Under attack over the Nandigram violence, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday sought to reach out to people cutting across the political divide by regretting the March 14 police firing and ruling out acquisition of land for the chemical hub project.
Visiting for the first time an area which saw an orgy of violence since January, he also promised a comprehensive package for the area's economic development.
He appealed to opposition Trinamool Congress-backed Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), spearheading an anti-farmland acquisition campaign, to wind itself up.
The tone and tenor of Bhattacharjee's speech at the public meeting, as also that of his senior party colleague Biman Bose, was one of reconciliation as he once again spoke of his government's decision not to acquire land for a chemical hub and said a comprehensive package would be prepared for the area's economic development.
The chief minister regretted the March 14 police firing, which left 14 people dead and said "no government in a civilised country sends the police to kill people".
He said his government had no idea that a situation would be created by the opposition which would lead to police firing.
"'I have come here to express my condolences for all those who died including those killed in police firing," he said. Bhattacharjee made no mention of CPI(M)'s recapture of Nandigram. His overtures were rejected by BUPC, which vowed to carry on the agitation till perpetrators of March 14 firing were brought to justice.