National

Congress, Trinamool boycott peace meeting

Special Correspondent

Even before talks began, BJP leaders turned violent

Kolkata: Main Opposition parties in West Bengal did not show up at an all-party meeting convened by the Government at Nandigram on Tuesday to chalk out an agenda for peace in the village in Purbo Medinipur district — the first since the March 14 police firing and subsequent violence which claimed 14 lives there.

While the Congress and the Trinamool Congress boycotted the meeting, local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party turned violent even before talks began, ransacking furniture and shredding documents. One of the leaders was arrested.

Efforts to restore normality in the area, large parts of which are still inaccessible what with dug-up roads and broken bridges, met with resistance again though the State Government has made clear its decision not to acquire land or set up any chemical hub at Nandigram. The Trinamool-led Bhoomi Ucched Protirodh Committee continues to be active in the area.

As sporadic violence occurred and attempts by activists of the committee to isolate more parts of Nandigram continued even after the March 14 incidents, the Government started enlisting the support of local leaders of political parties and groupings in a bid to restore normality.

Despite the Opposition not turning up at Tuesday's meeting, the Government said it would continue its efforts to hold all-party meetings at Nandigram. Leaders of the Left parties, who were present, underlined the need for greater political initiative to restore normality.

In Calcutta, Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy said the whereabouts of 25 out of the 27 persons, stated to be missing from Nandigram since the March 14 violence, were ascertained. While one of the remaining two had been reported missing since March 3, attempts were on to trace the other person. The Government would submit its report on this to the Calcutta High Court by Monday.

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