The trouble in Nandigram began with attacks on Panchayat members, administrative officials and police on 3rd January, 2007. The following is a brief of what happened thereafter.
1. East Midnapur was poised to be declared as "Nirmal" district, for excellent achievements in sanitation. A central team was scheduled to visit Nandigram on 13th and 14th January for this purpose. In fact, the central team has already visited other areas of the district and watched the noteworthy success in this regard. On 3rd January, the preparatory meeting for the visit was taking place in Kalicharanpur Gram Panchayat office. Some activists of Trinamool Congress gathered there at around 11-30 in the morning. They demanded that the land acquisition notice, served by Haldia Development Authority be scrapped and the Panchayat declare that there would be no such acquisition. Samerun Bibi, the Panchayat pradhan, refused to heed their demand. They were violent and abusive. They ransacked the Panchayat office. The Panchayat secretary was injured in the attack. The mob also pelted stones on the health sub-centre. It was only after this that the Panchayat pradhan informed the Nandigram police statin. As the police vehicle was proceeding towards the village, they were attacked by an armed mob. 11policemen including 2 ASIs were seriously injured. The police vehicle was torched. A rifle was also looted which was later returned to police station by TMC MLA Subhendu Adhikary. After some time another mob attacked a police car of Khejuri police station about five kilometers away and attempted to burn it. The police have not entered the area since then.
2. The miscreants started moving with arms and began to destroy bridges and culverts linking roads. They created an atmosphere of terror. On 4th and 5th January, they virtually destroyed every link road and bridge connecting Nandigram and Khejuri to the outside world. They also burnt a 25KV electric sub-station. An armed gang equipped with firearms attacked the CPI(M) local committee office in Rajaramchawk and burnt it. Cadres of TMC and other forces roamed around and threatened CPI(M) leaders and sympathizers with dire consequences. On both these days many houses of CPI(M) workers and sympathizers were looted. A large number of CPI(M) workers were forced to leave the villages and take shelter in a nearby camp. That the mob was armed could be seen in the photographs published in newspapers. The entire incident was meticulously planned.
3. The ousted CPI(M) workers and their families took shelter in a camp in the southern side of the Bhangabera bridge in Khejuri area. On 6th January miscreants of the so-called Jami Rakkha Committee (a conglomeration of TMC, Congress, SUCI, Naxalite groups, Jamiat ulema-e-Hind) attacked the camp at about 3 a.m. They even prepared bunkers for the attack. There was resistance from the camp and in the ensuing conflict three of the attackers died. One of them, Seikh Salim was a resident of South Kendemari, about 12 Kms away from the spot. It was evident that they gathered there to attack the camp in a planned manner.
4. On 7th January morning, the miscreants attacked the house of Sankar Samanta, CPI(M) Panchayat member, looted his house and burnt it. They dragged Samanta to Shitpara and burnt him alive in a haystack.
5. Bhudeb Mandal, another CPI(M) supporter was seriously injured in the attack. The miscreants left him, assuming that he was dead. He however, regained consciousness and somehow reached a relative's house. Later he was hospitalized. In all 153 houses were looted. The houses and shops of Lakhman Mandal, Sonachura Panchayat pradhan, Samerun Bibi, Kalicharanpur Panchayat pradhan, Arjun Maity, Dr, Pratap Paul, Rabiul, Annapurna Das -- all CPI(M) workers -- were burnt.
6. Among those evicted from the villages are 2 district Committee members of CPI(M), 2 local committee secretaries, 6 zonal committee members, 16 local committee members and 56 Party members. More than 200 families were forced to stay in relief camp or relatives' houses. Later, the number surged and more than 2000 people were ousted from the village. Their houses were looted and their lands were forcefully occupied. Hundreds of people were forced to pay ransom.
7. The attack spread to adjoining Khejuri and some parts of rural Haldia. On 7th February, 2007 a police party went to the village to discuss the issues. They were brutally attacked without any provocation. The local OC was seriously injured. Despite this, the police did not retaliate and returned back. The miscreants dragged Sadhucharan Chatterjee, an elderly police person and killed him. His body was found in the river after a three day search.
8. On 10th February, Sunita Mondal, a student of class ten, was brutally murdered after torture. Her body was found on a tree, with rope tied to her neck. Her father was ousted earlier by miscreants. The police could not enter into the village to collect information even after such an incident. Members of the State Women Commission were also faced resistance when they tried to investigate the matter.
9. On 17th and 18th February, another 22 houses were burnt by the TMC miscreants. Many more families were forced to flee from the villages.
10. On 3rd March, one housewife (name withheld) was mass raped by a gang of TMC miscreants led by Srihari Samanta, a local TMC leader. The victim is from a CPI(M) sympathizer's family and refused to join the programme of Bhumi Rakkha Committee. The victim was hospitalized and her entire statement has been recorded.
11. The Chief Minister has stated categorically that there will be no forced land acquisition in Nandigram. On 9th February the CM pointedly told in a public meeting in Khejuri that without the consent of the people of Nandigram nothing will be done. Later, on a number of occasions during the last one month, the CM has repeatedly stated in very clear terms that the proposed Chemical Hub would be shifted if the people of Nandigram did not accept the proposal. Even after that, there was no respite from the atrocities perpetrated by the Bhumi Rakkha Committee, making it amply clear that the question is not at all that of "land acquisition" but a political strategy to maintain a forced acquisition of Nandigram by a combination of political forces.
12. The district administration, meanwhile called a series of all Party meetings and peace meetings, mostly boycotted by TMC, Congress and Bhumi Rakkha Committee. The last such meeting was organized on 10th March where representatives from Left Front partners and BJP were present. TMC, Congress and Bhumi Rakkha Committee declined the invitation. It was decided in the meeting that the administration would move to restore reconstruction work and normalcy in the area and anyone resisting the constitutional duties would be legally dealt with.
13. On 14th March, the police entered the area after prior announcements through loudspeaker. When they reached Sonachura, they were attacked with bombs and guns. In the ensuing confrontation 13 people were killed. One more person was killed due to bomb injury.
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Suresh Verma on Mar 22, 2007 01:52 PM Permalink
Communists always make others belive that they are right and others always wrong. However fact is CPM will never be for any body.I stayed in 24 PGS(n) for 5 years and seen auto-Bus union members working just due to fear of loss of permit.They never work any benifit for poor or deserving.Such fine details of narration is not a big job of them they recreate stories with character changed. World is knowing CPM details thru Nandgram but I know how cunning these people could be.In Barrackpore CPM MLA is biggest DON but no one can dare to say any thing yes where is the proof?Its same like Bihar but character wihout show off but same predator mentality. Almost all CPM leader have some business but they poropogate other way.They are biggest landgrabber which they claim as Landreform.When I tried to settle in W.Bengal I was asked to donate 70000/ towards party fnd if I have to stay in that area. Cadre extort money from businessmane in tha name if POOJA(every year 5-6 poojas were organised). Nandigram is due to Cadre attitute of supermecy.
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by unni t on Mar 22, 2007 01:31 PM Permalink
Stalinism Showing its real charactor. They want poor farmers support for power. If they are out of power they will support naxalites, maoists. In india everybody know naxlism is another hidden paly by CPIM. So there is no wonder why they kill innocent farmers
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Amitava DasGupta on Mar 22, 2007 01:32 PM Permalink
ur documentation of "facts" seems to contradict cbi enquiry report, media reports. understand that ur views and the views of " ganashakti" -party bulletin of cpm would be in same line. can you ppl not, for once, accept that you had mishandled 'nandigram' issue and admit for what happened!!
RE:RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Pranta Pathik on Mar 22, 2007 01:37 PM Permalink
Mr. Amitabha how do come to your choice of news paper give the right facts ar stated right facts???????????????????
RE:RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Arya Gupta on Mar 22, 2007 01:40 PM Permalink
No TMC supporter has any power in Nandigram to create such violence...Its a fight between CPIM(Lakkhan Seth) and CPIM(Nandigram)...TMC can only support the later but not create violence themselves...Don't try to put the blame on TMC and hide real facts by placing lies liek what you have written.
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Gautam Sinha on Mar 22, 2007 03:16 PM Permalink
Addendum to missing facts - Where is the fact that witness genocide was enacted before CBI enquiry? Where is the fact that people were forced to participate in rally or necks cut off? And that too soft targets were put in front? And once more thing- once can understand stones and knifes.. where did the people get pipe guns except if ruling party cadres and LC were not involved? Of the 13 people only 8 had police bullets but others had injuries from local weapons?
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by Rajib Basu on Mar 22, 2007 01:56 PM Permalink
Looks like you are very well groomed to DISTORT facts teh way West Bengal Communists like to do.
You have done a very polished job of trying to ESTABLISH lies as Facts.
Why don't you try to pick up one of those awards that have been recently returned by so many Intellectuals? A Rejected?Returned award only suits a pungent soul like the one writing these "Statement of Facts" and telling lies over the dead body over innumerable innocent kids & women.
RE:What Happened in Nandigram?
by ABC XYZ on Mar 23, 2007 04:01 AM Permalink
Aboslutely right!!!TMC and it's affiliates JAmaet E Islami (outfit of ISI) and Naxals have constantly provoked the villagers to get into this confrontation. They have systemetically disoldged CPM supporters from the village. TMC and its hopeless leader Maa Mamata has been trying desparately to grab power after they were ousted in the last election. Anybody vouching for Mamata the Big Joker is himself/herself a BOG JOKE...
