Update: 11 June 2008
Nandigram: The Struggle is On
Nandigram has no doubt won the battle through the
ballot box, but the woes are
far from ended. It was indeed a shock to our small
team of activists that
visited Nandigram region on the 27th of May. On the
previous day, there was a
large gathering of intellectuals in Kolkata, with many
eminent persons,
including former Judges, writers and artists, former
bureaucrats, former
Vice-Chancellor, film makers as well as activists and
others, organized by the
Cultural Forum of Artists, Activists and
Intellectuals, who denounced the
violence and fascist onslaught on democracy in West
Bengal and elsewhere as in
Chattisgarh and Orissa. Apart from Aparna Sen,
Debabrat Bandoadhyay, Justice
Malay Sengupta, Meher Engineer, Bibhash Chakraborty
and others, also present
were Prof. Arun Kumar from JNU and Suhas Borker, a
senior media activist. We
all also referred to Nandigram as a symbol of mass
resistance to violence.
We left Kolkata after informing some of the BUPC
members and reached Nandigram
by 10:00 a.m. We could see the feeling of victory on
the faces of traders,
shopkeepers and hawkers in Nandigram town, who raised
their hands to welcome
us. Just a few furlongs away, it was a sad scenario to
see a few hundred women
and men continuing to be in the camp with the torn and
fluttering plastic tent,
which could barely be called a shelter. Those
included Radharani Ari and
Pratap Ari, who are still forbidden from returning to
Gokulnagar, Akreja Bibi
from Satangbari and other victims, in spite of being
victorious in that small
yet important electoral battle. Bold and courageous
enough to declare the rape,
why even the gang-rape, these women have become
symbols of resistance by
staking their life and dignity and are known now
across the country, if not the
world, and yet they have the same story as many a
freedom fighter of the last
century. The country salutes them, but does it care?
Sheik Sultan put it aptly,
"Didi, I cannot celebrate anything, because the dard
(pain) persists even
today. I, therefore, prefer to feed the soldiers of
this movement, who are
still being victimized and hounded". The drums were
being beaten indicating
the victory in the Panchayat elections, where the TMC,
obviously feeling
victorious, its candidates, as BUPC candidates, having
won the battle. It was
only today that fried fish was provided along with the
minimal rice and dal
that was served day after day. Someone said, it was
because we were to come.
Akreja Bibi was in pain. She wanted her two daughters
to return back from her
relatives' place. None of them could either say,
"take us back" or "we
will be back". The intimidation and even direct
attacks continued to take
place obviously with the approval, if not diktats from
the ruling party CPI(M).
In Gokulnagar, we met a number of women in
Adhikaripada, at the labourers
hamlet, who were waiting for the community brethren to
come back to the village
and get back their source of livelihood. Its not easy
to seek employment
guarantee in CPM's rule. Its only in their ideology!
Ninety year old mother of
Swadesh Das Adhikari came out of a small store room
with some mattresses and
one stove saved, next to her house lying in ashes. All
neighbouring women were
keen to convey to us that they were taking care of
her. But the mother wanted
care of her son, none else. He was underground and
unsafe. Just for
'Nandigram's freedom struggle', that was fought and
won, he and others were
being punished
Women, who came out of the nearby pukur (talab), were
happy to see us back, but
still troubled in every way. The small blasts to the
threats had not stopped
for ever, only reduced. The hamlets had a dead look
with only the hundreds of
red flags fluttering or threatening? It was creditable
that those couldn't stop
the voters from voting against the CPI(M). In the
presence of CRPF men and
women, stories of how they came back from wherever, to
vote, and voted
fearlessly, were narrated to us. Some CRPF men were
proud to tell us that they
protected them during the elections. The people
nodded. But the victory had not
helped them get back their livelihoods or even some
compensation.
Not more than 30% of the victims who were to be
compensated as per the Kolkata
High Court Orders are paid. The rest have no means to
fill their stomachs. They
are full of thoughts and threats to be able to rebuild
their small houses or
re-establish their businesses. Those who have just
come out of jail on bails
looked blank. Their indomitable strength apart, they
need full rehabilitation.
200 and more people were in the camp, lying in the
backside verandah of the
BDO's office. This was worse than the school-based
camp, put up since
November onwards. TMC was looking after the provision
of grains, we were told.
Women were very sad over the food. Obviously, the
resources are falling short.
Torn tarpolins spoke a lot. There were no funds or
relief flowing any more.
Nandigram was either over or won over, as per the
distant observers. But the
story is different. The struggle and pain are far from
over. The cause of the
trouble, political intolerance and violence persists.
With 100 blocks in West
Bengal having no political activity, thanks to the
party dominance and control,
Nandigram and East Midnapore, Daankuni-Singur, South
24 Parganas, even if
victorious, will not be easily allowed to claim
non-left Front constituencies,
for too long, too easily. Nandigram's common people
too, are prepared to bear
the backlash of their successful challenge and
over-throwing the party and its
plan. Who will be of help?
We approached the BDO of Nandigram. A young man, he
appeared open to listening
and also honest. He was curious to know our analysis.
But had he himself given
out his story, it would have been shameful to some. He
agreed that he had
written many letters to the OC, Debashish, to protect
people's lives but there
was no response. He appeared helpless in relation to
the political attacks, but
surely wanted to help people in ways possible. There
was no proactive role
visualized. He was awaiting the applications from
individuals for employment.
NREGA was far from being executed. There was Rs.
4,00,000/- received for
Nandigram Block, with Rs. 38, 000/- balance from
previous month and 3.1 lakh
Rs. were spent to provide 1560 person days of work.
Even if we presume all the
15 days of work was granted, only 104 persons must
have been employed, which is
negligible. In the situation of dire need, the BDO
appeared helpless. When we
questioned him on providing food grains under relief,
his only answer was that
he had asked for the same, but not yet received.
On the whole, there is not a shred of doubt in the
fact that the people in
Nandigram require support from all of us, who consider
their struggle as
exemplary and inspiring and their martyrdom, an ideal.
How can we extend
solidarity and lend support to their struggle?
1) Write letters to the Chief Justice of the
Kolkata High Court and the
Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission,
asking them to ensure that
the compensation for their loss in March-April and
November 2007 is paid to
each and every person. Let the High Court appoint an
independent Commission of
inquiry.
2) List of households, with houses partially or
fully destroyed/burnt is
prepared by the local leaders. Organizations and
individuals may come forward,
as during natural calamities and offer support, since
monsoon is already on and
the shelterless need to erect something urgently.
3) People, not having regained livelihood, or
lost it, are not being able
to meet even their basic needs. Doctors,
psychiatrists, activists are all
needed, if there are any. There are at least 2 clinics
without paraphernalia
and high quality infrastructure. Any doctor or other
service provider willing
to stay there for at least 6 months would indeed be
very resourceful.
Debjit Dutt Medha Patkar Bijoya Chandra
Anuradha Talwar
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