On Singur, govt yields a bit to Jamiat

In an attempt to avoid a showdown with the Jamiat-Ulema-I-Hind in Singur, the West Bengal government has decided to allow the organisation’s supporters to cross Dankuni toll plaza and hold their rally tomorrow in Telipara...

In an attempt to avoid a showdown with the Jamiat-Ulema-I-Hind in Singur, the West Bengal government has decided to allow the organisation’s supporters to cross Dankuni toll plaza and hold their rally tomorrow in Telipara, just outside Singur.

The government had prohibited all public gatherings till February 14 by re-imposing Section 144 of CrPC in Singur yesterday. Jamiat is opposing acquisition of farmland to set up Tata Motors’ small car project in Singur.

Significantly, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has not been allowed to cross the toll plaza since December 3, when Section 144 was first imposed in Singur. She was turned back from there even on Monday.

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Similarly, social activist Medha Patkar was stopped at the Dankuni toll plaza while leading a group to Singur earlier. Though today’s concession is expected to cool tempers of Jamiat supporters, senior state administration officials are keeping fingers crossed ahead of Wednesday’s rally.

Jamiat’s state chief Siddiqullah Chowdhuri had said on Monday that the organisation wants the rally to pass off peacefully but its supporters could turn violent if provoked by the administration, and that the government machinery would be responsible for that. Jamiat leaders had earlier announced that if stopped on way, they would sit on the road and disrupt traffic.

Hooghly district Superintendent of Police Supratim Sarker today told The Indian Express: “We will allow Jamiat supporters to come till Telipara and hold their rally there. But they will not be allowed to enter Singur.”

State Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray reiterated that none would be allowed to flout Section 144. “Those seen doing this (violating prohibitory orders) will be severely dealt with. We re-imposed the prohibitory orders due to recurrence of violent agitation, and will lift it when the situation becomes normal.”

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But the Jamiat, which spearheaded a movement at Nandigram in East Midnapore district, to oppose the proposed SEZ project of the Indonesian Salim Group, said it would go ahead with the scheduled rally. On Tuesday, Chowdhuri said 100 vehicles carrying Jamiat supporters would leave the city at 10 am tomorrow.

“We had a talk with the police, and the SP told us that we would be allowed to hold the rally at Telipara, which is just outside the area where Section 144 is in force,” Chowdhury said. The Jamiat leader, however, did not specify whether they would hold the rally on Singur’s outskirts. “We will take decisions on the spot as the situation demands,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jamiat sources local Trinamool Congress leaders in Singur have extended their support to Jamiat’s agitation, and that their leadership has no qualms if some Trinamool leaders or supporters take part in tomorrow’s rally.