The Hindu : Front Page : 5 Trinamool leaders held

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Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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5 Trinamool leaders held

For trying to obstruct Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

— Photo: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

Different takes: West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee during the inauguration of the 13th Kolkata Film Festival on Saturday.

Kolkata: The Nandigram issue had its echo at the 13th Kolkata Film Festival when five Trinamool Congress leaders were arrested for allegedly trying to prevent Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee from leaving the venue on Saturday evening.

“A shame”

“Why film festival when Nandigram burns, film festival is a shame,” the leaders shouted as they tried to close a gate near the plaza in front of the Nandan complex as Mr. Bhattacharjee’s convoy was about to leave.

The police then surrounded the demonstrators and pushed them away as Mr. Bhattacharjee’s convoy left through another gate.

City Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty said the demonstrators — Sobhandev Chattopadhyay, Sonali Guha, Jyotipriya Mullick (all MLAs), Derek O’Brien (Trinamool activist) and Tapas Roy (former MLA) — earlier gathered near one of the gates of the complex and tried to close it.

“We had prior information. That is why the Chief Minister could leave on time. His convoy took another gate, but there was no change in his route,” Mr. Chakraborty said.

The arrested persons were taken to the Lalbazaar central police lock-up, he said.

Sobhandev Chattopadhyay, who led the demonstration, asked how could a film festival be held “when the State government is silent on the Nandigram developments and a large number of anti-acquisition activists are being killed.”

Five more persons, who claimed they were students were also arrested.

After the Trinamool Congress demonstration, the police closed the stretch of the AJC Bose Road in front of the Nandan complex for a few minutes. — PTI

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