The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary to submit a factual report on the conditions prevailing in Nandigram and surrounding areas within 10 days. It has also requested the Secretary, MHA, to take all necessary steps to restore peace in the area, protect life, dignity and property and submit an action-taken report within two weeks. A team of the Investigation Division of the commission would also visit the disturbed areas in Nandigram to study the situation and suggest remedial measures. The commission’s move came on a petition filed by civil rights activist and advocate Sanjay Parikh which said that the disturbed and volatile conditions in and around Nandigram require urgent intervention to protect the human rights of people there. Forwarding a message of Medha Patkar expressing fear that the gherao of Nandigram might lead to serious and unprecedented bloodshed, the petitioner had asked for every possible move to compel the West Bengal Government and the ruling party to withdraw the gherao around Nandigram.The commission also took note of news reports suggesting the connivance of local police with criminal elements in the area. Earlier in March 2007, taking suo motu cognisance of an incident in which some people had died in police firing in Nandigram, the NHRC sought a report from the Chief Secretary and the DGP, West Bengal. The report then sent by the West Bengal Government had blamed certain political organisations and the local population for the incident.
