Buddha writes to Mamata, protesters lathicharged

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today formally appealed to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to call off her indefinite fast against acquisition of farmland for Tata Motors project, even as three scribes were injured in police lathicharge on protesters of a Naxal outfit marching towards Singur.

Cadres of the CPI-ML (Liberation), led by general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, marched from Sheoraphuli in Hooghly district towards Singur in protest against the acquisition of farmland for the Tata Motors project.

As the protesters reached Baidyabati, about 20 km from Singur, and insisted on continuing their march, police charged with batons to disperse them. Three journalists were injured in the lathicharge.

Earlier in the day, veteran Naxalite leader Kanu Sanyal was detained by police at Noapara in North 24 Parganas district while on his way to Singur.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told reporters in Kolkata that he had written to the TC chief urging her to end her fast that entered its fifth day today and come for talks on the issue of Singur and industrialisation.

"I have sent her a letter. I am now waiting for her reply," he said.

Banerjee said she had received the Chief Minister's letter and would reply, but did not say if she would call off her fast.

The TC chief, who is not keeping well, urged the state government to stop acquisition of agricultural land at Singur "on humanitarian grounds".

She also condemned police action against protesters and alleged that the state government had imposed an "undeclared emergency". Even journalists were not being allowed to move freely, she said.