Police turn back intellectuals

KOLKATA, May 10: Film-maker Ms Aparna Sen and other intellectuals heading to Nandigram to observe tomorrow's panchayat elections were turned back by police near Bagnan in Howrah today.Ms Sen, along with 16 other intellectuals belonging to the Swapan group were detained and sent back on the ground that their presence in Nandigram would escalate tension on the eve of the elections. Although the state election commission had permitted the civil rights group to visit Nandigram during elections, the team were turned back at Bagnan by SDO, Uluberia. Ms Bolan Gangopadhyay, a member of the team later said: “The state election commission had initially allowed us but at 11.00 a.m. we received a letter from the commission asking us to reconsider, since it is not possible to provide adequate security to us." There was also a letter from the state home secretary advising them not to continue their journey.“We have been told by the state administration that if outsiders visit Nandigram there would be trouble. It would be difficult to provide security arrangements,” said Mr SN Ray Chowdhury, secretary to the state election commission. However, according to the state home secretary, Mr AM Chakraborti, the DM of East Midnapore had pointed out that it would not be possible to provide security to the civil rights group during elections."We did not forbid anybody from visiting Nandigram. But several quarters felt this might amount to campaigning day before elections under clause 105 of the act and voters might be influenced."He added:" Even if they proceed without security, even then we should not allow them because if anything untoward happens then the onus would be on us." CPI-M state secretary Mr Biman Bose who had earlier written to the state election commission seeking to know the grounds on which the group was being allowed to visit the strife torn area on poll eve, later expressed satisfaction that the poll panel has corrected itself. (The Statesman)