The Internet has proved to be an effective platform for protesters of the Nandigram atrocities across the country and even abroad to unite, exchange ideas and draw strategies to air their views loud and clear.

The young who turned up in hordes for the silent, apolitical protest march on November 14 relied on the Net to garner support for the cause. They communicated with each other through social networking sites like Facebook and Orkut.

“How else can you communicate with people whose phone numbers you don’t have and can’t send text messages to?” asked Meghna Dass, a second-year postgraduate student of Presidency College.

“These sites help you to reach a large number of people, make them aware of what is happening around and urge them to join protests, like Wednesday’s march,” she added.

Orkut hosts 63 communities — like Protest Against Nandigram, Raktogram Nandigram and Nandigram-facts — all vocal against the lawlessness in the East Midnapore pocket. Facebook has two groups —“Raise your Voice for Nandigram” and “Nandigram and Citizens’ Initiative” — mobilising support for protests.

Some of the Orkut communities have as many as 300 members, updating each other on the developments in Nandigram.

The members of the Facebook groups sent messages to 400 people, urging them to turn up for the Wednesday’s “silent no banners march”.

People who received the message but could not make it to the rally posted their words of support on the “wall”, equivalent to the scrapbook on Orkut.

Many Orkut members have blackened their pictures on the site to register protest on Nandigram, following a message circulated among the subscribers.

The message reads: “An appeal to make Profile Picture ‘BLACK’ for one week (November 12 to 17) as objection by all the sensible and responsible Orkut Members who believe that they are ashamed of the role of West Bengal government on the Nandigram Issue.”

“It is like the online version of wearing a black armband as a sign of protest,” said Meghna.

The sites are also being used for conducting signature campaigns. The “Rally for Nandigram” site has a link to the “Citizens Statement on Nandigram”, which condemns the violence at Nandigram and demands “an immediate initiation of a just peace process, as distinct from an enforced normalcy.” The statement has been signed by more than 180 people.