Declare March 14 Farmer Martyrs’ Day: Mamata

Kolkata, March 5 A Day after Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee visited Nandigram to distribute title deeds to landless farmers, in an attempt to bridge the gaps, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee demanded that March 14 be declared Farmer Martyrs’ Day in memory of the villagers who fell to police bullets on that day in 2007 while opposing land acquisition.

The Farmer Martyrs’ Day — or Nandigram Day — should be observed nationally, Mamata told reporters at a hurriedly-called press conference at her Kalighat residence.

Mamata, however, did not specify the programme for the day.

She termed Bhattacharjee’s visit to Nandigram as an eyewash.

“The land that he has distributed will be grabbed by the government some day for chemical hub,” Mamata said, referring to the 10,000-acre special economic zone for chemical industries that had been planned at Nandigram before the people’s violent resistance since January 2007 forced the government to drop the idea.

Trinamool sources said Mamata has given orders to her party to observe the martyrs’ day on a large scale.

“She may launch the party’s campaign for the panchayat elections slated for May on that day,” a senior Trinamool leader said.