Centre sent directives to West Bengal, Taslima asked to leave

Nov 22:  Kolkata returns to normalcy after an overnight curfew was lifted on Thursday morning. As violence triggered on Wednesday over several issues including Nandigram, the state government asked army to take control of the situation.

However, army and police personnel are largely deployed in several parts of the city.

The uneasiness continues to prevail in Kolkata after the violent protest over Nandigram and Taslima Nasrin on Wednesday. The fiend of brutal killings seems to guarding the nights of Nandigram.

The Centre which was sleeping on Nandigram issue seems to have awakened after Prime Minister broke his silence; this was the turn of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

He said that Centre has given directives to the state government to make sure that no one should be forced to leave their home in Nandigram and step should be taken to bring the situation to normalcy as earliest as possible. He was reacting to the demand of Opposition Leader L.K Advani after the later asked to impose Article 355 in the state. After a two days stand off in the Parliament the opposition describes the situation in Nandigram as turning point for Communist Party of India Marxist.

“There was evidence of the presence of outsiders who tried to instigate violence in the area. Also, sophisticated arms had been found and there is need to be on the guard,” Patil responded on being asked about the presence of Maoist in the area.

The opposition has demanded dismissal of state government if it fails to work on Centre’s directives.

All India Minority Forum protested against the extension of Taslima Nasrin visa and Nandigram. The situation backpedaled after the protest dragging Kolkata into violence once again.

It is also reported that the isolated writer had been asked by the police to leave Kolkata last week or to leave for a while till the situation becomes normal but she denied maintaining that she will stay on in Kolkata.

Her visa expire on February 2008 and still it is not clear whether Centre will extend her visa on not.

But if the situations continue she might be asked to leave Kolkata or to stay in other city.

There is a report that there could be more agitations against the author on Friday.

CPM state secretary Biman Bose said that the writer should live the city “The CM offered her refuge at the request of two central ministers. Now that some people don’t want her to stay here, she should leave the state.”

But later he clarified that his remark came in a rush and the writer should not be asked to leave. He pressed that Centre and the state administration should come together to reach a conclusion.

Earlier Taslima was roughed up the some miscreants in Hyderabad few months back while releasing her book Shodh.

After Army staged a flag march, with the police and RAF personnel out on the street situation is coming back to normalcy.

The writer is staying in exile in Kolkata after 2004 her writings have been disputed by Muslim fundamentalist over maligning their religion.

Even after the withdrawal of SEZ by state government the situation has taken a bitter turn depriving many people of their homes and life.