Protest Against Sez In Nandigram

Protest against SEZ in Nandigram

Kratika Rathi

Incident • DATE: March 14, 2007 • The Nandigram violence was an incident in Nandigram, West Bengal where, on the orders of the Left Front government, more than 4,000 heavily armed police stormed the Nandigram area with the aim of stamping out protests against the West Bengal government’s plans to expropriate 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to be developed by the Indonesian-based Salim Group.

Background • The Salim Group was founded by Sudono Salim closely associated with Indonesian ex-president Suharto. • The group kept a proposal of developing a chemical hub in front of the WB government. The Government chose the Nandigram area under the SEZ policy. • This chemical hub required the acquisition of over 14,000 acres (57 km²) of land. The SEZ was to be spread over 29 villages of which 27 are in Nandigram.

Causes • Most of the land to be acquired was multi crop and would have affected over 40,000 people. • The prospect of losing land and thereby livelihood, raised concerns among the predominantly agricultural populace. • The villagers, which included supporters of the party in power, CPI(M), joined hands with other opposition supporters, organized a resistance movement under the banner of the newly formed Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee or BUPC (Land Liberation Committee).

• In defense of the project, the state government stated that Nandigram being in the vicinity of Haldia Petrochemicals & IOC refinery, which, the CPI (M) claimed, had earlier led to 100,000 jobs being created through downstream projects, this is the best place to build a hub from the point of view of supply-chain integration. • Apart from the SEZ the Salim Group was also assigned the construction of the 100 km long 100 m wide Eastern Link Expressway and construction of a four-lane road bridge over the Haldi River, from Haldia to Nandigram.

• The land acquisition notice was put up on January 3, 2007 by the Haldia Development Authority. • Although the chief minister later verbally dissociated himself from the notice, it was never annulled by another government notification. • For more than two and a half months, Nandigram was a ticking time bomb, isolated from the rest of the State as the BUPC dug up roads and damaged bridges leading to the place. It finally exploded on March 14.

On March 14, 2007 • The administration was directed to break the BUPC's resistance at Nandigram and a massive operation with 4,000 policemen was launched. • A group of armed and trained CPI (M) cadres wore police uniforms and joined the forces. • BUPC amassed a crowd of 2,000 villagers at the entry points into Nandigram with women and children forming the front ranks.

• CPI (M) members, supporters and their families were driven out of the area; the houses burnt. • Estimate: 3500 persons displaced as a result of threats from BUPC. • Governor condemned attack • High Court terms March 14th firing as unconstitutional. • Human rights activists reach Nandigram • Mass graves are unearthed • Intellectuals protest in Kolkata • CM justifies attack ‘They have been paid back in their own coin’

WB people • • • • • • • • •

Dependant on agriculture Emotional attachment to land Unawareness of Industry job opportunities Distrust Industry-exposure to left propaganda Post Land reforms - the Left has taken no developmental initiative Agricultural growth rate has tapered off Rampant trade unions had driven out Industry No new private investment in Industry Government lacks funds for public sector

Suggestions • Cultivable land should be left alone as far as possible • Acquisition of land should be transparent and with consent of those who would be affected • Explain the importance of the projects • Ensuring generation of employment • Free training and imparting of skills • Due compensation and a rehabilitation policy • Not Political gains but interest of common man

THANK YOU