Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Singur stalemate

No one other than the farmers of Singur will be affected by the decision of the Tata Motors to suspend work at their small car-manufacturing plant in Singur. Ratan Tata can relocate the plant elsewhere; he is certainly not the one to incur loss. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has got what she wanted. It is only the farmers who will regret the shutting down of the Nano plant, if and when it happens. One wonders what the future of investments in West Bengal will be.

Jyoti Shokhanda,

Bangalore

If the Tatas pull out of Singur, it will have serious implications for the Indian industry. India’s image as an investment destination will suffer at the global level. The successful functioning of the plant and the production of Nano in Singur will help West Bengal to establish itself as an investment hub. The project will create employment in the region and could prove to be the beginning of industrialisation in the State.

Kalpana Shukla,

Lucknow

No responsible leader will stand in the way of industrial progress. Whatever the social cause involved, the attempt to start an industry should be given priority. Singur is not a fight against the Tatas but against the progress of the State and the nation.

V. Rajagopalan,

Chennai

The Singur issue is reflective of similar, unheard of instances. There are many small and medium business ventures, and factories which have been forced to close down due to narrow-minded politics. Singur is in news as it is a big venture and the Tatas are involved. Irrespective of the magnitude, the issue exposes the negative role of politics in development. What we need is development but not at the cost of poor farmers and their livelihoods. The Singur stalemate is an eye-opener to all State governments and politicians that even difference of opinion can thwart the chances of development.

T.R. Midhun,

Karnal

The Nano has given hope to millions of Indians that they can be the proud owners of a four-wheeler. It was also seen as providing the much-needed employment opportunity to the people of West Bengal.

The Tatas’ decision to suspend work at Singur has placed both Ms Banerjee and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in a catch-22 situation. Both leaders, individually and politically, claim to protect the interests of the poor but in this whole episode it is the workers who have been put to disadvantage.

Pravin Sinha,

New Delhi

The blockade of the Durgapur Expressway by Trinamool Congress workers, demanding the return of 400 acres of land acquired by the West Bengal government, is unjustified and politically motivated. The TMC, the Congress, the so-called Maoists and other anti-left forces do not want the industrialisation of West Bengal to take place under the Left Front government, as the Front will become more popular among the middle classes and the educated youth.

No industry can be established without acquiring land. Thousand of acres of land have been acquired in India since independence for various projects and industries by the Congress and other non-left governments without a proper policy on compensation and other benefits to the land losers. The West Bengal government has offered one of the best compensation packages and other benefits despite the absence of a proper all-India policy on the acquisition of land. Let us hope Ms Banerjee will give up her obstinate approach and accept the government’s offer of negotiations in the larger interests of the people of West Bengal.

K.N. Rajan,

New Delhi

Driving out industries is bad but forcible eviction of the poor, unwilling farmers from their land is worse. The livelihood and security of the rural poor cannot be sacrificed to satisfy the consumerism of the urban elite, and the commercial interests of the Tatas. The Singur crisis can still be solved if the Tatas come up with a humanitarian rehabilitation package for the displaced.

Kajal Chatterjee,

Kolkata

The Tatas committed a major blunder in letting the West Bengal government deal with farmers. In any land acquisition, the deal should be direct, between the owner and the buyer. Such a transaction would have prevented Ms Banerjee from resorting to her brand of politics.

Reehana Kabeer,

Dharapuram

Ms Banerjee is being described as a hindrance to the ‘industrial revolution’ which the Tatas aim to bring about with the help of the Nano car project. Industrialisation and globalisation are important for India but our farmers’ interests cannot be compromised in the bargain. Widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots is not development.

The land acquired in Singur is genuinely fertile. As it is, the contribution of agriculture to the national GDP has drastically fallen over the years. Why make way for a state of unemployment and scarcity of food? And why encourage the production of a commodity which we know will contribute to pollution and traffic congestion?

Ananya Kapoor,

New Delhi

After prolonged intimidation and stoppage of work at the Singur plant, the Tata Motors have suspended work at the site. It was not for the Tatas’ living that the plant was put up but to add value, prosperity and create job opportunities in the State.

Ms Banerjee’s claim that the decision was an internal matter of the Tatas, and that her party did not obstruct workers sounds hallow. She is solely responsible for the loss of job opportunities to thousands.

R. Gopalan,

Chennai

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