Cong to join Mamata's protest against Tatas' unit

On a collision course with the Left Front government over acquisition of land for the Tatas' small car project, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee tonight called a statewide strike on October 9 and a one-hour road and rail blockade tomorrow. The blockade has been supported by the Congress.

Unruffled, the state government said the process of distribution of compensation to those who lost their land would continue as scheduled.

Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said, "We will continue to make payment to those who gave up their land for the project. We will not use force to remove Mamata Banerjee from the BDO's office at Singur where she is holding a dharna," he said after a high-level meeting to review the situation.

Banerjee, who entered the block development office where the BDO, superintendent of police and district magistrate were present, sat on a protest and demanded that the distribution of cheques be stopped immediately.

She said she would continue her protest overnight.

Earlier, members of the Krishijami Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee), opposed to the acquisition of agricultural land for the project, demonstrated before the block development office.