Kolkata, November 22
Kolkata returned to its normal peaceful self today but the Army would standby as a precautionary step till further orders, city police chief, Gautam Chakraborty told mediapersons after attending a meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers Buildings today.
He said the decision to extend the curfew, which was lifted at 6 am today, would be taken after reviewing the entire situation.
Though there was no untoward incident today, the Nandigram issue was sidelined and the controversy over Taslima Nasreen's visa and her extradition came to the forefront.
The controversy took a new turn today following the demand of the Assembly speaker Hashim Abdul Halim, a CPM leader, for Taslima's immediate removal from the city - the demand which the All-India Minority Forum and several other organisations had also made.
Halim said that since Taslima’s staying was hurting the religious sentiments of a section of people and it was also creating unnecessary law and order problems, it was better that she should be asked to leave.
CPM party secretary Biman Bose had also made a similar demand yesterday. But later, he clarified that since India is secular country, every one has the right to stay in the country.
But whether Taslima's visa would be extended or she would be asked to leave, the Centre was the competent authority to take the decision and the state government had nothing to do in this regard.
Bose claimed that two ministers in the Manmohan Singh government had requested the Chief Minister to allow Taslima to stay in Kolkata. He, however, did not disclose the identity of these two union ministers.
The police chief said Taslima was safe and sound in the city and she was adequately protected. But they had no knowledge if she wanted to leave the city after yesterday's incidents.
Chakraborty said an inquiry had been ordered into yesterday's incidents for ascertaining the causes and the people responsible for the unfortunate events. But he denied that the police had failed to control the unruly mob for which the Army was called in. He said the people arrested in connection with the incidents would be firmly tackled as per the law.
Most of the 350 people detained for interrogation yesterday had been later released but specific criminal cases were drawn up against 68 who were locked up at Lalbazar and some other police stations.
The Chief Minister held the All-India Minority Forum responsible for yesterday’s incident but Md Edris Ali, the spokesman of the forum, alleged that the CPM and other vested interests were involved in the incidents and they had hatched a conspiracy to divert the people's attention and sympathy from the on-going agitation in Nandigram.
The day broke today with the withdrawal of curfew and the city gradually returned to normalcy. Buses, trams, mini-buses and other private vehicles were again on the streets in yesterday's disturbed areas at Park Circus, Entally, Rippon Street, Park Street, Sealdah and bridge No 4 on the EM bypass connector.
The people were out in the area where the markets had re-opened. The management of some schools had ordered a closure for today as a precautionary step.
Land reform minister Rezzek Ali Mollah and MP Md Selim today visited the disturbed areas and met the people there.
