(Top) Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee calling for peace at the college grounds in Nandigram. (Below) Pratirodh Committee supporter Sheikh Nazrul, who was allegedly thrashed by CPM supporters for refusing to attend the chief minister’s rally. Nazrul, 37, who runs a cycle van, said six men came to his hut in Samsabad and asked him to join a procession. He was allegedly hit with a dagger. Pictures by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Nandigram, March 4: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today asked the Opposition parties as well as the CPM to forget what happened in the past year, not create further trouble in Nandigram and work together for the area’s uplift.

“I’m asking the Trinamul Congress and other Opposition parties and also the CPM not to create trouble and instigate violence in Nandigram. For more than a year, the people of Nandigram spent sleepless nights because of the violence. Houses and shops had been set on fire. Let that end now.

“Forget the incidents that occurred in these 12 months. Join hands for Nandigram’s development. Please maintain peace here,’’ the chief minister said after distributing tilling rights among a group of landless farmers.

Violence had erupted in Nandigram on the eve of the chief minister’s visit and a village road was dug up to keep the police away after a clash between Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee and CPM supporters.

Hours after the chief minister appealed for peace, block development officer Santiram Gorai took a team to repair the road, dug up at three places. Armed policemen accompanied them, but there was no resistance.

Pratirodh Committee leader Abu Sufiyan said: “We did not support yesterday’s dig-up. We don’t want more trouble.”

But in the evening, at least 10 people were injured as Trinamul Congress and CPM supporters clashed at Balarampur, 15km away.

Police said the trouble erupted over painting a wall for a puja. Two villagers had to be hospitalised.

The chief minister warned the Nandigram residents against “dangerous elements” like Maoists. “Remember, other parties will gradually realise that peace should be restored. Beware of Maoists. They are dangerous elements.”

Last year’s violence, Bhattacharjee said, was mainly because of the Maoists.

“The Maoists took training in Jharkhand’s Ghatshila and came down to Sonachura to train people in the use of firearms here. They are a gang of murderers.”

The chief minister said the people of Nandigram should not lend ears to rumours that the government would resume land acquisition after the panchayat polls in May.

“I’ve come to Nandigram not to take away land but to give land to the poor. We wanted to set up industries here but the people did not want them. The government would not bring industry by shedding people’s tears.”

The chemical hub expected to come up in Nandigram is now being planned on Nayachar, an island on the Haldi, about 3km from port town Haldia.

“We took lessons from the mistake committed in Nandigram. You all will be glad to know that the people of Nandigram will be able to work in Nayachar,” Bhattacharjee said.

East Midnapore district magistrate Anup Agarwal has been told to ensure panchayat offices worked on weekends, too. “We could not spend Rs 8 crore in Nandigram in the past year because of the violence,’’ said Bhattacharjee.

The government has acquired 92 acres on the outskirts of Tamluk town for a new district headquarters without any trouble. Landowners collected their compensation cheques today.