The Hindu : National : Nandigram: BJP seeks “fair investigation”

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Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Nandigram: BJP seeks “fair investigation”

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has once again reiterated its demand that the Centre issue a directive to the West Bengal government under Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure “fair investigation” of murder, rape and arson cases in Nandigram.

The demand was articulated by BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad here on Wednesday to coincide with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee’s visit to Nandigram. He said the Calcutta High Court had taken a serious view of the police firing in the area and the West Bengal Governor had publicly condemned the violence. However, Mr. Prasad regretted “the Chief Minister had not apologised for the violence by Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadre.” Mr. Prasad was immediately asked by several reporters whether senior BJP leaders or the Gujarat Chief Minister had apologised for the murder, rape and arson allegedly committed by BJP workers, activists and even MLAs during the 2002 riots. “We condemned the violence,” Mr. Prasad said.

The BJP alleged there were 11 cases of murder (7 under the Nandigram police station and 4 under Khejun) in the police firing on the peaceful rally, 14 killings of innocent people under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, seven cases of rape in the Nandigram police station area, and many cases of arson.

It is to ensure “fair investigation” that a directive from the Centre to West Bengal under Article 355 was needed, Mr. Prasad said.

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