Left Front chairman Biman Bose on Saturday brought up the issue of the land agitation in East Midnapore’s Nandigram and said the 2007 protests could not be equated with what was happening in Sandeshkhali.

“In Sandeshkhali, land has been unlawfully grabbed but in Nandigram, no such thing had happened. The agitation that had started from Sonachura was over a notice the autonomous Haldia Development Authority had issued expressing its intention to set up a chemical hub. Even then, a section of the media is equating the two but what can we say,” Bose said while addressing a seminar titled, “Is the freedom, honesty and objectivity of media in danger?”

The seminar was part of an event held in the memory of journalist Sumit Bandopadhyay, who had passed away last year.

“In Sandeshkhali, people are saying their lands had been grabbed and filled with saline water to convert them into bheris... but still, (a section of the media) is saying that the situation is the same as that of Nandigram. Not an inch of land was grabbed in Nandigram but some are drawing parallels by comparing it with Sandeshkhali. The claim is not right,” the CPM veteran said while stating that he believed in the freedom of the press.

Bose expressed concern about the state of media which was under attack from the dispensation ruling the country.

Recalling his association with Bandopadhyay, Bose said the departed journalist held high the flag of freedom, honesty and objectivity, values that were important for an unbiased media.

Recalling the role of Sumit Bandopadhyay during his days as a Doordarshan journalist, president of Calcutta Press Club Snehasish Sur said despite being a staunch Leftist, he never let his political belief come in the way of his journalism. Bandyopadhyay’s elder daughter Purba also spoke at the memorial.