June 14, 2007
Singur Land Cannot be Returned:
Bengal Government
Kolkata
Citing legal hurdles, the West Bengal government Thursday said the
opposition demand for returning the land acquired from unwilling
farmers for the Tata Motors small car project in Singur could not be
met.
The decision was taken at the core committee meeting of the state
cabinet here, even as Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee vowed
to intensify the fight for recovering the land.
Public Works Department Minister Kshiti Goswami said Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya had informed the cabinet of the decision.
Bhattacharya said the land acquired for the Tata project could not
be returned as there are legal hurdles and the boundary wall has
also been constructed.
He told the core committee that Commerce and Industry Minister
Nirupam Sen had informed veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M) leader Jyoti Basu that it would not be possible to return
the land.
However, the cabinet was informed that an alternative proposal was
being worked out. It, however, could not be made public as the
Singur land acquisition issue is sub-judice and the Calcutta High
Court is expected to hear the matter shortly.
Basu, who had a meeting with Banerjee on June 4 to find a solution
to both Singur and Nandigram issues, had said the state government
should look into her demands. Both leaders had then expressed
confidence on reaching an amicable settlement.
Reacting to Thursday's decision, Banerjee said: "We will fight for
the return of the land.
"Marxists have joined hands with Tatas to grab the land of farmers.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya does not know the basics of land
acquisition," she said. Earlier, Banerjee threatened to move the
highest court to fight for the farmers' land rights.
Over 997 acres of land in Singur have been chosen by Tata Motors for
its small car project. The issue has triggered a violent face-off
between the government and farmers led by civil society groups and
parties like the Trinamool Congress.
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