Farmers in Singur don't want TATAs to leave

Singur, West Bengal: In a fresh twist to the controversy over the Nano car project in Singur, farmers whose land had been acquired for the plant have now said they do not want TATA Motors Chairman Ratan Tata to pull out of West Bengal.

Their reaction came a day after Ratan Tata threatened to leave West Bengal.

Marginal land owner Debaprasad Das whose 0.75 acres was taken for the project, but who had not taken his cheque as he had supported the agitation against land acquisition, saying he wanted industrialisation.

"People would be disheartened if the TATAs left," Das said.

"Many Krishi Jami Raksha Committee workers are working in the small car project. We want the factory to come up as it would improve our situation," he added.

Another marginal farmer Manik Das of Baraberri Purbapara whose land too was acquired for the project said the TATAs should not pull out of Singur. However, Das who is also a member of the Trinamool Congress dominated Zilla Parishad said, the project should not come up on fertile land.

"The ancillary units should be relocated but industrialisation is needed in Singur," said Manik Das.

Farmers who have not given land for the project too were dejected as they felt that the TATAs should not leave.

Meanwhile, members of the Trinamool Congress backed Krishi Jami Raksha Committee prepared to dig in its heels for an indefinite dharna outside the TATA Motors factory in West Bengal starting Sunday.

West Bengal Home Secretary, Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said, "There wll be no police action unless there is threat to TATA's plant. Section 144 has not been imposed in Singur. We will allow Mamata Bannerjee to carry on peacful agitation on Sunday."

The SDPO of Hoogli, Kalyan Bandopadya, added that a total of 5,000 police personnel have been deployed to Singur and that they are ready for any untoward incident.