November 6, 2008

Trinamool Congress, ‘Save Nano’ panel members clash at Singur

SINGUR,2nd Nov. : Vehicles, motorcycles and cycles were set ablaze as Trinamool Congress supporters and members of the Singur Nano Bachao (Save Nano) Committee (SNBC) clashed with sticks, iron rods and bricks here on Sunday. Police burst tear-gas shells to disperse the protesters.

The violence broke out when SNBC members put up road blockades at Ghanashyampur, 3 km from the site where Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee held a rally in support of her demand for the return of a portion of land acquired for the Tata Motors Nano project. The situation turned volatile as Trinamool supporters started congregating for the rally. Leader of the Opposition and senior Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee was assaulted by the SNBC members and the window-screen of his car smashed as he tried to reach the rally site bypassing the road block. Trinamool supporters set on fire the office of a syndicate comprising members of the SNBC, who had supplied building material when the Nano project was being constructed.

Photographer assaulted: The photographer of The Hindu was assaulted by the Trinamool supporters as he was taking photographs of the burning vehicles. This correspondent was threatened. Addressing the rally, Ms. Banerjee reiterated her demand for the return of the 400 acres allegedly acquired forcibly from farmers for the project.

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