We the undersigned, who have long been associated with the Left movement in the country, feel deeply pained and anguished by the loss of lives and injuries suffered during the police action in Nandigram on March 14. Nobody belonging to the Left would ever justify repressive action against peasants or workers who are the basic classes of the Left. The tragedy at Nandigram on March 14 was an entirely unanticipated, unjustified and unfortunate turn of events, whose exact origin and course should be established through a proper inquiry. The Left Front government meanwhile has announced the removal of the police force from Nandigram, has reiterated its policy that no land will be acquired for industrial purposes without the consent of the peasants and other people concerned, has put on hold all land acquisition, and has put a halt to the construction of SEZs until the Central legislation on SEZs itself, to which the Left has always been opposed, is suitably amended. And the CPI(M), the leading partner of the Left Front, has asked for a judicial inquiry into the tragedy. Under these circumstances, and in view of the fact that the state government has committed itself to recompensing the families of the victims, all efforts must be made so that tension subsides and normalcy returns to the area, allowing the numerous refugees, who have been driven out from there and living in makeshift camps, to return home. We appeal to all concerned not to let the wounds of Nandigram become festering sores.
Amiya Kumar Bagchi, Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata.
M.K.Raina, Thetare Activist, Delhi.
Ram Rahman, Freelance Photographer, Delhi.
Malini Bhattacharya, Formerly Professor, Jadavpur University , Kolkata.
Utsa Patnaik, Professor, Center for Development Studies and Planning, JNU, Delhi.
Javeed Alam, Formerly Professor, CIEFL, Hyderabad.
Mihir Bhattacharya, Formerly Professor, Jadavpur University , Kolkata.
Jayati Ghosh, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU, NewDelhi.
Mohan Rao, Professor, Centre for Social medicine and Community Health, JNU,Delhi.
Nasir Tyabji, Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
Meena Rajyadhyaksha, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics,Delhi.
Praveen Jha, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU, Delhi.
Prabhat Patnaik, Professor, Centre for Development Studies and Planning, JNU, Delhi.
Teesta Seetalvad, Co-editor, Communalism Combat, Mumbai.
D.N.Jha, Formerly Professor, Department of History, Delhi University, Delhi.
Ruchira Gupta, Consultant, UNICEF, Delhi.
Released by Prabhat Patnaik, Tel: 011-26163541
3 comments:
This statement is nothing but damage control, from intellectuals who are totally sold out. Dudin por era "normalcy" phire pele onno katha bolbe. Eder statement-ke space dewar aage bodhoy eta bhaba uchit...
As has been highlighted by the person who posted this --- "in view of the fact that the state government has committed itself to recompensing the families of the victims, all efforts must be made so that tension subsides and normalcy returns to the area" ---is shocking.
this post is not about giving space to dissenting/conforming voices but to point out as you mention that they are totally sold out
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