Trinamool opposes Haldia shift

After forcing the West Bengal government to concede to its demand to not acquire land to set up a chemicals hub in Nandigram in East Midnapore district, the Trinamool Congress today threatened a fresh agitation if the project was shifted to nearby Haldia.

The Trinamool's warning came as tension prevailed near the Tata Motors' small car project site in Singur for the second consecutive day, as villagers tried to storm the police cordon and enter the protected 997 acres of land.

Addressing a rally in Haldia, Trinamool President Mamata Banerjee said, "Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee has said the chemicals hub will not be set up in Nandigram. But he has not given any assurance that it will not come up on farm land in Haldia. We will fight it if the state government goes ahead with acquiring farm land and homesteads for industries."

"The people of Haldia must revolt against any forcible acquisition of land," she said.

Recently, state Industry Secretary Sabyasachi Sen had hinted that Haldia could be a possible site for the chemicals hub by the Salim Group.

The attack in Singur came two days before the proposed all-party meeting to arrive at a formula to restore peace in Nandigram. Although Banerjee maintained that Singur and Nandigram were separate issues, she questioned the process of land acquisition adopted by the government for industrial projects.

Banerjee said industrialisation could not happen at the cost of the lives of the people.

"We are not opposed to industrialisation but the process of acquisition adopted by the government for industrial projects. It is the duty of the government to ensure the development of people. Instead of providing funds for development, the government is displacing people without paying adequate compensation," she said.

Banerjee argued that the government failed to provide basic necessities of life to the people in Nandigram and was instead asking for land for the projects.

The Trinamool leader said the Bengal government should provide funds for irrigation, which was stunting the growth of agriculture in the area. Mamata also demanded compensation for the next of the kin of those killed and injured in the March 14 firing that claimed 14 lives and left scores injured.

The Trinamool firebrand also demanded completion of the CBI investigation, which was stopped without any "comprehensive conclusion".

State Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee expressed surprise over the spurt of violence at Singur, and said that the proposed car project would offer employment to 4,000 people and galvanise the economy of the area.

CPI(M) is likely to place its views on the chemical hub before the Opposition in the all-party meeting later this week, he added.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader George Fernandes accused West Bengal police of carrying out the "Nandigram massacre" and lambasted the policies of the state government of acquiring farmland for industries.

"Nandigram has become a national and international issue," Fernandes said, adding all political parties should come forward to mobilise public opinion against the March 14 "mass killings".

In another development, the Left Front partner CPI(M) formally endorsed the proposed all-party meeting in Kolkata on Thursday to start the peace process in Nandigram.

This followed after the Forward Bloc state secretary Ashok Ghosh, who was authorised by the Front to organise the all-party meeting, held talks with CPI(M) West Bengal secretary and LF chairman Biman Bose during the day.

Committee, led by local Trinamool MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharjee and committee convenor Becharam Manna, tried to break down the wall enclosing the small car factory site.