By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal’s principal opposition Trinamool Congress Wednesday reiterated that the land acquired in Singur for the Tata Motors small car project be returned to its original farmer owners, and also demanded that the agreement with the industrial giant be made public.
“We have discussed all issues with the state government and asked them to give back 400 acres to the farmers,” leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly Partha Chattopadhyay told reporters here after emerging from a meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
“We have also requested the government to disclose the agreement with Tata Motors, which they’ve refused to do,” he added
“Our demand is for 400 acres of land that was forcibly acquired by the state government for developing ancillary industries within the premises of the Tata Motors factory. We have some commitments to the people of Singur and we are answerable to them,” Chattopadhyay maintained.
Industry Minister Nirupam Sen, industry department principal secretary Sabyasachi Sen and Trinamool Congress-led anti-land acquisition front Krishi Jami Jiban Jibika Raksha Committee leader Purnendu Basu also attended the meeting, which lasted for two hours.
“We also shared our problem with the Trinamool Congress representatives in returning 400 acres to the farmers. They said they would discuss the matter in their party and take a final decision. They’ve agreed to further talks to resolve the row,” Sen said.
“We are hopeful of continuing the discussions,” he added.
The state government had acquired 997.11 acres for the Tata Motors’ project, triggering violent protests since June 2006.