‘A naked violation of human rights’

T’PURAM: The mindless slaughter of farmers at Nandigram, West Bengal, in a police shoot-out was decried as ‘inhuman,’ ‘a naked violation of human rights’ and one that reminded of ‘Stalinist rule,’ by various organisations belonging to both sides of the political perpendicular on Thursday.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was burnt in effigy by a number of organisations in front of the Secretariat here as a mark of protest.

The wanton slaughter has laid bare the true face of the CPM which came to power by shedding false tears in the name of farmers, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said. There is absolutely no justification for the heinous act, he said.

The BJP will observe Friday as protest day in the state expressing solidarity with the hartal called by the BJP-Trinamool Congress alliance in West Bengal. BJP state president P K Krishnadas said the tragic event reminded of the Communist action against agitating students on Tianenmen Square in China.

Condemning the brutal act, the AIYF called for a review of the SEZ policy. Any attempt to wrest farmlands for setting up SEZs should be withdrawn, AISF leaders said.

SUCI national general secretary Nihal Mukherjee minced no words in taking the LF Government in West Bengal to task.

‘‘The fascist course of action that the pseudo-Communist Government has resorted to to satiate the lust of the land-hungry, greedy, domestic as well as foreign monopolists pointedly, clearly, brings out that having betrayed the cause of the people, it (CPM) has virtually declared a war against the poor and middle peasants,’’ Mukherjee said in a statement issued here.