Mamata budges after Governor’s intervention
At the intervention of West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday i.e. 31 Aug 2008, budged from her inflexible stand and agreed to come to the talks table. Following Governor’s letter to Mamata, a Krishi Jami Raksha Committee (KJRC) team met the Governor on Sunday. Shortly afterwards, Mamata announced in Singur she was ready for talks. But Trinamool Chief stuck to her stand that land must be returned to unwilling farmers, but hinted that that the figure of 400 acres was not NON-Negotiable. Mamata also promised that the panchayats in Singur, which is under Trinamool, would help find alternative land for the ancillary units opposite the Tata Motors factory site. When KJRC delegation led by opposition leader Partha Chatterjee met the Governor, he suggested that talks start with the help of a “neutral intermediary” and that farmers who had lost land could also participate in the talks.
The Governor’s intervention has given the Trinamool leader the opportunity she had been looking for to come to an honorable settlement. A relieved state government gave indications the talks could start forthwith. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said at public meeting in Netaji Indoor Stadium that he was ready to hold talks with the opposition. At a meeting of Left Front it was decided an all party meeting would be convened on Tuesday.
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Trinamool Congress Chief
The Trinamool chief, Mamata Banerjee had her way in Singur. The administration stepped aside as hundreds of Trinamool Congress, SUCI, Naxalite and other opposition supporters including national parties like Samajwadi Party laid siege to Durgapur expressway only 50 meters from Tata Motors Nano Plant. The agitation for returning the 400 acres to farmers also saw some prominent personalities.
The day marked by restraint and measured words from both ruling and opposition parties. By steering clear of any confrontation, both sides are buying time to break the ice on Singur deadlock.
The Trinamool chief came up with a surprise offer to the government, pointing to a patch of land opposite the plant on the other side of Durgapur expressway; she said it could be the site for ancillary units. The plot is around 500 acres and currently owned by real estate developers.
Pushing for Industrialisation
In the mean time, the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya government is trying to work out a financial package that would appease Mamata Banerjee. Along with the land for land and land for cash schemes there is third alternative of a pension scheme. All 12,624 land losers affected by Tata Motors Nano Plant land acquisition will benefit. Even sharecroppers and small farmers will get a uniform deal regardless of size of agricultural land holding. The pension scheme is going to cost Rs.100 million per annum to the state exchequer
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