Singur movement will serve as role model: Mamata

Banerjee, on Thursday, handed over land to 23 farmers at Gopalnagar mouza. She also distributed fertilizer and mustard seeds among them.

On Thursday, physical possession of 103 acres of land has been given to 298 farmers. This is for the first time in the country when agricultural land which was forcibly taken over to set up an industry was returned to the farmers in cultivable condition.

In 2006, Mamata Banerjee lead a movement launched by Krishi Jomi Bachao Committee against the Left Front government’s decision to acquire farm land to set up a project of the Tata Motors. In November 2006, Banerjee was thrown out of the BDO office when she had gone to protest against the state government’s decision. The movement ultimately led to collapse of the Left Front government in 2011. After coming to power, Banerjee had promised that she would return land to the farmers. On Thursday, the movement which started a decade ago came full circle.

The CM said: “The Supreme Court had given us 12 weeks’ time to return the 997.11 acres of land to the farmers. We have completed the task ahead of the deadline given by the apex court and the Singur movement will be a role model for the world in future.”

Paying homage to family members of martyrs who sacrificed their lives to establish their right on the agricultural land, she said: “A monument will be set up here to commemorate the Singur movement and pay homage to the 14 martyrs.”

“I have asked the district magistrate Sanjay Bansal to take necessary steps to establish the monument. Rajkumar Bhul and Tapasi Malik were the first among those who sacrificed their lives for the Singur cause. There will be photographs of Bhul and Malik on both sides of the monument,” she said, adding that the movement took shape and reached a crescendo because of the support and active participation of the local people.