Kolkata, Nov 14 : Thousands of people from varied field, including the intelligentsia, took out a protest march here on Wednesday against the violence in West Bengal's Nandigram area.

Demonstrators marched through the streets of Kolkata streets carrying placards and raising slogans against the Left Front Government headed by Chief Minister Buddhabed Bhattacharjee.

"It's a protest. A protest against the continuing atrocities in Nandigram, " said eminent filmmaker Aparna Sen.

"Today thousands of people from all parts of Kolkata, the artists, the filmmakers, the dramatists, and the actors have joined the rally in protest of the massacre in Nandigram, " said eminent film director Supriya Sengupta.

The West Bengal Government had planned to set up a special export zone

(SEZ) for chemical industries in Nandigram, 150 km southwest of Kolkata, but had to abort the project as villagers refused to give their farmland for the project.

In the last week, at least six villagers have been killed in Nandigram, as they fought CPI (M) cadres. Dozens of villagers were also injured in the clashes.

The row saw violent clashes between locals opposed to the project and the ruling Left Front supporters as well as the police.

The violence in Nandigram has been a political embarrassment for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is heading the Left Front Government in West Bengal.

The CPI (M) leaders and the police have blamed the Maoists for the recent violence in Nandigram.

But, the CPI (M)’s own allies have criticised the government, and some ministers in the government threatened to resign over Nandigram issue. (ANI)