'Nandigram still in the grip of fear’

Staff Reporter

THRISSUR: Human rights activists from West Bengal have said that villagers of Nandigram are still in the grip of fear.

Addressing a discussion on the Nandigram issue, organised by the People's Democratic Front of India and People's Union for Civil Liberties, Binayak Bhattacharya of the Left-oriented United Students' Democratic Front and Debolina Chakraborty and Chabi Maity of the Matangini Mahila Samithy alleged that Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M) was still unleashing terror in Nandigram.

"In view of the upcoming panchayat elections, the CPI(M) has terrorised the entire Nandigram. Villagers are yet to recover from the shock of the events of March 14 and November 10, 2007. Fourteen persons were killed in the March violence. More than 50 persons died in the November violence. About 80 persons are reported missing. Bodies are still being retrieved from fields. The CPI(M) workers still torture poor peasants," alleged Ms. Chakraborty.

Mr. Bhattacharya said the objective of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee was to protect the land of the villagers from land encroachers.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/15/stories/2008011556970500.htm