New Delhi: The tension in West Bengal over Nandigram has spilled over to New Delhi as well. The CPI-M's two-day Politburo meeting begins in the Capital on Sunday.
However, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is unlikely to attend the meeting given the volatile situation in Nandigram.
While the politburo will debate developments in the strife torn state, the political resolution for the upcoming party congress will also be discussed.
The Politburo will also be briefed on the talks the Left has had with the Government on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.
Even as fresh violence claimed two lives in Nandigram on Saturday after a day of relative calm, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee announced her resignation from Parliament and called for an indefinite statewide stir to “paralyse West Bengal” from Monday.
Mamata announced her resignation as MP in protest against the alleged “massacre” in Nandigram. She said the letter of resignation had been sent to the Prime Minister and a copy has been marked to the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Meanwhile, a thousand Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been asked to head for West Bengal. The Centre’s decision to send them followed a request from the Chief Minister.
The Congress also announced a 24-hour strike in the State on Monday.
Mamata’s convoy stopped near Nandigram
Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's convoy was stopped near Kolaghat on Saturday night by CPI-M cadres when she was on her way to reach Nandigram.
"Enough is enough. I know how to cross this barrier but I don't want any further confrontation with CPI-M goons," Mamata said when she was gheraoed by armed CPI-M activists.
Mamata's convoy was halted for about 45 minutes and finally she took a decision to leave the spot and stay at a guesthouse near Kolaghat.
At least two people were killed in Nandigram, about 150 km from here, in a fresh attack by the CPI-M on the procession taken out by Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), a group backed by Trinamool Congress.
CPI-M surprised at Governor’s statement
In New Delhi, the CPI-M said West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi’s statement on Friday regarding Nandigram was “surprising.”
The Politburo, in a statement, said the Governor was well within his constitutional role to communicate his views to the state government and the Central Government.
“However, he has chosen once again to go public with a statement which is uncalled for. The content of the statement makes it clear that this is not the role expected from the office of Governor under the Constitution,” the Politburo said.
In his statement on Saturday, Gandhi had said the manner in which the “recapture” of Nandigram villages was being attempted was totally “unlawful and unacceptable”. He made it clear that “no government or society could allow a war zone to exist without immediate and effective action”.
The CPI-M’s Bengal unit issued a separate statement accusing the Governor of “outstepping his constitutional limits”, adding that this would embolden the forces determined to destabilise peace and democracy in the state.
On another front, activist Medha Patkar on Saturday began a two-day fast in Kolkata. Film personalities Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh and writer Mahasweta Devi joined her, calling for a boycott of the Kolkata Film Festival and other programmes of the state government.
(With agency inputs)
Comments
0 comment