Nandigram..not a gram anymore??

I came to Calcutta a day after a bandh was called and will be leaving a day after a bandh was called to protest against the Nandigram issue. Lot of people have been asking me what's wrong with Calcutta and the reason for which the general public and business is being affected. Is it an extended Diwali vacation??

Here I will first tell you what an SEZ is, then show you how the common man is affected by these bandhs and then show you the plight of the people living in Nandigram.

A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country's typical economic laws. The category 'SEZ' covers a broad range of more specific zone types, including Free Trade Zones (FTZ), Export Processing Zones (EPZ), Free Zones (FZ), Industrial Estates (IE), Free Ports, Urban Enterprise Zones and others. Usually the goal of an SEZ structure is to increase foreign investment. One of the earliest and the most famous Special Economic Zones were founded by the government of the People's Republic of China under Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. The most successful Special Economic Zone in China, Shenzhen, has developed from a small village into a city with a population over 10 million within 20 years.

Currently, India has 811 units in operations in 8 functional SEZs, each an average size of 200 acres. 8 Export Processing Zones (EPZs) have been converted into SEZs. These are fully functional. All these SEZs are in various parts of the country in the private/joint sectors or by the State Government. But this process of planning and development is under question, as the states in which the SEZs have been approved are facing intense protests, from the farming community, accusing the government of forcibly snatching fertile land from them, at heavily discounted prices as against the prevailing prices in the commercial real estate industry. Also some reputed companies like Bajaj and others have commented against this policy and have suggested using barren and wasteland for setting up of SEZs.

Attempts to set up a Special Economic Zone in Nandigram have led to protests by villagers in the area. A Parliamentary Committee to study and give recommendations on SEZs has said that no further SEZs be notified unless the existing law is amended to incorporate the changes related to the land acquisitions.

Normal life was affected in Kolkata and other districts in West Bengal on Monday due to a bandh called by the opposition parties on the Nandigram issue. Bandh supporters blocked vehicular traffic and train movement in different parts of the state by picketing on tracks, police said. A state bus was torched near Moulali in central Kolkata in the morning but the police could not find the attackers. Vehicular traffic was thin on the city streets and many shops and markets were closed. Many passengers remained stranded in Howrah and Sealdah stations with very few taxis were available. Rail blockades were reported from Baruipur, Nabadwip, Bansberia, Chengail, Bauria, Ramrajatala and Bagnan stations, railway sources said.

And this is the report after each and every bandh that is called in Calcutta. We, the people of Calcutta, are sick of it. The daily business suffers, the schools are closed, the general stores are closed. You can do nothing other than sit at home and crib about the situation. Is this India??

Recently, Nandigram has witnessed protests against the setting up of an SEZ, leading to clashes between protesters and police which have left a number of people dead and accusations of police brutality and Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), insurgency from same side. Police and CPI(M) cadres allegedly killed 14 of the protesters on March 14, 2007. Later, 10 people with ammunition, mobile phones with phone numbers of local CPI(M) leaders and CPI(M) party flags were arrested at a nearby brick kiln in Khejuri. On 14th March 2007, policemen and Communist party hoodlums [2] in disguise of khaki clad cops in slippers tried to enter Nandigram with massive arms and ammunitions. The people of Nandigram from all walks of life under the umbrella of Bhumi Uchched Protirodh Committee tried to protect their homes from the incursion. The Communist Party employed police and their accompanying hoodlums used their firepower at the people of Nandigram, killing at least 14 people and injuring several others.[3] They also raped several women. At least 2 people were reported missing since then. Many corpses were smuggled outside the area by CPI(M) cadres. Nearly all the victims of police firing had bullets lodged in their upper torsos, thus proving that the police violated standard operating procedure and aimed at their targets' heads and chests. Some victims had bullet entry wounds on their backs, thus proving that they were shot while they were fleeing the cops. the CPI(M) leaders proved that they are no better than Hitler in terms of dictatorship. The ruling party of West Bengal ordered the police, along with CPI(M)cadres armed with bombs and pipe guns, to enter Nandigram and teach the protesting farmers a lesson. Bullets were fired and bombs were hurled at the innocent, unarmed villagers including children and women. Many dead bodies were smuggled outside to destroy evidence of mass killing. On November 10, 2007 thousands of CPI(M) cadres entered Nandigram and fired mercilessly on two unarmed procession of the villagers led by Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee leaders. The police remained silent spectators. The Print and Electronic Media were not allowed to enter the area from the previous week.

                        Is this justified??

Here I have shown you how SEZ can be beneficial, how bandhs affect the general public and the plight of the innocent people in Nandigram. What's your say in this?