Tata threatens to pull out of Singur if violence persists

[As if the Tata Motors are doing a great favour to
those who are being looted of their lands and
livelihoods.

In case the Tatas are eventually boote dout, that'd be
a great lesson for other industrial houses as well:
Don't ignore popular voices. Don't rely too much on
the administration.
That'd be really great.]

Tata threatens to pull out of Singur if violence
persists

Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata has threatened to exit
West Bengal if there was no let up in violence at
Singur, where the company is building a factory to
make the world's cheapest car 'Nano'.

"We are deeply concerned at the violence and
disruption and at the safety of our employees,
equipment and investments at the project site at
Singur," Tata told reporters on the sidelines of the
Tata Tea annual general meeting in Kolkata on Friday.

He said: "Ut is for the people of West Bengal and
Kolkata to decide whether we are unwanted or accept us
as a good corporate citizen. If it is the latter, then
it is good."

He said that if it was the other, then it would be
impossible to alter the plan "following which we would
have to make a move despite whatever investments had
been already made in the project."

A visibly disturbed Tata said that Rs 1500 crore of
investments had been already made in the project.

"There is a sense of tension, violence and disruption
(at Singur). Obviously it is not a conducive
atmosphere. The compound wall is broken down,
materials stolen."

"Whatever be the cost, we will move out if the
situation demands so," he said.

Tata said that there was a general perception that
Tatas were exploiting the state. "We are extremely
sensitive to the needs of the rural community. We have
not come to exploit anyone. We have got the land on
lease and not bought it."

The state had been long ignored by industrial houses,
including the Tatas.

"Despite much flak which we have drawn for locating
the dream project at Singur, we have decided to locate
the project here. We are also gifting a hospital to
the state which would be commissioned in March 2009,"
he said.

Saying that he had no regret for coming to West
Bengal, he said "I am an optimist."

If the project was moved out of Singur, then it would
definitely affect the future flow of investments by
the Tatas in the state, he said.

Explaining the situation at Singur, Tata said: "It is
not possible to work under police protection."

On the issue of 400 acres which had been earmarked for
the ancillary units, Tata said that the small car
'Nano' was a unique product. "It is necessary to
incorporate the ancillary units in the same location
to keep the logistics cost low."

The main opposition Trinamool Congress in the state is
insisting that the company set up operations on 600
acres and return 400 acres of land earmarked for
ancillary units to farmers from whom the property was
acquired forcibly.

With the state government not relenting to the
opposition party's demands, a deadlock has been
created leading to tension and violence in the project
area.

People of WB want Nano car project: Industry minister


The people of West Bengal wanted the Tata Motors small
car project at Singur and the state government was
hopeful about it, Industry minister Nirupam Sen said
in Kolkata on Friday.

"You told me and I heard it. Now you decide," was the
initial reaction of Sen when reporters asked him about
Ratan Tata's statement that Tata Motors would pull out
if the violence and agitation continued at Singur.

He said that the people of the state wanted the 'Nano'
car project and Tata also knew it.

The Industry minister said that the small car project
could not come up if 400 acre was returned as demanded
by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

Sen who had discussed the Singur project with Tata in
Kolkata on Thursday night, said that the state
government wanted to work out a solution and was open
for talks to find out an acceptable solution.

Appealing to Trinamool Congress, he said, "Let us work
together and identify those families who might be
facing hardship after losing their land at Singur. The
state government is ready to provide them alternative
livelihood."

"I also told the Tatas to come forward in this respect
and they have agreed," the Industry Minister said.

Mamata criticises Tata; not to budge from demand


Criticising Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata for
threatening to pull out the Nano project if violence
and disruption continued in Singur, Trinamool Congress
chief Mamata Banerjee has said she would not budge
from her demand for return of 400 acre of land there.

"We don't want anybody to move out of West Bengal, but
at the same time, we will not bow to any kind of
pressure," Banerjee, whose party planned to lay siege
to the small car plant at Singur on 24th August, told
reporters in Kolkata on Friday.

"There should not be any kind of blackmailing. It is
highly reprehensible that he has chosen to brand
Singur villagers thieves for alleged pilferage of
construction materials."

Asked if she was ready to talk to the Tatas, she said
"in principle, we would like Ratan Tata to concede our
demand for return of 400 acre forcibly taken away from
unwilling farmers."

Banerjee was also critical of Industry minister
Nirupam Sen's meeting with Tata at a hotel in Kolkata
on Thursday, saying the meeting aimed at "secretly
plotting against the people of Singur".

The Trinamool supremo blamed the state government for
the crisis at Singur and said it had not yet made
public the land deal with the Tatas despite several
demands.

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