Intellectuals flay Buddhadeb
Kolkata (PTI): Intellectuals and eminent personalities on Wednesday pilloried West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for justifying the recapture of Nandigram by the CPI(M) as "having paid the opposition back in the same coin".
Filmmaker Gautam Ghosh told PTI that he was aghast at the comment of the Chief Minister who also spoke of "our people" (CPI-M activists) and "they" (opposition workers).
"A political leader can make a distinction between 'us' and 'them', but a chief minister can't," said Ghosh, the director of acclaimed movies like "Paar", "Padma Nadir Majhi" and "Guriya".
"What he has said is uncivil. The coin analogy is also improper. He shouldn't have used such language," he said.
Accusing the Chief Minister of trying to divide the people, painter Jogen Chowdhury said that the comments would encourage CPI(M) cadres to terrorise people even further.
"We were horrified by his description of people as 'us' and 'them'. As a chief minister he has failed to maintain neutrality. What he has said is totally undemocratic," said 68-year-old Chowdhury, winner of several international awards and whose masterpieces have been exhibited in more than ten countries.
Filmmaker Sandip Ray said the chief minister's expression of regret for Sunday's police lathicharge and arrest of artistes for protesting against the Nandigram violence near the Nandan cultural complex amounted to nothing.
Situation is worse than emergency
"The situation is worse than emergency. We are in a dark phase and don't know how to react. Does the CM think by merely regretting the Nandan incident is enough?" said Ray, son of legendary film director Satyajit Ray.
"Has the chief minister expressed regret for other things which led to the protests at Nandan? He should have been shattered by the incident. Why did the police arrest people who only wanted to express their freedom? It seems there is no freedom of speech and expression in our state," said the filmmaker who has made films like "Bombaiyer Bombete" and "Asukh".
Classical vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan said "I don't understand politics. But as an ordinary human being, I feel that a person occupying the chief minister's chair should know what to say and what not to say".
Expressing grief over the violence at Nandigram, he said "every right thinking person will say it is not right to kill people. I've been living in this state since I was 10-years- old. But I have never seen or heard such things occurring here".
Condemning the police action on intellectuals, the singer said "how could they use lathis on aged people? The police cared a fig for the reputation of these people and their contribution to society. The behaviour of the police is against the cultural ethos of Kolkata".
Opposing forcible acquisition of farmland for industries, he said "if the peasants are made to part with land, then what will we eat? If anybody wants to forcibly take away my property, I will resist".
Ordinary people were 'falling prey to bullets'
Singer-turned-film maker Anjan Dutta said he felt insecure and distressed by the way ordinary people were "falling prey to bullets".
Dutta, who directed the controversial "Bow Barracks Forever", boycotted the ongoing 13th Kolkata Film Festival. "The turn of events made me stay away from the film festival. These are difficult times for me. I am very disturbed," he said.
Singing legend Manna Dey, however, did not make any comment. "Please spare me. Please don't ask me political questions".
Celebrated stage and screen actor Soumitra Chatterjee, known for his pro-CPI(M) views, also refused to comment. "I am not directly involved in politics. So, I can't say anything," she said.
