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The intent might have been good, but the homeless realised it would take several trips — that might go on well beyond the polls — to go back home. Not to mention the fear factor. All of them therefore stayed put under the open skies, or in verandas, in defunct community halls and in hospital porticos.
Meanwhile, violence continued in several pockets of Nandigram and adjoining areas on Wednesday. Armed CPM cadres attacked Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikary’s rally in Khejuri, while district CPM leader Lakshman Seth was held a crowd’s prisoner for 45 minutes at Bajkul. However, the state election commission said the situation in Nandigram was peaceful and polls would not be deferred. Observors will also tour the area on Thursday.
Block Divisional Officer Shantiram Gorai said, “We did make arrangements to return people to their homes. The authorities asked me to book a trekker. The Nandigram police also offered two constables as escorts. But there was no response. If people don’t come forward, I can’t push them.” Superintendent of Police S Panda added, “We are trying our best to send people home. It is not possible for us to post a force in every village. Nandigram was peaceful today barring a few incidents.”
On Tuesday, Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti had held a meeting with district officials and given the nod to these ‘elaborate arrangements’.
A candidate for the panchayat polls from Giribazar Arati Pramanik said, “We did not come here to have fun, spending every day under the hospital shed. We came here to save our lives and those of our children. Cadres continue to threaten us, forcing us to take part in their rallies. I will be killed if I go back. Will the government save me?”
Trinamool leader Suvendu Adhikary had organised a rally on Wednesday afternoon at Haludbari in Khejuri, which borders Nandigram. Around 50 armed CPM cadres attacked the rally and ransacked the makeshift stage. In a separate incident, around 100 Trinamool supporters gharaoed CPM leader Lakshman Seth, when he was returning from a rally in Bajkul. They gharaoed his car for 45 minutes. The incident took place around 1.50 pm. Later, a huge contingent of policemen rescued Seth.
Sporadic clashes were also reported from some parts of Nandigram including in Kalicharanpur, Amgachia and Saudkhali, which left five BUPC supporters injured. The house of a CPM supporter was also reportedly torched in Amgachia.
Suvendu Adhikary said, “The BDO had told us yesterday that security would be provided to people who return home. But where is the security inside the village? How can we ask villagers to go back and face trouble? Cadres are using force to intimidate villagers.” On the other hand, CPM district committee member Ashok Guria said, “TMC leaders are scared they will lose and are therefore creating a ruckus. We have not attacked anybody.” A CID team too visited Nandigram on Wednesday, to investigate allegations that three women were beaten and stripped in Keyakhali by CPM cadres. The team went to the hospital where they were being kept and spoke to the victims. They also visited the alleged crime spot.
The corporate subsidies provided by the govt have attracted international interest. Since the govt passed a law in 2005 approving the special economic zones the govt has approved 60 sites, although the earlier violence in West Bengal had put a further 300 applications on hold. Many plots are for luxury private housing and for software companies keen to buy new premises. One zone in Bengal aims to build a 'people's car' worth less than £1,500. Some experts say the compensation scheme has only bought off landowners and not the peasants who work the land. The Indian Statistics Institute has said a landlord received 1.3m rupees an acre in Bengal while sharecroppers only received a quarter of that sum, with agricultural labourers granted nothing. "No wonder you have a peasant uprising," said the institute's Professor Abhirup Sarkar. "It is bad economics and looks bad politics too."
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