CBI submits second report on Nandigram violence

Nandigram is again in news after Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted its investigation on the Nandigram firing to the Kolkata High Court on Friday.

Earlier High Court has directed the country’s premiere investigating agency to inquire in the matter in Nandigram where police open fire at a large gathering of villagers after police made an attempt to enter the village forcefully.

This is the second such report to the Calcutta High Court on the March 14 police firing last year that left 14 people dead and many injured.

Nandigram incident shook the whole nation as the bloody violence continued for a long period of time. The whole issue inflated after the villagers opposed the state government’s decision to acquire their land for chemical hub in Nandigram.

Even National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) questioned West Bengal government for its lack of handling the violence against farmers and land owners.

Justice S. Rajendra Babu, Chairman of NHRC in its report hailed the incident ill- fated saying, “The State Government does not appear to have discharged its primary obligation in preventing the attack by CPI (M) cadres. It should bear responsibility for the loss of life and property. Neither the CPI (M) nor the BUPC can escape their share of responsibility.”

Condemning the whole incident as shameful NHRC too asked for CBI enquiry into the violence in which 14 died and about 300 injured.

The commission also said in its report that the compensation given to farmer in return of their land ‘may not be adequate’. The report also emphasised on Media’s role which could not highlight the blockade of a large area by the agitators as unconstitutional while stressing on the need to keep police and bureaucracy from political influence.

Moreover CBI has asked for more time to submit its final report. The first report was submitted last year on December 17.

Earlier, the state government has opposed CBI inquiries saying that state agency is capable of doing the investigation.

The proposed chemical hub was though thwarted by the state government but the incident still put question on the governance which perhaps could have been timely stopped.