By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said there was no confusion about the agreement signed between the West Bengal government and the protesting farmers led by her party and hoped for proper implementation of the pact.
“We believe in the agreement that was signed with the state government in the presence of Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. We don’t have any confusion now,” Banerjee told reporters here.
After the deal was inked Sunday, Banerjee had claimed that about 200-300 acres of land taken for the Tata Motors’ small car Nano project at Singur would be returned to the “unwilling farmers” and the vendors’ park shifted across the road.
Taking strong exception to Banerjee’s comment, Tata Motors Monday shot off a letter to the state government, seeking clarification on the Trinamool Congress chief’s statement and expressing distress at the reported agreement entered into by the government.
“Clearly there is a significant variant in the statement (given by Banerjee) creating confusion in our minds on the details of the points as agreed to by the state government,” said the missive from Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant.
The state government, however, said here Tuesday that an assurance had gone out to the Tata group – India’s largest industrial house with a turnover of $62.5 billion from 96 companies – that no land from the project site would be given away.
Industry Minister Nirupam Sen charged Banerjee with creating confusion and ruled out relocating the ancillary units away from the Tata Motors mother plant.
Sen claimed the state government had not reached any such agreement with the opposition.
Banerjee, however, said Tuesday, “The matter is settled. According to the agreement, we will help each other. Let us hope the pact is implemented in a proper way.”
The Trinamool Congress-led farmers have been protesting for more than two years ever since the small car project was announced in May, 2006.
The protesters have demanded that the government give back 400 acres – out of the total project area of 997.11 acres – taken from farmers “unwilling” to part with their land.
The movement grew in intensity from Aug 24, when the Trinamool COngress laid siege on the plant, which led to the company suspending operations on Sep 2 and threatening to pull out of the state.
Under the initiative of the governor, a deal was signed at the Raj Bhavan Sunday, after which the Trinamool Congress and the farmer’s body led by it lifted their siege on the Tata Motors’ plant.
The Tatas are yet to resume operations at the plant. The automobile major is scheduled to roll out the Nano, the world’s cheapest car, priced at Rs.100,000 in October.