02-25-2008, 09:45 PM
<b>West Bengal government lies to SC, says no excesses in Nandigram</b>
25 February , 2008
New Delhi: The West Bengal government has denied before the Supreme Court all allegations regarding the reported excesses committed by the state administration in Nandigram where 14 people were killed in police firing in March last year.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran asked the counsel for the state government about the statement made by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in reference to the role of CPM cadres during Nandigram violence.
The counsel for the state virtually disowned the statement of the Chief Minister and responded by saying that it might be the personal view of the Chief Minister but it was not the view of the government.
Farmers in Nandigram have been opposing forcible acquisition of their agricultural land by the state government for setting up of a Special Economic Zone.
The state has come in appeal against Calcutta High Court order declaring that police firing in Nandigram was not justified.
The High Court ordered a CBI inquiry and also directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in police firing.
While denying the allegations, the government had also taken a stand that it did not oppose CBI inquiry. However, the observations made by the High Court have virtually foreclosed the investigation by CBI as the investigating agency can not go beyond the findings of the High Court.
<b>The Left Front government in the state has been under fire across the country for the role played by CPM men at Nandigram. A large number of women were allegedly raped and villagers were forced to flee from their villages after being terrorised by the activists of he Communist Party of India (Marxist).</b>
25 February , 2008
New Delhi: The West Bengal government has denied before the Supreme Court all allegations regarding the reported excesses committed by the state administration in Nandigram where 14 people were killed in police firing in March last year.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran asked the counsel for the state government about the statement made by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in reference to the role of CPM cadres during Nandigram violence.
The counsel for the state virtually disowned the statement of the Chief Minister and responded by saying that it might be the personal view of the Chief Minister but it was not the view of the government.
Farmers in Nandigram have been opposing forcible acquisition of their agricultural land by the state government for setting up of a Special Economic Zone.
The state has come in appeal against Calcutta High Court order declaring that police firing in Nandigram was not justified.
The High Court ordered a CBI inquiry and also directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in police firing.
While denying the allegations, the government had also taken a stand that it did not oppose CBI inquiry. However, the observations made by the High Court have virtually foreclosed the investigation by CBI as the investigating agency can not go beyond the findings of the High Court.
<b>The Left Front government in the state has been under fire across the country for the role played by CPM men at Nandigram. A large number of women were allegedly raped and villagers were forced to flee from their villages after being terrorised by the activists of he Communist Party of India (Marxist).</b>