Click to play videoKolkata: The West Bengal government is desperate to prevent a repeat of Nandigram.
The Maoist bastion of Lalgarh will not have an election booth inside the territory under the control of the tribals. Like Nandigram, the tribals have set up a no-entry zone (for the police) and the Election Commission has bowed to the wishes of the residents. This region which comes under the Jhargram parliamentary constituency will have four polling stations outside the disputed area.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee admits he's made a compromise.
Bhattacharjee said, "Government is taking a soft stand. I think sometimes we have to take a soft stand when common people are involved and tribals are involved. We have to isolate these Maoists from ordinary tribal people.”
The Nandigram police firing had claimed fourteen lives and the chief minister says he doesn't want to repeat the mistake.
"I have to be very careful. My belief, my values, what I have done in my entire life… I hate these types of police firing. It should not be the policy of the government to fire at common peoples," said Bhattacharjee.
In a unique experiment, the Commission has made arrangement so that 50,000 people from inside the no entry zone can be transported to the booths outside. The tribal leaders insist they are not going to call off their agitation.
Leader, People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, Chhatradhar Mahato said, (in Bengali) "Our agitation would continue till the police ask for forgiveness."
Not just the Bengal government, even the election commission would travel an uncharted territory while conducting polls in Lalgarh. It's an experiment born out of strife but it could well become a model for those areas of this country where police and administration have no reach.
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