Nandigram aftermath: WB Govt. buckles under pressure, puts SEZs on hold

Following the bloodbath in Nandigram – the epicenter of police excesses that left at least 20 dead and scores injured – the Leftist West Bengal government, pushed to a corner and criticized by even its own political allies, has been forced to reconsider its earlier stubborn stand of acquiring farmlands and establish scores of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract overseas investors with generous tax breaks and make a resolution to put on hold all such projects until the evolution of a national policy on acquisition of land for industries.

West Bengal State Government's industrialization policy ran into rough weathers when its police force opened fire, March 14, Wednesday, on thousands of villagers and activists who were protesting against forcible farmland acquisition in the region by the State Government for the purpose of setting up a low–tax Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which would be promoted as a chemicals hub by Salim Group of Indonesia.

Though the Leftist government has vehemently maintained that the police action, which left at least 20 dead and scores injured, justified as they were provoked into firing, yet, it began to soften its stand when it found that the incident had gained national prominence, leading to scathing attacks from most if not all political parties, including its Communist allies.

On Saturday, a red–faced Left Front chairman, Biman Bose, announced that there would be no acquisition of land in Nandigram, reiterating an earlier promise made by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya offering to shift the project elsewhere if the villagers of Nandigram did not want it.

The decision was taken in an important Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretariat meeting on Saturday. Police force, numbering around 1000 and stationed in Nandigram, would also be withdrawn from the trouble–torn region, Bose added.

It is learnt that the Forward Bloc, an important constituent of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M)–led Left Front (LF) government in West Bengal, had on Friday threatened to quit the coalition if Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya did not backtrack on his stance on the land acquisition for industry that led to violence in Nandigram. Similar ultimatums were issued by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP).

In the 294–member West Bengal State Assembly, Forward Bloc has 23 members while the total number of seats by the Left Front is 235. CPI(M) has 176 seats.

Finance Minister, Asim Dasgupta, went on to further add that the West Bengal government has put on hold all SEZ projects until the evolution of a national policy on acquisition of land for industries.

Dasgupta said there was a necessity to set up large industries in consultation with people and to maintain a balance with agriculture and payment of compensation for land acquired for projects.

He said the state government would not take any initiative on SEZs till a "socially balanced" decision was taken on these projects at the national level.

"We will not accept any new proposal for a SEZ till the Central Government takes an all–India decision in this regard," Dasgupta told reporters in the assembly lobby.

However, Dasgupta refused to comment when asked about the status of pending proposals for seven to eight SEZs in the state, including the one in Nandigram.

The state was not facing any problem of land for setting up small and medium industrial units and the problem was not very serious even in the case of most large industries, he said.

Only in the case of a few large industries for which large areas of land may be needed because of their special characteristics, it would be necessary to act in consultation with people and to maintain a balance with agriculture and payment of appropriate compensation for land, Dasgupta said.

The doors were open for negotiations in this regard, he remarked.

In a move to appease its Communist allies, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said that in the future, all Left Front partners would meet regularly and all major political decisions would be taken at these meetings. He said the government would function in accordance with the principles of the Front, and the core committees overseeing functioning of the different government departments would have to be more active.

"There would be no land acquisition in Nandigram for setting up industries," the LF chairman announced. "Police forces that are there would be withdrawn in phases. After this, the LF will initiate a social and political process to restore peace in Nandigram."

Accepting that there had been unnecessary bloodshed in the area, Bose confirmed that law enforcement personnel would be withdrawn in phases, and added that plans for the establishment of a special economic zone (SEZ) and a chemicals hub have been shelved with immediate effect. There has been a lot of bloodshed and the Left partners decided in a meeting to shift the SEZ from Nandigram," Bose told reporters here.

"We will start a political process very soon to bring peace back in Nandigram," he added.

Earlier, the Bhattacharya–led CPI(M) government was accused of high–handedness and ignoring its allies and even the core committee in decision makings.

"I feel that the CPI(M) is running a one–party rule in this state. It doesn't look like a coalition government at all," former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran Leftist leader Jyoti Basu said. "The ministers of our allies are not given proper respect. The Left Front, the cabinet and even the core committee of the cabinet are being kept in the dark. This simply can't go on," he observed.

"Who ordered the firing? Who decided to send in the police? You must own up the responsibility of what has happened," Basu questioned Chief Minister Bhattacharya during the CPI'’s state secretariat meeting. "I have also heard that you are running this government in an arrogant manner," he said, warning, "This will not be tolerated."

Besides warning the present Chief Minister, the CPI(M) patriarch had also cautioned Left Front chairman Biman Bose not to indulge in any act that might harm the unity of the Left Front. "From my long political experience I can tell you that the CPI(M) can't run this government alone. It must be a coalition government and we can't ignore our allies. Front's unity must be maintained," he said.

The killings did not go down well with Congress party president Ms. Sonia Gandhi who has expressed deep concern over the recurrence of violence in Nandigram where the State Government's decision to set up a SEZ has led to repeated clashes between the administration and locals.

On Wednesday, Sonia directed West Bengal Congress leaders to send her a report about the casualties and the situation in the area and to help those who were injured.

The secular Congress party is leading a coalition United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Center. Ms. Gandhi is the chairperson of the UPA government.

Concerned about the breakdown of law and order in Nandigram, West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has also asked for a report from the government on the firing. "The thought uppermost on my mind, and that of all sensitive people is, 'Was this spilling of human blood not avoidable?'" said Governor Gandhi, a grandson of Indian independence leader and pacifist Mahatma Gandhi.

"I am outraged by the developments in Nandigram and blame the government of the day headed by Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and CPM cadres. The problem is the party and its mindset. Buddhadeb, despite his best intentions, cannot get out of it," Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani said of the Chief Minister, generally believed to be the one Left leader with whom he shares a good equation.

According to Advani, the developments in Nandigram were reminiscent of "the terror unleashed on his own people by the CPI(M)'s idol, Joseph Stalin."

"Earlier, people used to raise slogans against the British. But it seems that in spite of the British rule coming to an end, some places in India are still being governed by Marxists who treat people the way the British treated us years ago. Whatever happened in Nandigram cannot be forgotten or forgiven," the veteran political leader and former deputy Prime Minister said. "I am shocked by what I have seen. What the Chief Minister has done is hard to comprehend."

"By looking at the incident that took place on March 14, it seems that the State Government is following policy of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in which the police was ordered by the British to shoot the people. In Sonachura village (in Nandigram) the police is asked to hit the people on chest and abdomen like Jallianwalla Bagh. History will never forget the incident and forgive those who committed the brutality," the BJP leader said.

It was clear that the whole nation was condemning the police action when even Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam remarked, "no force should be used to take land from cultivators."

Noting that there are two types of land – cultivable and dry – the President said discussions should be held before acquiring cultivable lands.

Though President Kalam expressed his favor towards setting up SEZs, he said that solutions should be first found to deal with the problems that are arising out of the land acquisition.

Amidst raging controversy over the acquisition of farmland for industry, the President said, "Any industrialist should discuss with the farmers. Unless they (farmers) agree to give their land, it should not be taken. It (land transfer) should be a mutual concern…There should not be any clash and no force can be used (to acquire land)."

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Police are now trying to do some damage control by reaching the affected villages and talking peace.

With the incident of police brutality still fresh in mind, villagers are now fleeing at the mere sight of policemen.

Admitting that the task of extending the hand of friendship was formidable but not impossible, Haldia Additional SP Tanmoy Roy Choudhury exuded, "I am optimistic definitely common people are not bad. They are good people. Its basically you know we have to reach out to them. It's a kind of confidence building process."

However, not everyone shares his optimism or believes in the promise made by the State Government.

"Only a verbal assurance will not do, all notices will have to be withdrawn legally. The Chief Minister had earlier said that the notice should be scrapped in Nandigram, but even after that genocide has taken place there," said State Opposition party Trinamool Congress leader Ms. Mamata Banerjee, also the chief of the Krishi Jami Bachao Committee (Save the Farmland Committee).

Noting that the immediate task is to restore peace in Nandigram, she claimed the State Government was not capable of doing this.

Criticizing Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Banerjee said, "We want the immediate arrest of the Chief Minister. People do not trust him. We don't treat him as a Chief Minister, but as a killer."

What the present state of affairs indicates, is quite clear: confidence of the grass–root people in the Leftist Government has eroded considerably after the bloodbath and confidence would take some time to be restored, if it ever does.