Nandigram

• Triggered a popular backlash
• Exposed the ugly face of CPI (M)
• Duplicity of the Congress leadership was opposed by one and all
• Sangram CPM lost despite Stalinist brutalities
Nandigram, is situated about 150 km. away from Kolkata. Villagers opposed the government bid to set up a Special Economic Zone. At Nandigram, 10,000 acres is planned to be acquired for a multi - product SEZ. Farmers' land was at stake, about to be written away by the state to the Salim group of Indonesia to set up a Special Economic Zone.
In a shocking display of strong-arm tactics adopted by the Marxist government of West Bengal, thousands of State Policemen, backed by CPM cadre, opened fire on the farmers of Nandigram protesting against forcible acquisition of their agricultural land by the State Government for a Special Economic Zone Project. This utterly shameful, seemingly preplanned act which killed many and left many more injured took place in broad daylight on March 13, turning the green fields of Nandigram into killer fields.
As the police and CPM cadre were jointly perpetrating their orgy of violence and mayhem, the media was barred from entering Nandigram.
This act of brutality unparalleled in independent India shocked the whole country generating widespread protest in Kolkata and calls of bandh from Trinamul Congress and BJP. Both Houses of Parliament were rocked as agitated BJP and Trinamul Congress members forced an adjournment in the Rajya Sabha and staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha. The BJP and Trinamul MPs stormed the well of the House and shouted raised slogans alleging that the Nandigram incident was a repeat of the "Jallianwala Bagh" outrage perpetrated by colonial British rulers.
The BJP took a very strong stand against this State sponsored atrocity. Leader of Opposition, Shri L.K. Advani spoke to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and Home Minister, Shri Shivraj Patil requesting them to seek a report from the West Bengal Governor on this violence. Shri Advani called it one of the most unfortunate events since Independence. BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh demanded a judicial or parliamentary probe into the police firing. He said the State Government had lost the moral authority to continue in office.