Gopal Krishna Gandhi

Calcutta, March 14: Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi tonight reacted with dismay to the news of the deaths in Nandigram, asking what purpose the bloodspill served.

“The news of deaths from police firing in Nandigram this morning has filled me with a sense of cold horror,” he said.

Virtually dismissing the official version that there was no alternative but the police action, he said: “The point uppermost in my mind is not ‘who started it’, ‘who provoked it’, or whether there were agent provocateurs behind it. Investigations will reveal that. The thought in my mind, and of all sensitive people, is whether this spilling of human blood was avoidable? What is the public purpose served by the use of force we witnessed today?”

In a statement from Raj Bhavan, Gandhi made it clear that his intention wasn’t to get into “blame fixing”. “But I can’t be so casual to the oath I have taken as to restrict my reaction to a pious expression of anguish and outrage”.

The governor said the use of force against militants, extremists, insurgents and anti-national elements is one thing, but those at the “receiving end” today weren’t among them.

Without disclosing details, the statement suggested that Gandhi had given some advice to the government over the last two days as he received information on “rising tension” in Nandigram.

“I trust the government to not only go into the whys and wherefores of this tragic occurrence but also ensure it leaves no room for repetition.”

The governor said it was up to the “conscience of officials responsible to atone for the event in the manner they deem fit”, but made it clear that the government should move to end the bitterness the day has brought. “The government must do what it thinks is necessary to mitigate the effects of the bitter March 14, and to do it visibly and fast.”