Hundreds of intellectuals and social workers on Monday came together to lodge their protest against the 'indiscriminate killings' of innocent people in Nandigram by so-called cadres of the ruling CPI-M.

The protestors submitted a memorandum to the Resident Commissioner of West Bengal at a rally organised in front of his office in New Delhi.

The Nandigram issue was against the Left's basic ideology. The party had come to power in West Bengal on the pledge of improving the conditions of the farmers and the poor. But at Nandigram, the 'CPI -M cadres are killing innocent farmers to grab their lands for the establishment of the capitalists,'' Socialist Unity Centre of India Delhi unit general secretary Pratap Shyamal said.

In the last three days, several people have been killed and thousands injured while hundreds of villagers have fled their homes and are living without any shelter, he said, adding that the Centre was silently watching these developments as its own survival depended on the support of the Left parties.

''Is this the fruit of sixty years of democracy?'' he questioned.

The demonstrators also raised slogans demanding the removal of the Left Front government and imposition of President's rule for the speedy improvement of law and order situation in the state.

Meanwhile, 15 intellectuals and others participating in the agitation were taken into custody but later released.