Mamata returns land to farmers, says ‘Tatas welcome in Bengal’

Standing  firmly on the agricultural land which was acquired illegally by the erstwhile Left Front government to set up an automobile factory of the Tata Motors and after distributing cheques and deeds of the land to the farmers following a Supreme Court verdict here on Wednesday afternoon, Chief Minister Mamata  Banerjee requested car manufacturers including the Tatas and BMW to consider a proposal of the state government to set up their factory on nearly 1000 acre of land at Goaltore in West Midnapore. She has given auto majors a month to let the state government know of their decision.

“We have land bank and nearly 1000 acre of land at Goaltore in West Midnapore where an automobile factory can be set up. I request car manufacturers including the Tata Motors and BMW to set up their unit there and let us know their decision within a month,” the Chief Minister said. 

Banerjee made it very clear that the state government was not against the Tatas. Describing the legal battle with them “as a friendly fight” she said that the state government would ink a MoU with the Tatas to run an ITI soon. “The people of Singur were not against the Tatas, but we were opposed to the manner agricultural land was taken away from the farmers illegally.”

Addressing a historic rally which was attended by lakhs, Banerjee said agriculture and industry would go hand in hand in the state. “The farmland and greenery should be preserved and industries should be set up for providing employment to future generations. The state government has set up a land bank and land use policy. But under no circumstances should farm lands be acquired to set up factories,” she maintained. She distributed deed of rights to the farmers and cheques to unwilling farmers. Braving heavy rain the people listened to the one who had braved great odds to champion their cause.

The Chief Minister said Rs 10,000 would be given to each family of the farmers to buy agricultural equipment. Besides,  the agriculture marketing department would set up centres from where farmers could hire agriculture equipment. The soil would be tested by experts and seeds distributed among farmers. 

“The government will do everything to make the land cultivable. After that it is up to the farmers to either retain or sell it,” she said adding that land would be returned to them within 7 to 8 weeks though the Supreme Court had set a 12-week deadline. 

The state government distributed 9,117 parchas and 806 cheques to the unwilling farmers who also got back their land while willing farmers only got back their land.  Hooghly DM Sanjay Bansal said out of 997 acre, 623 acre had been demarcated already. Banerjee thanked the officials and employees for carrying out the work of mapping, cleaning and plotting of land expeditiously.

She maintained that  the Singur movement had become a global model of resistance against forcible land acquisition. She said, henceforth, September 14 would be observed as Singur Divas and September 25 as Adhikar Raksha Divas.

Social worker Medha Patkar said: “Unlike other political party leaders, Mamata didi has kept her promises made after coming to power in 2011. Singur movement has become historic and will continue to inspire the poor and the oppressed for generations to come.”

The people of Singur were in a celebratory mood. Through songs and poems they remembered Tapashi Mallik who was raped and then burnt to death and Raj Kumar Bhul, the first martyr. Parents of Mallik and the relatives and family members of 14 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the movement were present at Wednesday’s function. Banerjee recounted how CPI(M) had assaulted her and remembered all who had supported the movement including the then Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.