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Saturday, Oct 27, 2007
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Relief on “humanitarian grounds” to kin of Nandigram police firing

Special Correspondent

Fresh efforts being made to restore normality, says Jyoti Basu

KOLKATA: Compensation on “humanitarian grounds” will be paid by the West Bengal government to the next of kin of the 14 persons who had died both in police firing and subsequent violence at Nandigram in Purbo Medinipur district on March 14, veteran Marxist leader, Jyoti Basu, said here on Friday.

Fresh efforts were being made at the political level to restore normality in the area, he added, after a meeting of the State Secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The Nandigram area, which has been reeling under intermittent violence since January, has been witnessing fresh disturbances over the past four days.

People continue to flee their homes as activists of the Trinamool Congress-backed Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh (Resistance against Land Eviction) Committee and the Left parties, mainly the CPI(M), clash. There have been reports of arson and extortion.

The compensation will be paid not only to the families of the eight persons killed in the March 14 police firing but also the six victims of subsequent violence, Mr. Basu said.

Ever since the incident the BUPC leadership has been demanding compensation for the families of the deceased and the State government’s decision is being construed as a gesture of conciliation to take the peace process forward.The recent spurt in violence has come as a severe setback to moves aimed at restoration of normality in Nandigram. Roads have been dug up afresh and houses attacked in the Kamalpur and Ranichak areas. Such incidents have occurred even before access has been restored to areas cut off in past violence.

Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, has ridiculed the move to offer compensation. On whether compensation would be offered to the families of those who had died in violence prior to and after the police firing, Mr. Basu said it could be considered after a list was prepared to determine who could be helped “on humanitarian grounds.”

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