http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080314/jsp/bengal/story_9018773.jsp
NANDIGRAM REVISITED - From the spot where it began to the reminders of ‘cold horror’ - Several scars & a son missing | |||
• What is the final death count in the March 14 firing? Fourteen persons died —eight of bullet injuries and six of wounds caused by bomb shrapnel and sharp weapons. • Many were reported missing. Have they been found? The Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) had claimed that 27 people were missing. All were traced, except Subrata Samanta, 25, a resident of Southkhali. Subrata’s father said his son was shot at and unknown people dragged him towards CPM-controlled Khejuri. • Dug-up roads were the symbol of the Nandigram resistance. Have they been filled up? Roads were dug up in at least 40 places. The BUPC carried out temporary repairs in April. The administration repaired two roads. The villages are accessible now. • The spark was lit by a notice pasted at the Kalicharanpur gram panchayat office at Garchakraberia. Is the office still there? The office is still there. But work resumed there only in November after the recapture of Nandigram by the CPM. • What about the sanitation meeting, the attack on which signalled the start of the rebellion? The meeting was held as part of a process to declare Nandigram a model sanitation zone. The sanitation meeting that was attacked on January 3 was never reconvened. A survey to accord the model sanitation zone status could not be carried out. • Have all the families that fled returned? All families from both sides have returned. Around 150 BUPC and CPM activists are in hiding because they face criminal charges, including murder and rape. • Have all the physical wounds healed? Around 100 people are still undergoing treatment in some form or the other. Tapasi Das, 30, of Gokulnagar was hit by a bullet below her back. She was released from SSKM Hospital last May but her wound is still oozing. Abhijit Giri, hit by two bullets on March 14, is still undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital. • What about the children? The children are gradually getting over the trauma, but the scars will remain, say villagers.
• What about the Janani brick kiln, from where a suspected CPM hit squad was arrested with arms? What happened to Naru Maity, the leader of the 10-man gang? The brick kiln started functioning again from the middle of November. Maity and nine others got bail three months after their arrest as police failed to submit a chargesheet. They have now jumped bail and are absconding. • Does Lakshman Seth, the Haldia strongman and CPM MP whose zeal for land acquisition is said to have lit the fire, dare enter Nandigram now? Seth attended a CPM-organised public meeting in Nandigram town on November 28 after its recapture. He attended another meeting at Tekhali near Talpatti canal on the Khejuri border and travelled through the CPM-controlled zone on January 7 this year. Seth also accompanied the chief minister on December 26 to Nandigram to attend a meeting. But he is yet to risk travelling into the interiors of Nandigram. • How many CRPF jawans are still there? About 400 CRPF jawans, including 100 women personnel. • Was any Maoist ever arrested from Nandigram? No Maoist was arrested from Nandigram. • Are strangers still greeted with mistrust and suspicion? Yes. • Is there a sense of David beating Goliath? Yes. Nandigram villagers who sympathised with the anti-acquisition movement feel that it was a great victory against the government and the CPM. “We were desperate to save our land. Now we feel it is a great victory for us as the government has made it clear that no land will be taken from us for industry. The CPM tried its best to help the government but it, too, failed,” said homemaker Sabita Das Adhikary, 40, of Gokulnagar. • How do people make both ends meet now? Farming remains the mainstay. Harvesting was carried out in November and December. Tension simmers because of the approaching panchayat polls. But a semblance of peace prevails because of the presence of CRPF jawans. • What about the BUPC leadership? Abu Taher, 35, BUPC convener: In hiding, but still actively involved with the committee, communicating over the phone. His employees are running his motorcycle spare parts shop. Sheikh Sufiyan, 45, convener: An affluent farmer, he is now believed to be in hiding in Calcutta. He is said to be close to the Trinamul Congress leadership and is sometimes seen in Nandigram. Bhabani Das, 58, convener: Owns over three bighas of farmland which is tilled by labourers. He lives in his house. Milan Pradhan, 35, convener: He is a chemical supplier and has an office in Calcutta. He fled Nandigram after the recapture and is believed to be in Calcutta. Sabuj Pradhan, 38, convener: He farms his own land but has been hiding in an undisclosed place since the recapture of Nandigram. He is often seen attending meetings in Nandigram town but does not venture into the interior villages. • If the governor goes to Nandigram on Friday (March 14), what will be the most striking symbol to remind him of the “cold horror” he spoke of exactly a year ago? At least 10 persons are carrying deep scars of the police bullets. | |||
| ANSHUMAN PHADIKAR |
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