Shutdown over industrial hub in India's West Bengal

New Delhi - India's eastern state of West Bengal witnessed a complete business shutdown on Monday in response to a strike call by several political parties over the treatment of villagers opposed to an industrial hub, media reports said. More than 34 people have been killed since January in police action and strife between villagers opposing and supporting a proposed industrial hub on farmland in Nandigram village, 140 kilometres south of West Bengal capital Kolkata.

The village and its surrounding areas have seen recurring clashes between supporters of West Bengal's leftist coalition government and members of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh (stop land acquisition) Committee despite the state government announcing earlier this year that it had shelved the plan to build the industrial zone.

The violence, which peaked in early February, flared again over the weekend. Six people died and several were injured as supporters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) attempted to return to the village from which they were ousted earlier this year.

The CPI(M) is the leading coalition partner in West Bengal's coalition government of leftist parties.

Nandigram and adjoining areas were tense as CPI(M) supporters took out victory processions on Monday, NDTV television network reported.

The state police stood as mute bystanders as the CPI(M) cadre beat up supporters of the anti-land acquisition group, local people were quoted as saying by NDTV. At least 3000 of them were being housed in a temporary camp while others, largely women, went into hiding or fled.

"The villagers are scared as the police are not supporting them. The women are hiding and there have been allegations of rape," an NDTV reporter from Nandigram said.

There are few reports of the situation on the ground as the media and opposition politicians are being barred from entering the area by the police.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special security advisor MK Narayanan said the federal government was deeply concerned over the situation. He said Maoist rebels may have made inroads in the area and the state government was attempting to allow those who had been evicted from their hamlets to return with minimum violence.

Senior West Bengal police official Raj Kanojia said Monday the situation was peaceful in Nandigram and federal paramilitary forces would take position during the day, IANS news agency reported.

All schools, colleges and most offices and business establishments in Kolkata and other parts of the state were closed on Monday in response to the strike called by opposition parties.

The West Bengal capital's streets were deserted. Train and air services were also affected, with passengers stranded at stations and at the airport, IANS reported. Several incidents of violence were reported across the state, the police said.

The Trinamool Congress, a regional opposition party, has called an indefinite strike to protest the government's handling of the Nandigram issue.

Strike over killings shuts down east Indian state

KOLKATA, India, Nov 12 (Reuters) - A strike to protest the killings of villagers opposed to West Bengal's communist-ruled government shut down schools, offices and businesses on Monday in a challenge to the Indian ruling coalition's main ally.

At least 20 people were injured in clashes between police and strikers in the state capital, Kolkata. Strikers set two buses on fire and ransacked a hospital and a railway station, police said.

The strike was sparked by the killings in the last week of at least six villagers in Nandigram, a few hours drive southwest of Kolkata, as they battled communist supporters. Dozens of villagers were injured in the clashes.

Nandigram won national recognition by successfully opposing communist government plans to set up industry on farming land. But hostilities have not abated as the state's communist supporters tried to win back control of the village cluster.

"The communists are killing innocent villagers in Nandigram and have not even spared women and children," said Mamata Banerjee, chief of the Trinamul Congress, the state's main opposition party which called the strike.

The violence in Nandigram has been a political embarrassment for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which has its stronghold in West Bengal. The party shores up the Congress-led coalition along with three minor left groups.

The conflict has resonated nationally. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government said it would send federal police to Nandigram, and the main national opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has voiced support for the strike.

Communist party leaders and police have blamed the recent violence on Maoist rebels who have set up base in Nandigram and were helping Trinamul activists with arms and training.

But the communist party's own allies have criticised the government, and some ministers in the leftist coalition threatened to resign over Nandigram.

The West Bengal government's decision to abort the project has helped galvanise nationwide opposition to similar special economic zones, aimed at encouraging industry and exports through tax incentives.

The communists returned to power for a seventh term last year, pushing a reformist programme of industrial expansion, but regular strikes and continuing violence over land reforms could hurt their effort to woo industry, analysts said.

"Industry will definitely take a backseat if the violence does not stop and the initiative to restore peace is not taken by the communists," economist Abhirup Sarkar said. (Editing by Alistair Scrutton)

Red cadres beat Centre’s forces to Nandigram

The first batch of CRPF personnel finally reached within kilometres of battle zone Nandigram on Sunday. But they came a bit too late.

For, before any CRPF jawan could set his foot on the trouble spot, the fight had already ended between the CPM cadres and the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC). CPM cadres regained almost all of Nandigram.

In most places, the CPM cadres entered the villages firing indiscriminately and following it up with looting and arson. In a move reminiscent of medieval warfares, the CPM organised a huge rally placing 500 captured BUPC members, all tied up, on the forefront as human shields. This served two purposes-one, it make BUPC think twice before firing on the rally and two, if there are any landmines, then the "human shield" would bear the impact.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the Center said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who reached Moscow on Sunday night, was closely monitoring the situation and had spoken to West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

Earlier, speaking to reporters on board the prime minister’s special aircraft en route to Moscow, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan said, "It is a tricky situation. It is a matter causing a great deal of concern. Delhi is concerned, Kolkata is also concerned." He added that an officer had been sent to Bengal from Delhi to assess the situation and file a report. Narayanan did not rule out the possibility of a Maoist hand in the violence.

There was no conformation of how many people were killed or injured, as the media was barred with CPIM cadres guarding all entry and exit points to the areas where most of the fighting was taking place. They didn’t even allow the police superintendent’s convoy to enter Nandigram.

Even Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee’s effort to reach Nandigram was blocked. The motorbike on which she was pillion-riding was obstructed by hundreds of CPM cadres. The farthest she could go was till Tamluk Hospital where she met injured BUPC members.

Though there was no official confirmation from the police, CPIM district secretariat member Ashok Guria said "all the homeless CPM supporters, who were thrown out of their houses at gun point, has been returned to their homes till the Kendemari area. Now there are no homeless people in Nandigram Block-I."

But, Trinamool MLA Sishir Adhikari claimed that CPM is yet to get control of five out of 17 blocks of Nandigram and that they would again enter the places on Monday, which CPIM tried to enter today with more than 50,000 people. However, a local SUCI leader Bhabani Prasad Das present at Nandigram Bazar said all is lost for BUPC in Nandigram and now fleets of homeless are coming to the relief camps for shelter.

Later in the evening, a dejected Mamata Banerjee told the media, "what will CRPF do now in Nandigram? Will they guard the broken houses and empty villages. CPM goons have destroyed everything.”

When questioned on whether she would go to Nandigram and protest, Mamata said "I wanted to see the villagers, not the CPM goons”. Then she went on saying, “was my silent protest not enough".

Amid strike, violence reported in Nandigram

NANDIGRAM: CPM supporters indulged in gunfire, arson and looting in recaptured Bhumi Ucched Pratirod Comittee (BUPC) strongholds of Garchakraberia, Sonachura and Gokulnagar in Nandigram on Monday, a BUPC member alleged.

"CPM cadres are firing, setting houses on fire and looting to scare away our supporters still remaining in the areas," district YC leader and BUPC member Milan Pradhan claimed.

Police was not available for comment. Pradhan claimed that at least 200 persons were missing from the areas since Sunday night. "Armed men set houses on fire and went on a looting spree last night also after recapturing the areas," he said. He said his father, who was kidnapped on Sunday and taken to the CPM stronghold of Khejuri was escorted back on Monday morning by the police, he said.

The opposition-sponsored statewide shutdown today led to shops remaining closed and traffic off the roads in East Midnapore district. Most shopowners left the area. At Nandigram bazar, there was tension with both CPM and BUPC taking out processions, eye witnesses said.

CRPF not being allowed to enter Nandigram: Mamata

Tamluk (WB) (PTI): With CRPF not being allowed to enter trouble-torn Nandigram, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the Prime Minister's Office and the Union Home Ministry to ensure that the Central forces are deployed in the area.

"Banerjee spoke to the PMO and Union Home Ministry this morning and apprised them of the situation prevailing in Nandigram," TC General Secretary and MP Mukul Roy told reporters here.

"She also told the PMO and Home Ministry officials that CRPF was not being allowed to enter Nandigram and sought their intervention to ensure that the Central forces are deployed," he said.

Roy said CRPF personnel, who arrived on Sunday, were camping here and at Chandipur.
He said Banerjee, who left Kolkata on Friday, was prevented from going to Nandigram as CPI-M activists put up blockades at different entry points while the media was also being barred from entering.

The TC supremo, who had managed to enter this town on a motorbike from Kolaghat yesterday after her convoy was stopped, was staying here.

He said the "recapture" of Nandigram by CPI-M was complete and alleged that thousands of people were being beaten up and driven out of their homes.

"CPI-M hoodlums from their stronghold of Khejuri are searching for supporters of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee," he said.

CPI(M) alone to blame for Nandigram bloodbath

Kolkata (PTI): In a major jolt for CPI(M) after the Governor's indictment, three major constituents of the alliance on Sunday accused its lead party of being solely responsible for renewed violence in Nandigram.

"We don't support the wanton violence as a means to find a solution in Nandigram. We are totally opposed to it. The CPI(M) alone is responsible for this unfortunate turn of affairs," said RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI in a unanimous resolution after a joint meeting.

"A volatile situation exists in Nandigram and adjoining areas. We demand that peace and normalcy be restored in Nandigram, for which proper administrative measures have to be taken," the resolution, which was read out by CPI state Secretary, Manju Kumar Mazumdar, in the presence of the leaders of the three partners, said.

RSP state secretary Debabrata Bandhopadhay said the manner in which Nandigram is being recaptured and the resulting bloodshed was discussed during a two-hour meeting convened by veteran Forward Bloc leader, Ashok Ghosh.

The RSP, whose minister Kshiti Goswami has expressed his wish to quit the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee cabinet, and also did not rule out pulling out all four ministers from the ministry in protest against the violence, was urged by both CPI and Forward Bloc to reconsider it.

However, party sources said Ashok Ghosh told the meeting that leaving the Left Front ministry would not have any effect but the partners should mount constant pressure from within on the CPI(M).

The resolution also virtually debunked CPI(M) allegations that Maoists were inciting violence in Nandigram.

The resolution was a clear attempt by the junior partners to isolate CPI(M) on Nandigram issue and did not wish to suffer the collateral damage of the happenings there.

In a strong criticism of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government on Friday, Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had said that the recapture of Nandigram villages was totally unlawful and unacceptable.