Wounded And Bloodied, Bhangar In Bengal Asks Just Who Opened Fire

Kolkata: Bhangar is just 40 kms from Kolkata, a journey that ordinarily takes about 90 minutes. But on Wednesday, the final stretch into the village was tough to navigate. Past villagers looking suspicious and angry, past the signs of the violence that erupted, past the bloody gamcha (scarf) and slipper left behind when Mafijul Khan was shot on a main road. It's still not clear who shot him -or how Alam Mollah, also found dead, was killed on Tuesday amid a massive demonstration in the heart of the village.

For nearly a year, residents had been protesting against the new power station for which their land had been acquired four years ago. They expect Mamata the Chief Minister, who, in 2008, led the farmers of Singur against the Tata Nano-manufacturing factory, an often-violent campaign that ended with the farmers getting back their land.  

Mafijul Khan was 26. He loaded bricks into trucks that delivered them to construction sites. On Tuesday afternoon, he  wandered into the area where protests were being held regularly to buy some fish for his family. Nearly 20,0000 people were gathered. Mafijul's younger brother, Entajul, heard that shots had been fired and rushed to the area. He says he found Mafijul lying in a pool of blood.

Mafijul had three children aged between one and seven. His wife is in no position to speak to the media crews that arrive at their mud hut about two kilometres off the main road. Other relatives including Mafijul's father say the Chief Minister must deliver justice for his death. They say that a rivalry between local factions of her party, the Trinamool Congress, led to villagers being misled into giving up more land for the project, protesting and being threatened with dire consequences if they continued with protests

The trouble began when villagers blocked commonly-used roads and the police arrived to clear them. Locals allege that along with the police, outsiders entered the area and attacked homes and protestors to hijack a peaceful agitation and force the police into targeting demonstrators. Within minutes, the main road turned into a battlefield, forcing the police to fire tear-gas shells.

Shukur Ali Khan, Mafijul's father says that he recognized some of the men as their handkerchiefs fell off their faces. "When they started hurling bombs, we realised it was not the police. There must be a conspiracy. Then when some of their face covers fell off, we knew they were from nearby areas who had worn police uniform and were indulging in violence."

Residents of Bhangar pointed out that the power station was not targeted, its gates not breached, because locals do not want violence. Four cars were pushed into a pond; several police vehicles were set on fire. Discarded police uniforms, seared, were found near them, bolstering the theory that they had been appropriated and then left behind by whoever caused the tragedy.

"We have not touched a single brick or wire at the power grid even though our agitation is against it. Some people are burning cars and vandalizing homes and trying to blaming locals for it," said resident Asikul Islam "I saw a man in uniform set the bus on fire. Not just me, everyone here saw it. They set the bus on fire so that they can disrupt the agitation," an eyewitness told NDTV, offering the belief that the culprits want to intimidate and divide those campaigning against the power plant.

Since Tuesday, the police has not entered the area as a precaution against provoking a new wave of anger. On Thursday, Chief Minister Banerjee will open the state's annual  Global Summit where the government pitches Bengal to big investors. The venue is just 25 kms from Bhangar, and  the Trinamool sees in the violence a conspiracy to malign Bengal's image ahead of its major business meet.

The Chief Minister met yesterday with senior police officers and ministers to review information on what happened in Bhangar. She made it very clear that a repeat of a protest spinning out of control will not be tolerated; nor will any provocation of villagers.

The administration says it is not clear who opened fire and Trinamool leader Mukul Roy confirmed what villagers said -that it was neither locals nor the police who used guns. "One or two people come here to disturb peace. The police did not open fire. People who came from outside opened fire," he said. He held a meeting with local leaders a little distance away from where the violence took place. "The matter is settling now. The Chief Minister has already said that if the people don't want, the power grid won't come up there," he said.

Several Left groups including hardline outfits and  university students  have visited the area after the  violence. Several left-leaning students from Jadavpur University have also been seen asking villagers to oppose land acquisition.

The Trinamool accuses them of  a  dangerous attempt to stir up their dwindling support base in the state. But the ruling party has much to answer - including what role its local leaders may have played in either inciting or failing to control a situation that had been heading, for months, towards disaster.