid back in their own coin".

A day later, he remained firm on his remark in spite of it evoking huge criticisms, and added that he was not only the Chief Minister of the State but also a CPI (M) worker.

However, the West Bengal Chief Minister today said, ''Bengal has committed a mistake, it was like tit for tat''.

He also claimed that the violence in Nandigram that began with people's protests against the land acquisition for setting up a Special Economic Zone would not impede the process of industrialisation in the State, and it would not affect the confidence of investors.

"Nobody is going back. Not only in steel sector, food processing, engineers, IT (Information Technology), but new proposals are coming in. At Haldia every month, new proposals are coming in. It is not a setback. We are trying to correct our mistakes there but the process of industrialisation will not be disturbed in any way," he added.

The Chief Minister also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and apprised him of the situation prevailing in Nandigram.

"I told him (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) that the situation is gradually normalizing and almost all people who were evicted from their houses are going back to their houses," he said.

ANI