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In times when challenging Mr Ratan Tata is unfashionable, it is interesting to see the Trinamool Congress chief, Ms Mamta Banerjee, and activist Ms Medha Patkar putting up a fight for farmers at Singur. Why is it wrong if someone takes up the cause of farmers, who have been deprived of their lands?

Why did, in the first place, the West Bengal State government buy land from farmers and sell it to the Tatas? The same Leftists blocked the disinvestment of 10 per cent stake in a public sector company in the years they supported the Congress government in New Delhi.

Is it fair to take away farm land for SEZs, infrastructure projects, car units and the rest without any compensation package? And who will grow food for the Indians who are today backing the Nano. Just giving a few lakhs or a job does not help and if, there are such huge funds available, why not help make farming more productive?

The Nano is going to be an ecological nightmare, and will only choke up every road and highway. Is it feasible to for India to fill up its map with car-owning population like US? This writer has seen Mr Tata always drive in a Merc while in Mumbai and never in an Indica.

P. Devarajan e-mail

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