Kolkata stands divided over Lalgarh

The same voices that protested against the land acquisition policy of the West Bengal government in Nandigram and Singur are now raising their voices against the joint security operations in Lalgarh.

But the Lalgarh Manch, comprising social and human rights activists, and the Swajan Manch, a platform of intellectuals and prominent artists in the state, while agreeing that the government should use dialogue and not police force to address the Lalgrah issue are divided on the question of the presence of Maoists in the area.

The divide may come at the cost of pressuring the state government to withdraw the current security operations in Lalgarh, which both want.

Kolkata is divided on the genesis of the trouble in Lalgarh where for over six months the writ of the government was wiped out by a people's uprising.

While Swajan and Lalgarh Manch agree on an end to security operations, they differ on the cause of the conflict.

"We have seen the explosions and bombs so we cannot say that there are no Maoists. But we agree with the Lalgarh Manch that the security forces are being used to crush a people's movement," said Kaushik Sen, an actor.

Members of the Lalgarh Mansh say Lalgarh is the outcome of the failure of successive governments and negate the presence of Maoists.

The stand challenges the premise on which the state government has launched joint security operations after accepting the central ban on the CPI (Maoists) and their role in Lalgarh.

"I don't think they are looting or exploiting people. They are with the people as they are resisting," said Pashupoti Mahato, an anthropologist.

Last Sunday, an attempt by several intellectuals, including Aparna Sen, for peace saw the police slap charges on them under Section 144 and 188 of the Crpc.

The government is still to lift the charges for visiting Lalgarh and meeting Chhatradhar Mahato, the convenor of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, wanted by the police.

"It is up to the police to decide what to do. But the law is equal for all," West Bengal Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Deb.

Meanwhile both groups have vowed to keep up the momentum to demand the withdrawal of forces from Lalgarh. On Sunday, octogenarian author-activist Mahesweta Devi will formally launch the Lalgarh Manch.

It has been barely five days since the central ban on the Maoist has come in place in West Bengal. These storm of protests have begun to brew but will it be strong enough to stop the storming of the security troops into Lalgarh?