ISAS Briefs

The rural islet of Nandigram in West Bengal is in the news again for all the wrong reasons following an outbreak of violent clashes between CPI(M) cadres and locals, allegedly led by armed Maoists. Nandigram has been in the news since late in 2006 after it was designated as a site for a chemicals based Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The villagers protested the imminent acquisition of their lands and expelled the ruling party cadres out of the village in January 2007, some of whom were also cultivators in the village. Nandigram was effectively cut off from the outside world through blockades, and the destruction of key infrastructure like roads and bridges leading into the area. The ruling party cadres, and local government authorities, claiming the earlier takeover as an act of mischief engineered by motley opposition groups including the Trinamul Congress and hard-line Maoists, made a botched attempt to recapture the village in March - at least 15 people were killed, probably more. The latest violence which left at least three people dead was another attempt by the ruling Left Front to recapture the village.