Mamata's Nandigram visit postponed as Akhil Giri tests +ve

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee, chairperson Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday postponed her visit to Nandigram after Akhil Giri, party MLA from Ramnagar, tested Covid-19 positive.

Giri has been admitted to a hospital where his condition is stated to be stable.

Subrata Mukherjee, veteran TMC leader and state minister for Panchayats and Rural Development said: "In view of the present political situation every one was anxiously waiting for her Nandigram visit. But it had to be postponed after Akhil Giri was tested Corona positive." Earlier TMC MLA from Nandigram Suvendu Adhikari joined the BJP.

Meanwhile, Nandigram Mancha which was set up in 2007 after the Nandigram carnage held its first convention in Kolkata on Monday.

The convention was held at the Indian Association Hall. The speakers urged the people not to get scared by the "muscle flexing of BJP who are trying to grab Bengal's culture, heritage by money-power and muscle power". Sukumar Mitra who was associated with the Nandigram movement from its beginning said BJP is trying to

destroy the federal structure of India.

He added BJP supporters who are visiting Nandigram are outsiders and cannot even speak Bengali.

"Their sole intention is to terrorize the people and force them to follow the saffron party. The people of Nandigram had prevented the CPI(M) backed goons from taking over agricultural land and will again put up united fight against the BJP," Mitra said.

The next of kins of the farmers' family who got killed in Nandigram in 2007 had earlier garlanded Suvendu Adhikari's picture with worn shoes.