Nandigram Massacre returns to the spotlight as West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari promises a fresh FIR and renewed investigation into the 2007 violence.
Qalam Times News Network
Nandigram, November 10, 2026
Nandigram Massacre: Chief Minister Accuses CPM of Brutality, Says Justice Remains Elusive Even After 19 Years
The Nandigram Massacre has once again become a major political issue in West Bengal, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announcing plans for fresh legal action over the violence of November 10, 2007. Addressing a gathering at Gokulnagar on Tuesday, marking the 19th anniversary of the incident associated with Operation Sunrise, Adhikari accused the then ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, of orchestrating brutal attacks against people protesting against the government’s land acquisition policies. He alleged that despite a subsequent investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the judicial process had not reached its conclusion and the victims’ families were still waiting for justice.
The Nandigram Massacre remains one of the most controversial and painful chapters in the political history of West Bengal. Making serious allegations about the fate of missing persons, Adhikari claimed that 11 individuals had been abducted, brutally murdered and their bodies disposed of in the deep sea. He announced that his government would initiate fresh legal proceedings, including the registration of a new First Information Report (FIR), to revisit the incident and pursue accountability.
November 10, 2007: The Violence That Shook Nandigram
On November 10, 2007, members of the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), a platform formed to resist proposed land acquisition, organised a procession from Sonachura towards Maheshpur in Nandigram, Purba Medinipur district.
The march took place against the backdrop of intense tension surrounding proposed industrial projects and land acquisition plans. Local residents had strongly opposed the proposed acquisition, fearing the loss of agricultural land, livelihoods and homes.
During the procession, allegations emerged that armed groups allegedly backed by the ruling CPM attacked the demonstrators. The incident subsequently became associated with the name ‘Operation Sunrise’ and left a deep scar on the region’s political and social landscape.
According to accounts of the incident, two people were killed, while 12 individuals were initially recorded as missing in police records. The disappearance of several people and the circumstances surrounding the violence became subjects of prolonged political controversy and investigative scrutiny.
After the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, November 10 became an important date for commemorating those who lost their lives during the movement. However, the political significance of the anniversary changed after Suvendu Adhikari, who had once been a prominent Trinamool leader associated with the Nandigram movement, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Since then, rival political parties have organised separate commemorative programmes, with each attempting to establish its own political interpretation of the movement and its legacy.
Adhikari’s Explosive Allegations About 11 Missing People
Addressing the gathering at Gokulnagar, Adhikari made serious allegations about the fate of people who disappeared during the November 2007 violence.
He claimed that 11 individuals had been taken away with their hands tied behind their backs and detained at a gram panchayat office in the Baratala area. According to his account, they were subsequently taken to Kamarda, where he alleged that they were brutally murdered inside a CPM party office.
The Chief Minister further claimed that their bodies were cut into pieces, placed inside bags and thrown into the deep sea the following day.
These allegations have once again brought attention to the unresolved questions surrounding the missing persons and the need for a transparent examination of the available evidence.
Adhikari also referred to the CID investigation conducted after the incident and the imprisonment of former Tamluk MP Lakshman Seth. He stated that Seth had spent 181 days in jail but maintained that the judicial process had not delivered complete justice.
The Chief Minister argued that the families of the missing individuals continued to suffer because the circumstances surrounding their disappearance had never been satisfactorily resolved.
Families of Victims Still Await Justice
During his speech, Adhikari remembered several people who lost their lives during the Nandigram movement, including Shyamali Manna and Rezaul Karim, who were among those killed in the firing.
He also referred to people who had sustained bullet injuries and alleged that some individuals were being taken towards the Kansai Bridge area for the disposal of their bodies.
Adhikari named Tapan Ghosh, Sukur Ali and Biswanath Das while discussing the events surrounding that period, claiming that local residents had caught them.
According to the Chief Minister, the disappearance of 11 people remains one of the most disturbing unanswered questions associated with the Nandigram violence.
He maintained that the families deserve justice, recognition and official documentation concerning the fate of their missing relatives.
Adhikari further accused former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of failing to provide death certificates to the affected families during her 15-year tenure. He claimed that he had to approach the Calcutta High Court repeatedly before the matter could be addressed.
Political Battle Over the Nandigram Movement
The anniversary programme also became an occasion for Adhikari to launch a political attack against the Trinamool Congress.
He argued that the Nandigram movement was fundamentally a struggle by local residents against the land acquisition policies of the then Left Front government and that the people themselves had played the central role in the resistance.
According to him, the struggle should be remembered primarily as a people’s movement rather than as the achievement of any particular political party.
Taking a direct swipe at the Trinamool Congress, Adhikari recalled his earlier prediction that he and his political camp would return to power in 2026.
He claimed that his prediction had come true and declared that the Trinamool Congress would not return to power for the next 100 years.
Challenging his political opponents, he asked people to record his statement and preserve it for the future.
His remarks reflected the continuing political struggle over the legacy of Nandigram and the question of which political leadership deserves credit for the movement.
Adhikari Criticises Mamata Banerjee Over Victims’ Families
Adhikari also criticised former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for what he described as her failure to secure justice for the families of those who disappeared during the violence.
He recalled Banerjee’s visit to Tekhali during the movement, where she had reportedly described Nandigram as her younger sister and expressed her intention to contest elections from the region.
However, Adhikari questioned what concrete steps had been taken for the families of those who died or disappeared after the Trinamool Congress came to power.
He alleged that political promises made during the movement were not adequately translated into meaningful action during the party’s years in government.
The Nandigram movement played a significant role in weakening the Left Front politically and contributed to the broader political transformation that eventually brought the Trinamool Congress to power in West Bengal in 2011.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s Controversial Remark Recalled
During the programme, Adhikari also referred to a controversial statement attributed to former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee following the November 10 violence.
He recalled Bhattacharjee’s reported remark, “They have been paid back in their own coin”, which became a subject of considerable political controversy.
Adhikari described Bhattacharjee as personally honest but criticised the political party and leadership associated with the Nandigram episode.
He also referred to statements made by Left leaders during the period, including a remark attributed to former Left Front chairman Biman Bose about a new sunrise in Nandigram.
Adhikari said that 19 years after the violence, he remained committed to pursuing justice for those who had suffered.
Fresh FIR Promised: Will the Nandigram Case Finally Reach Its Conclusion?
The most significant announcement of the anniversary programme was Adhikari’s declaration that his government would take fresh legal steps in connection with the 2007 violence.
He indicated that a new FIR would be registered and that the government would revisit the case to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and disappearances.
However, the outcome will depend on the availability of evidence, the legal status of earlier investigations and proceedings, and the decisions of the competent investigative and judicial authorities.
For families who have spent years seeking information about their missing relatives, the announcement has once again raised hopes that the truth may finally emerge.
Nineteen years after November 10, 2007, Nandigram continues to carry the memories of political confrontation, human suffering and unanswered questions.
The passage of time has not erased the demand for justice. Whether the proposed fresh investigation will establish the fate of the missing individuals and bring accountability to those responsible remains to be seen.
strong>For the people of Nandigram, the struggle is no longer merely about remembering a political movement. It is also about finding answers, recognising the suffering of affected families and ensuring that the victims of the violence are never forgotten.
