Silent peace march in Kolkata

People from all walks of life took out a silent peace march here on Thursday, as the city limped back to normalcy after Wednesdays clashes over Nandigram and Taslima Nasreen.

Kolkata, Nov 23 : People from all walks of life took out a silent peace march here on Thursday, as the city limped back to normalcy after Wednesday's clashes over Nandigram and Taslima Nasreen.

A number of social activists, writers and intellectuals, with cloth tied across their mouths, walked down the streets appealing for peace.

"We are going to march till Dharamtala with a cloth tied across our mouth expressing regret over what happened on Wednesday. We are surely not on the path of non-violence. This is the first time the army has been deployed. Even if the army was called out, it was against the people, not for them," said social ctivist, Medha Patkar.

Iman-ul Haque, a writer and social worker added, "We want peace in Kolkata. This violence, unruliness and rowdiness is not acceptable to us."

Shops reopened, children returned to school and a curfew was lifted in the city on Thursday after the army patrolled the streets to quell riots.

A curfew was imposed in various parts of Kolkata following violent protests by the All India Minority Forum over the violence in Nandigram and a demand for the cancellation of Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's visa.

The West Bengal Government was on Wednesday forced to deploy army soldiers in various parts of Kolkata after demonstrators under the banner of All India Minority Forum (AIMF) blocked roads and clashed with police.

It was for the first time since the 1992 riots that the Army was called in to restore order in the city.

Describing the turn of events as "unfortunate", Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the violence had "tarnished" the name of the city.

The Communist Government in West Bengal had planned to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for chemical industries in Nandigram, 150 km southwest of Kolkata, but had to abort the project after villagers refused to give up their lands.

Violent clashes between Communist supporters, police and locals opposed to the project have been taking place since January.

At least six villagers were killed and dozens injured in Nandigram last week in clashes between rival groups led by Communists and a frontal organisation backed by Trinamool Congress party.

ANI