PM blasts handling of Nandigram

Left allies unhappy with Manmohan Singh’s remarks

NEW DELHI: After his attack on the CPI(M) over the India-US nuclear issue in August, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh fired another salvo at the marxists on Tuesday over the Nandigram issue.

In his first public comments on the Nandigram issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it was “the duty of the state government to protect people irrespective of their political affiliations.” This has not gone down well with the CPI(M) apparatchiks with whom he had just effected a fragile truce last week over the nuclear logjam.

Singh made these remarks on board his special aircraft to Singapore on Tuesday. 

Terming the Nandigram events “unfortunate”, the Prime Minister asked the state government  to take note of the “spontaneous outpouring”  of grief and anguish and undertake  “necessary steps” to restore the confidence of the people through effective deployment of security forces.

Careful not to rupture the fragile truce, CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury reacted to the PM’s statement saying,  “the West Bengal government is already aware of its responsibilities and is doing its utmost to restore normalcy and peace in the region despite provocation by political rivals”.

CPI national secretary D Raja said “there is a debate in Parliament, let the Prime Minister speak. He must tell where is the discrimination [against some people]. If he has any specific report [about the Nandigram incidents] he should tell the state government.  The Bengal government should take note of what the PM said. The Prime Minister has every reason to advise the state government.”

In an unusual move during a free-wheeling press conference, the Prime Minister read out a brief prepared statement when asked about his assessment of Nandigram. “It is the duty of the state government to ensure that all sections of the population, regardless of their political views and affiliations, are entitled to and do receive protection of law enforcement authorities,” he said.

“I understand this spontaneous outpouring of grief and anguish over the issue as expressed by artists and intellectuals in Kolkata. I hope the state government will take note of this,” Singh said.

The Prime Minister said he had asked Home Minister Shivraj Patil to be in touch with West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee on the issue.  “I sincerely hope the state government will be able to take necessary steps to restore confidence in the people through effective deployment of security forces,” Singh said.

While the smaller Left parties such as the RSP and the Forward Bloc have been very critical of the Buddhadeb government’s handling of Nandigram, CPI(M) and CPI leaders are not too pleased with the PM’s comments.

In the wake of widespread criticism by the state governor, the Kolkata high court, and the NHRC, the CPI(M) feels Singh’s comments may be used by the BJP to put the party in the dock. The Left and the BJP came to an understanding to discuss the issue in Parliament on Wednesday under rule 193, which does not entail voting.