The Hindu Business Line : Return ‘forcibly’ acquired land to farmers, says Mamata

“ Why should the State Government forcibly acquire from unwilling farmers another 400 acres to meet the requirements of ancillary industries.” – Ms Mamata Banerjee

Ms Mamata Banerjee

Our Bureau

Kolkata, Aug. 19 Trinamool Congress leader Ms Mamata Banerjee said that while she and her party wanted the Tata small car project in Singur to come up and the Nano to roll out of it, she insisted that the 400 acres – on which ancillary industries were being set up – be returned to those farmers from whom it had been “forcibly” acquired and who have not accepted their compensation cheques.

In an interaction with senior representatives of industry and chambers of commerce here today, Ms Banerjee said that, on December 29, 2006, she had called-off her 25-day hunger strike after the State Government assured her that the issue of land acquisition in Singur would be looked into.

Instead, she alleged, the State Government had used all powers at its disposal to keep at bay those who were protesting against forcible acquisition of farmland for the Tata small car project.

Ms Banerjee said she had received a letter from Tata Motors stating that 600-650 acres would be required for the Nano project.

“We are willing to let the small car project come up on 600 acres of land at Singur. But why should the State Government forcibly acquire from unwilling farmers another 400 acres to meet the requirements of ancillary industries,” she asked.

“Why can’t these ancillaries be set up on fallow land five kilometers away from the project site”, she asked.

According to her, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has invited the Trinamool leadership to discuss the matter with the State Minister for Industries & Commerce, Mr Nirupam Sen.

The leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Mr Partha Chatterjee, would meet Mr Sen in this regard on Wednesday.

She said she was apprehensive that the meeting would yield no result and, ideally, the Chief Minister should be present at the meeting “which will discuss a matter that concerns a policy decision taken by the State Cabinet”.

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