Mamata trades charges over Nandigram row

Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee has lashed out at the Left Government in West Bengal for unleashing its muscle power in Nandigram, the scene of recurring clashes over plans to create an industrial hub.

Nandigram/New Delhi, Dec 4 : Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee has lashed out at the Left Government in West Bengal for unleashing its muscle power in Nandigram, the scene of recurring clashes over plans to create an industrial hub.

Squarely blaming the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Banerjee who visited Nandigram village said, "The CPM has recaptured Nandigram with 10,00,00 goons, but it has failed to capture the hearts of Nandigram people."

The CPI (M) on the other hand claims that normalcy has returned to Nandigram.

"Nandigram is coming back to its earlier position. Peace is being restored gradually. The Governor who went there has seen that the peace process is on," claimed Biman Bose, a senior CPI-M leader.

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had visited the village and said that the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya Government should honour the Calcutta High Courts order on the March 14 police killings there.

Gandhi also admitted that the traumatised people of the village would take some time to resume normal lives.

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured since January in protests against the West Bengal Government's plan to set up a chemical manufacturing hub export zone on land acquired from Nandigram villagers.

The Left lost control of Nandigram earlier this year after trying to turf villagers off their land to make way for the chemicals complex in Nandigram.

Opposition parties and Maoist rebels moved in, and the area became a no-go zone for Communists and police alike.

Last month, Left party cadres forced their way back in. At least six villagers were killed in the violence, bringing the death toll to at least 34 killed so far this year.

Several women alleged that they were raped by Communist cadres.

Although the State Government has shelved the industrial hub plan after initial protests, paramilitary forces were sent in after the recent clashes in Nandigram to avert further clashes and restore order.

ANI