The Hindu : National : ‘Peace should be restored in Nandigram’

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Friday, Nov 16, 2007
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‘Peace should be restored in Nandigram’

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The Congress on Thursday called for restoration of normality in strife-torn Nandigram in West Bengal and said peace would be in everybody’s interest. Payment of compensation for the losses and immediate measures for relief and rehabilitation of the affected persons would help improve the situation, the party said. It ruled out any need for Central intervention.

Addressing journalists at the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee office here, Congress spokesperson Mohan Prakash said the party did not think Nandigram would bring a bad name to the whole of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre. “The UPA Government acted promptly in the case of Nandigram. The Centre was quick with sending the CRPF to the area,” he said. “By all means peace should be restored. There is no room for violence,” Mr. Prakash said. “Apart from law and order, ideological aspects are also involved in the Nandigram issue. After the initial days of Naxal movement in West Bengal the issues of communism and capital investment are again being hotly debated,” he said, hoping that the churning process would bring about positive results.

Back from a visit to Gujarat, Mr. Prakash claimed that the Congress would form the new government after the coming Assembly elections. “The people of Gujarat are eager to get rid of the dictatorial government of Narendra Modi ,” he said, adding that there was considerable opposition to Mr. Modi both from within the BJP and also from the public at large.

“The Congress will expose the misrule in Gujarat,” Mr. Prakash said pointing out that despite the hype on economic progress the State could make there were several areas, which were totally neglected by the Modi Government. Citing a few instances, he said even after serious law and order problems in the past as many as 35,000 vacancies of constables were lying vacant in Gujarat. A good number of posts of sub-inspectors had also not been filled, he noted.

Attributing the world leadership India has gained in IT and communication to the vision of the late Rajiv Gandhi, Mr. Prakash said the newly appointed general secretary Rahul Gandhi would carry forward the legacy. “The Congress has young leaders who can identify with the aspirations of the youth of the country while the BJP has leaders who are outdated and in their eighties,” he said.

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