The Hindu Business Line : Trinamool Congress postpones 48-hour Bangla bandh

Ms Banerjee has stated in a letter that the TMC's decision on the bandh would depend upon the Chief Minister's response to its request on returning farmland.

Kolkata , Dec. 20

The Trinamool Congress has postponed the 48-hour Bangla bandh that was slated to take effect from Thursday. This was done in "deference to requests" from the Christian community that did not want its festivities affected in the run-up to Christmas, according to Ms Mamata Banerjee, leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

An hour before Ms Banerjee made her announcement postponing the bandh, the Calcutta High Court, acting on the public interest litigation petition, directed the TMC to withdraw the bandh call.

Around noon today Ms Banerjee wrote a letter to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, requesting him to return farmland that had been forcibly acquired in Singur for the Tata small car project. In the letter, Ms Banerjee had stated that the TMC's decision on the bandh would depend upon the Chief Minister's response to its request. Ms Banerjee asked Mr Bhattacharjee not to make Singur a "prestige issue" but to come to a settlement and allocate low lying land in the same area for the project.

CM's letter

In his reply to Ms Banerjee's letter, Mr Bhattacharjee said there had been no forcible acquisition of land in Singur for the project. While the car project per se would require 700 acres of land, another 300 acres was required for setting up ancillary units. The total land identified for acquisition was 997.11 acres. Consent had been received for 920 acres of land. An additional 34 acres that was available comprised government/vested land.

Compensation aggregating Rs 85 crore had already been paid to 9,500 people, including owners and recorded sharecroppers. Consent letters were still being received and cheques issued, the letter stated.

According to Mr Bhattacharjee, Singur was a preferred location of the Tatas for their small car project and its relocation could result in the State losing out on the proposed investment. He said the project would auger well for the industrialisation and economic growth of the State.

Mr Bhattacharjee's letter stated that vocational training was being provided to educated youth in the region even as groups comprising women were being equipped with skills in tailoring and catering. These skills could be put to gainful use when the plant became operational.

In his letter, the Chief Minister requested Ms Banerjee to call off her agitation and withdraw the 48-hour bandh call. He stated that he was willing to discuss with her all issues pertaining to farmers in Singur.