West Bengal allowed armed CPM cadre in Nandigram: Amnesty

NEW DELHI: International rights group Amnesty International has accused the West Bengal government of colluding with CPM party workers in Nandigram and failing to institute an impartial inquiry into the violence.

In a hard-hitting report, the human rights watch group has accused the West Bengal government of failing to ensure effective police presence to maintain law and order and allowing organised groups of armed supporters of the CPM to step in and violently quell the protests.

“The manner in which the government of West Bengal failed to take positive action to address the issue suggests that the government was acquiescent in the human rights abuses by the armed supporters of the CPM during the November violence,” the report released by the rights watch group said.

It said violence in Nandigram took place against the backdrop of inaction by the state and “tacit acceptance” of the violent operations of the armed supporters of the CPM.

“There was a close connivance of district officials, the state government, the state machinery and the Communist party workers to dictate and determine the course of events,” said Mukul Sharma of Amnesty International, India. He further said their inquiries revealed that those who were involved in the violence have not been booked or arrested.

It further said villagers in the affected areas told the watch group’s fact-finding team that CPM supporters raped, harassed and beat up women. “There is no evidence that the police have sought to arrest those named in complaints,” a press statement said. The group claimed that threats of violence had continued against villagers and that CPM supporters were in “effective control” of the villages in Nandigram.

It also noted that there has been no departmental or disciplinary action against any administrative or police official in spite of loss of life and property in the area, and the state authorities had not acted in an impartial manner.

The rights group said it believed that the general impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators was a key factor for the human rights abuses. The report said the authorities knew that party workers were collecting arms in Nandigram before November clashes, but did nothing to prevent the violence.

Taking note of the ongoing CBI investigation, the rights watch group has asked for an independent inquiry. The CBI has registered seven cases related to the Nandigram firing and ensuing violence. The accused in these cases include police officials, CPM activists and unknown persons.

The investigating agency has told the Calcutta High Court in its status report that the CPM workers dressed as policemen had fired at protesters, witnesses were being threatened by them and that the authenticity of the medical reports handed over to it was questionable.