The ruling Left Front and the Opposition Trinamool Congress continued their blame game even after Ratan Tata announced that Tata Motors was pulling out the Nano project from Singur in West Bengal.
State Industries Minister Nirupam Sen said the Trinamool Congress was to blame for the Tatas’ pullout and that this exposed the anti-industry agenda and negative mindset of the Opposition party. He alleged that the Tatas’ decision was precipitated by the violent acts of the Trinamool.
In response, Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee said, “The state government and the Tatas have collaborated to make this announcement just ahead of the Durga Puja. But this has happened because the government refused to implement the agreement reached before Governor G K Gandhi on September 7.”
Refuting allegations that her party was to blame for the pullout, Banerjee said, “While concealing the real terms of the government-Tata contract, the state has distorted our party’s peaceful agitation and victimised the unwilling farmers. All we want is that agriculture and industry should flourish together.”
Singur MLA and Trinamool leader Rabindranath Bhattacharjee said, “We want the Tatas to stay, but we must protect the interests of the unwilling farmers”.
Krishi Jami Bachao (save farmland) Committee leader and Singur resident Becharam Manna said, “Only the state government is at fault... We, in fact, want the factory to stay.”