Hundreds of Tata Sumos brought members and supporters of the Trinamool Congress and the Krishi Jami Raksha Commitee to Singur on Sunday as party supremo Mamata Banerjee began her indefinite dharna near Tata Motors’ plant here to demand the return of 400 acres to ‘unwilling’ farmers.
If that did not create enough irony, Mamata Banerjee suggested an alternative plan to the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s government at the protest rally. “There are 500 acres opposite to the factory location, which CPI(M) promoters have bought from the farmers. The state government was looking for the alternative. Here is the alternative,” said Banerjee.
But Banerjee did not make it clear before more than 80,000-strong disciplined crowd that who would move to the 500 acres–the farmers or the ancillary industries.
For Medha Patkar, it was Tata ta-ta with bags and baggages.”Before leaving, Tatas should return all the land they acquired in the state to the people, especially the land in Singur.”
Amar Singh, Samajwadi Party general secretary, invited Mamata to extend support to farmers of Greater Noida who are demanding higher compensation.
Sunday was the beginning of an indefinite peaceful dharna in front of the Tata Motors’ factory announced by Banerjee to realise the demand. The dharna was peaceful and crowd never transgressed law and order, which was manned by 2,500 police personnel brought from various parts of the district.
“Since it was Sunday, factory was closed except for some emergency works. But we don’t know what will happen on Monday when trucks will move in with daily supplies and when both temporary and permanent workers will report for duty,” said a Tata worker in front of the gate.
In fact, the 21 protest camps are not located in front of the factory entrances. “We would not obstruct workers to enter into the factory,” said Becharam Manna, convenor of the Singur Krishijibi Raksha Committee.
Banerjee said that unless the demand for the return of the 400 acres was accepted, the dharna would continue. “Did you all bring your bedding, ladle and spatula. We will leave this place only after we win our demand,” she said to the crowd.
Arun Bag, the elder son of Haradhan Bag, said: “We would not compromise, it would be a long drawn battle come what may.” The 62-year-old Haradhan Bag committed suicide as his 2.5 acres had taken away by the state government for the Tata project.
