West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday announced that he would reopen cases related to the 2001 Chhoto Angaria massacre and the 2007 Nandigram firing, which together left around 19 people dead.
“I would reopen the cases against those involved in Chhoto Angaria (massacre) in 2001 and the ones who went to Nandigram to carry out a bloody Suryoday (Sunshine) after collecting firearms from the CPIM’s party office at Garhbeta in West Midnapore. Not a single accused will be spared,” he said , while addressing a BJP rally at Garhbeta.
At least five All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) supporters were killed, allegedly by CPI(M) cadres inside a house at Chhoto Angaria on January 4, 2001. Adhikari was then an AITC leader.
Both CPI(M) accused acquitted by court
On March 14, 2007, at least 14 villagers were killed in police firing at Nandigram during an anti-land acquisition movement.
Later that year, clashes erupted again when alleged CPI(M) workers attempted to reclaim lost ground in what became known as “Operation Sunrise”.
Adhikari also asked the West Midnapore SP to track down former CPI(M) leader Tapan Ghosh. “I want to see him in the jail,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Adhikari also asked the West Midnapore SP to track down former CPI(M) leader Tapan Ghosh. “I want to see him in the jail,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Tapan Ghosh and Sukur Ali were prominent CPI(M) leaders whose names surfaced in several cases of political violence. Both were acquitted in the Chhoto Angaria case in 2009 by a court in Midnapore.
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Adhikari accused the AITC and CPI(M) of joining hands to create unrest in the state, saying, “Aunty and Baby have become friends today”.
Reacting to Adhikari, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said: “Communist leaders are made of different material. Adhikari is not eligible enough to understand this. Like his predecessor, Adhikari too wants the police to act according to his whimsies and not follow the law. That’s why he is directing the police that he wants Ghosh to see in jail. If he has the guts let him send them (CPI(M) leaders) to jail.”