Date:21/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082157401200.htm

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Trinamool, government talks on Singur inconclusive

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: A meeting between the West Bengal government and a Trinamool Congress representative to clear misgivings over the land acquisition for the Tata Motors project at Singur ended inconclusively here on Wednesday.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee described the talks as “an eye-wash.” She announced that the indefinite agitation by the Krishi Jami, Jiban, Jibika Raksha (Protection of Farmland, Lives and Livelihood) Committee — of which Trinamool is a principal constituent — would begin as planned from August 24. The protest would be held outside the project site until 400 acres “acquired forcibly” for the project was returned to its owners.

Contrary to earlier plans, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee participated in the meeting. The Trinamool was represented by Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee, who was accompanied by Purnendu Bose, convener of the committee spearheading the agitation at Singur. Industries Minister Nirupam Sen was also present.

Mr. Sen told journalists that the government underlined the “difficulties” in returning the 400 acres of land as was being demanded by the Trinamool. But the government expressed the hope that a solution could be finally arrived at in the course of subsequent discussions — for which no date had been finalised — after the Trinamool submitted its suggestions “on how it [returning of the land] could be done” as was agreed in the talks.

Later in the evening, Ms. Banerjee said: “The door is open for future discussions but the land in question will have first to be returned to the farmers from whom it was forcibly acquired if the agitation to begin on August 24 is to be called off … Our doors are always open, but in a democratic set-up you have to respect democratic movements.”

She demanded that the agreement between Tata Motors and the State government on the project “be made public.” She cited a paragraph of a letter sent to her by the Tata Motors authorities, where it was mentioned that the land required by them for setting up the plant was between 600 and 650 acres and the rest for ancillary units.

“We want the Tata Motors plant to come up on 600 acres. But if both car and ‘khana’ [of the local peasants] is to be ensured the remaining 400 acres should be handed back to its owners. If not, the agitation will continue until it is done so,” she said.