City Goes on One Hour Pit Stop to Protest Ground Zero Fight
By sachiv1, Section News
Posted on Tue May 01, 2007 at 04:09:57 AM EST
TRAFFIC in the city came to a standstill around Monday mid-day in reaction to a Trinamool Congress-issued "rasta roko" call to protest Sunday's violence in Nandigram.
With Trinamool supporters setting up road blockades at major arteries and important crossings, police sources said traffic movement was held up at 18 points in the city.
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, meanwhile, called a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation.
"The district administration has been asked to try and convene an all-party meeting and ensure participation by the opposing factions," Home Secretary P R Roy said after the meeting. The meet was also attended by Chief Secretary to the government and Director General of Police A B Vohra.
Roy said the situation in Nandigram would have worsened but for timely intervention of the police. He said the police had been asked to maintain restraint. "We do not want a repeat of the March 14 incident," he said, referring to the tragedy in which 14 persons had died in police firing inside Nandigram.
The state government has also relayed details of the prevailing situation to the Centre, Roy said. But senior Trinamool Congress leadership in the state stuck to the party's decision of boycotting the all-party meet.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose said Sunday's clashes at Nandigram were pre-planned, and accused the Trinamool Congress of masterminding the entire episode.
During the "rasta roko", Trinamool supporters raised slogans and made human chains at several crossings, including Shyambazar, Park Circus, Hajra intersection, Gariahat and at several stretches on important thoroughfares like Central Avenue and VIP Road. Trinamool leaders said protestors were heckled by police, and around 1,000 arrests were made all over the state.
(Source- Indian Express, 01/05/07)
