Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee’s accusation that the Adhikari family was directly responsible for the death of 14 persons in police firing in Nandigram on 14 March 2007 may open a pandora’s box leading Bengal to revisit former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s book, ‘Phire Dekha (looking back)-last 10 years of Left Front government’ and reconsider the words of this veteran Marxist who described the killings as both “tragic” and “mysterious”.

In the poll-bound Nandigram, stakes are rising every day as Miss Banerjee and her protege-turned BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, will battle to win this agrarian landscape. Miss Banerjee, who claims to be the trailblazer of anti-land acquisition movement and stirs those wounds to gain votes today said the “baap-beta” (father-son duo)- Sisir and Suvendu Adhikariwere responsible for the atrocities against the villagers on that fateful day.

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“Do you remember how cadres in police uniform came to attack Nandigram but were caught because they had slippers on? This time too, central force uniforms have been bought to dress BJP party workers as forces. The baapbeta was responsible for letting such forces march into Nandigram in 2007. I can say it with challenge…” alleged CM as she addressed people of Nandigram.

The statement has left political analysts wondering whether the embittered Miss Banerjee has just let a cat out of the bag. The CPI-M was quick to respond by claiming Miss Banerjee’s remark finally revealed it was Trinamul Congress who ‘murdered’ 14 villagers; more facts, pertaining to the incident, will be soon unearthed.

The then Left Front government’s chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya had written that the police was sent to Nandigram on 14 March 2007 not to acquire land but to restore the tumultuous law and order situation following Maoist interference in the movement. Bhattacharya claimed he received the news of 14 deaths where seven died in police firing while rumors sought to increase the death toll, alleging several bodies of children were dumped into the river.

Bhattacharya clarified his government never gave any orders for firing and termed the incident as, “tragic and mysterious”. The veteran leader sought to remind readers that the pattern of the violent attacks in Nandigram was uncannily similar to the “barbaric” ‘Keshpur Line’ strategy of Trinamul that saw attacks on the opposition by bike-borne assailants while trees and roads were cut to block entrances, transforming an area into a liberated zone (Muktanchal).

It is important to note that Bhattacharya’s government was exonerated of all charges in the Nandigram firing incident by the CBI who clarified that the ex-chief minister did not order the firing in Nandigram on 14 March 2007.