West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday held a meeting with representatives of the umbrella organisation which had spearheaded the Singur protest to discuss the future course of the movement to return land to unwilling farmers. This came a day after the Singur Land Rehabilitation & Development Act, 2011, was struck down as unconstitutional and void by a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court.
Though Ms. Banerjee refused to comment, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, State Agriculture Minister and among the first protesters, said the Krishi Jomi Jibon Jibika Raksha Committee is planning to relaunch the movement. This will be done in tandem with the legal battle, he said. The umbrella organisation (committee for protecting farm lands, lives and livelihoods) comprises several civil rights groups and representatives of political parties.
“The committee took a unanimous resolution to stand by the peasants, sharecroppers and agricultural labourers of Singur. The committee will take all possible steps to ensure the rights of the farmers,” Pradip Banerjee, convenor of the committee, told journalists after the meeting. Representatives of the committee said they will go to Singur and renew the movement at the grass-root level.
According to a committee member, since the government cannot launch a campaign on land-return, the committee will be at the vanguard. This is also an attempt to stand by the people of Singur, many of whom feel let down by the efforts of Trinamool Congress-led government in returning their land.
Representatives of political outfits like Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), People’s Democratic Conference of India (PDCI), Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS) and Janata Dal (United) were also present at the meeting.
On being asked whether the meeting signalled a new political realignment, PDS leader Samir Putatunda said, “No discussions on party lines were held at the meeting. There is no question of political realignment.” He said all the representatives of political parties present at the meeting had participated in the movement against forcible land acquisition in Singur and they discussed the present situation. A representative of the committee said attempts are being made to expand the committee.
Keywords: Singur Land verdict, Tata Motors
The report states that Mamata Banerjee held the said meeting of representatives of the 'umbrella organisation' whoch spearheaded the Singur agitation.WB State Congress Chief Pradip Bhatacharjee said in a stement that the Congrss was not invited there though it too had participated in the agitation.More over when the govt cannot hold agitation on the issue---as mentioned in the report---how is it that CM herself is holding this meet?Is not the meeting part ofthe so-called agitation?Further the main demand of the agitation was that the land acquired from 'unwilling peasants' should be returned.Whom will the present agitators ask to return the land?Mamata?It is clear like daylight that this cannot be done now?Then what is the meaning of this agitation? To mislead the people who have already been cheated with this slogan?
Whom they will agitate against this time? The Judiciary ??
Please collect the data regarding number of farmers in Bengal and area of cultivable land available. Per capita land for the farmers is clear proof that Bengal can no longer support this many farmers by this much land. So, half of the farmers have to change profession and one percent of the farming land has to sacrifice for industries. Left front's action in detail may need revision, but their overall policy is mathematically correct. There was no farmer suicide in Bengal in last 34 years. Who will explain it? The 34 years is the story of Bengal success in agriculture. When govt initiated the process of industrialization based on agri-success, enemies of Bengal spoiled it.
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