Nandigram: Fear stalks people in refugee camps

Two weeks after the Commuist Party of India-Marxist's recapture of Nandigram, people lodged in a refugee camp in Nandigram are claiming that they could not return to their homes fearing reprisal by Marxist cadres.

They also allege that they are deprived of compensation given by the administration.

The CPI-M, however, charges Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee, which spearheaded the anti land-acquisition movement in Nandigram, of 'politicising' the issue and said the people had to first return home to get the compensation.

"People are afraid that once they go back to their villages and lose touch with each other, CPI-M cadres will launch fresh attacks on them," Bhabani Prasad Das, who claimed to be a district leader of Left opposition Socialist Unity Centre of India, said on Monday.

Das, who is one of the leaders at the camp set up at Brajamohan Tiwari Siksha Niketan, said there are around 800 refugees at the camp now, of which 250 are women and 200 children.

These refugees are mainly from Satengabari, Sonachura, Ranichowk, Kamalpur, Kalicharanpur, Soudkhali and Garchakraberia villages, he said.

All these areas were the strongholds of BUPC and had remained inaccessible to the district administration since January.

Bidhan Dalapati of Sonachura said he had returned to his house on November 15 after remaining homeless since the November 10 attack by CPI-M supporters. Dalapati claimed he was beaten up by CPI-M cadres and had also been allegedly confined to his house.

"After two days, I managed to flee with my 12-year-old son and reached the safety of the camp," Dalapati said.

"We were asked to join a rally to be organised by the CPI-M on November 28," he said.

He alleged that BUPC supporters were threatened to join the rally or face the consequences.

Sandhya Das of Gokulnagar said she had returned to her village after the violence of November 10, but 'after getting threats, I decided to return to the camp.'

Describing the allegations as baseless, the CPI-M accused the BUPC of politicising the issue.

"The refugee camp is a showcase to launch political campaigns against us and to get grants from NGOs," Niranjan Sihi, Zilla sabadhipati of East Midnapore district said in Nandigram.

Sihi, also a prominent CPI-M leader in the district, said 214 people in Nandigram block one and 72 in block two whose houses were destroyed, would receive Rs 10,000 each as announced by the state administration.

Another 350 persons in Nandigram block one and 18 in block two whose houses were damaged, would get Rs 5,000 each to repair them, he said, adding that they would also get Rs 1,000 each for buying utensils.

Sources in the Block Development Office in Nandigram said unless the people returned to their homes from the camp, they would not get the compensation.