Claim of Nandigram rapes on camera

Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Nov. 30: In what could come as a major setback to the ruling Left Front, a witness revealed at the final hearing of the Citizens’ Commission of Enquiry today that he possessed digital images ~ both moving and still ~ of rape and molestation victims of the 14 March carnage in Nandigram. The photographs and video recordings were taken while conducting health camps all over Nandigram from 18 March onwards. The photographs and video recordings will be submitted as evidence before the Commission, which will submit its report in December. The Citizens’ Commission of Enquiry was set up by the Citizens’ Council of West Bengal for ascertaining facts and circumstances relating to the acquisition of land at Singur and Nandigram. The Commission has already conducted five sittings in Nandigram and Singur and recorded the evidence of about one hundred witnesses, including some police officers. The Commission is conducting an enquiry into the death of a large number of people and molestation of women between 1 June 2006 and 31 May 2007. The enquiry findings will be published for public information in December. The final sitting of the Commission was held today at the Centenary Hall of the Mahabodhi Society. Witnesses such as littérateur Mahashweta Devi, former Vice-Chancellor of Visva-Bharati University, Prof. Amlan Dutta, Prof Miratun Naha, and Mr Bibhuti Bhushab Nandy, former DIG Indo-Tibetan Border Police and ex-additional secretary, Research and Analysis Wing, appeared before the Commission today. Appearing before the Commission chairman, Mr Justice (Retd) Abani Mohan Sinha, and members Mr Justice (Retd) Ranendra Narayan Ray and Mr Justice (Retd) Malay Sengupta, Prof. Amlan Dutta said that two statements regarding the current situation in Nandigram ~ “peace has been restored” and villages have been “recaptured” ~ are contradictory. “It will be very difficult to restore peace in the area,” he said. Mahashweta Devi said that in view of the happenings in Singur and Nandigram, the Left Front government should be on its way out in the state.