The war of words over Nandigram continued in Parliament on Thursday between the Opposition and the CPI(M)-led Left Front even as the latter, concerned over the rising criticism, attempted to engage in damage control and initiate counter strategies to turn the tables on the Opposition.
Matters only worsened for the Left when Front chairman Biman Bose had to eat his own words and retract his statement on Taslima Nasreen that she should leave Kolkata if her stay disturbs peace. Protests against Nasreen had led to violence in Kolkata on Wednesday.
As part of its effort to do damage control, the CPI(M) and the CPI have decided to send a fact finding team of MPs to Nandigram. Though it was earlier decided to invite the RSP and the Forward Bloc, leaders of this party later confirmed to FE that they will not join the mission, which will start its work from Friday. ??We have our own reasons (for not to join the team), RSP leader Abani Roy said.?? The TDP and the SP members could also join the team, sources said.
It was the BJP who signalled that they were determined to focus on Nandigram when Opposition leader LK Advani visited the area earlier this month. In the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Advani demanded that the Central directives to the state government under Article 355. He had added that President’s rule be imposed, if the state government did not heed to the central directive.
However, the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha seemed to have altered its stance slightly, straightaway demanding imposition of Article 356. ??A resolution should be passed in the Upper House condemning the Nandigram violence. The chair should also condemn the violence,?? BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said kicking up a short duration discussion on the ??proposal to set up an SEZ in Nandigram and consequent large-scale violence.?? ??A large number of women had been raped in Nandigram. The state government has not taken any steps to punish the guilty,?? she added. ??Directives to the state government under Article 355 will not work. President’s rule must be imposed,?? she demanded.
As happened the other day in Lok Sabha, the CPI(M) was also cornered in Rajya Sabha. Speakers from both the treasury and Opposition benches listed out the “CPI(M)-sponsored crimes” in Nandigram and demanded stringent action from the Centre.
Countering the BJP’s argument, CPI(M)’s leader in the Upper House Sitaram Yechury said that the Left Front’s opponents are playing with fire. “All elements from Islam fundamentalists to RSS and Trinamool Congress to Maoists have ganged up against the CPI(M). We remind you that you are playing with fire. Maoists’ war is against the state. No one should ignore it. Don’t team up with Maoists for petty political advantage,” he said.
