'CRPF’s stay in Nandigram to be decided by Centre'

Font Size -

Agencies

Posted online: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at 12:00:00

Kolkata, January 2: The West Bengal government on Wednesday ruled out immediate withdrawal of CRPF from Nandigram, where the paramilitary force was deployed after its recapture by armed CPI(M) cadres in early November, and said it was upto the Centre to decide how long it would remain there.

“The state government does not want immediate pulling out of the CRPF from Nandigram,” Home Secretary P R Roy said.

The Centre would decide how long the central force would stay at Nandigram, he told reporters.

On Tuesday, veteran marxist leader Jyoti Basu had favoured continuance of the CRPF in Nandigram, despite allegations of ‘excesses’ levelled by CPI(M) against the central forces.

Asked if an additional CRPF battalion was required at the CPI(M)-stronghold of Khejuri, adjacent to Nandigram, Roy said, “it is not required as the area is adequately manned by the central force.”

The CRPF was deployed in Nandigram on November 12 and is scheduled to stay there for three months till February 12 as per an earlier announced plan.

Roy said the situation in Nandigram was ‘peaceful’ and normal work of panchayats had resumed.

Post Comments

Name*		Email ID*
Subject*		Country*
Message*	Characters remaining

TERMS OF USE: The views represented here are not neccesarily endorsed by www.expressindia.com and its allied websites. All messages will be moderated and no message that has inflammatory, abusive, derogatory language or any language deemed unfit for publication by the editor will be displayed. Though it will be endeavoured that as many messages as possible be displayed, there will be time lag between the submission and publication of the messages. The website reserves the right to publish or reject any message.

I agree to the terms of use.