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Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat has defended the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in its eastern bastion, and said the project is good for the industrial development of West Bengal. "All these incorrect and motivated charges made, have to be rebutted, and this project is good for West Bengal and for the industrial development of Bengal," said Karat. The Communist-led government in West Bengal has angered opposition parties and many of its traditional supporters by its drive to acquire land for industrial projects. "We have a stand on SEZs and we have made a critique of the SEZ Act and rules. More than 300 SEZ have already been approved. The state governments sanction 25,000 acres for a single SEZ, out of which 75 percent of the land is used for real estate speculation," he added. The industrial zone in eastern West Bengal is to be built with assistance from the Indonesian conglomerate, the Salim Group. Meanwhile, violence erupted in Nandigram in East Midnapore District, 150 km from Kolkata, which has been wooing domestic and foreign investors over the past few years. Twenty people have been injured as villagers clashed with police during a protest against acquiring farm land (14,500 acres) for an industrial hub. Around 3,000 villagers blocked roads and damaged two bridges to stop armed policemen from setting up camps on the land. Villagers, including opposition party activists, damaged several police vehicles, setting fire to one, and burnt houses of communist politicians. This clash follows similar protests by the Trinamool Congress and farmers against the government's move to hand over land for an automobile project in Singur.
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