[mukto-mona] Reporting on Singur

Here goes a bunch of news and views on the historic agreement to end the impasse at Singur's Tata Morors (Nano) plant from the Sakaal Times, a newspaper belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar's family.
The Kolkata correspondent, former Ananda Bazar Patrika, discovered that Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee created the trouble by harping on 400 acre demand, proving not only his allegiance to ABP but showing his indirect support to the CPM-Tata- pliant 24 Ghanta&Star Anada TV channel.
But industrial tycoon, Rahul Bajaj appreciates Mamata's concern for the Tatas.
 
Siddhartha Ghosh,
Bhowanipur, Kolkata
 

SINGUR DEADLOCK - Tatas keep the brakes on by Rajat Roy 9 Sep 08 (http://epaper.sakaaltimes.com/default.aspx?selPg=128&page=09_09_2008_001.jpg&ed=987&BMode=100&artHigh=14)

Nano continues to wade through choppy waters.

A day after the WB government and the agitators led by Mamata Banerjee reached an understanding to end the Singur deadlock, Tata Motors said the company was "distressed at the limited clarity" in the outcome of the discussions.

The company has also written to the government seeking clari?cation on the agreement in the wake of con?icting reports about the return of the project land to farmers.

The government has not so far given details of the settlement. However, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Ba nerjee has told her supporters that 300 acres of the project land would be returned to farmers, besides 100 acres from outside.

On its part, the state government on Monday ruled out any change in the project or any relocation of the vendors' park.

At Singur, the work remains suspended amid clear indications that the Tatas were ready to resume work.

The company has a reason: the agreement reportedly impacts a number of ancillary units within the factory area.

In a statement, the company reiterated that the viability of the Singur project depended mostly on the integral nature of the mother plant and the ancillary units.

It said the management would review its decision for suspension of work "only if we are satis?ed that the viability of the project is not being impinged, the integral nature of the mother plant and our ancillary units are being maintained and all stakeholders are committed to developing a long-term congenial environment for smooth operations of the plant".

Mamata Banerjee has already told her supporters at Singur that her party has only suspended its inde?nite dharna at Singur and not withdrawn it. "We may resume our dharna if the demands of the farmers — as re?ected in the agreement — were not met," Banerjee said.

In Delhi, apex business chambers on Monday rallied behind Tata Motors. While the industry bodies lauded West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, they demanded that ?ner details of the agreement between the state government and the Trinamool Congress be made public. The on-off tussle at Singur signi?es several lessons for all the stakeholders in the Tata Motors ultra-low-cost car project. The unprecedented response to agitation over 'forcible' land acquisition for setting up an industrial unit is not merely an issue of better land price for the farmers. The policy makers and corporate czars have to understand the historic linkages that land signi?es in a country traumatised by a long colonial rule.

A long-term rehabilitation and resettlement of those impacted adversely by making them stakeholders in these projects is essential. Any rehabilitation and resettlement and rehabilitation have to entail job opportunities and reasonable monetary packages for the people of the region. This issue has dogged several special economic zone (SEZ) projects.

Commerce secretary G K Pillai has gone on record saying that the compensation offered to the farmers of Singur was inadequate.

Apart from this, the memorandum of understanding reached between Tata Motors and the state government was not made public. In an era of information overdose, such a move was counter-productive and set off rumours and outlandish claims by those opposed to the land acquisition.

As mercurial Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee upped the ante to corner its arch rival Communist Party of India (Marxist), governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi moved in to salvage the situation. He persuaded Banerjee and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to agree to a land for land formula to end the row. However, in all these protracted negotiations, Tata Motors representatives were not present as if they were not a party to the dispute.

And, the result was there for all to see. The euphoria over settlement of Singur land row was an extremely short-lived affair. Before the ink could dry on the agreement, Tatas announced their decision to continue with the suspension of work at Singur plant.

Blaming limited clarity on the outcome of discussions between West Bengal government and the agitators, Tata Motors spokesman said, "the company is obliged to continue the suspension of construction and commissioning work at the Nano plant." The announcement puts a question mark on the agreement brokered by the governor. "We will review our stated position only if we are satis?ed that the viability of the project is not being impinged, the integral nature of the mother plant and our ancillary units are being maintained and all stakeholders are committed to develop a long term congenial environment for smooth operations of the plant in Singur," Tata spokesman stated. Similar concerns were raised by Confederation of Indian Industry chief mentor Tarun Das.

>>

BAJAJ SPEAKS - 'Mamata fought for farmers, not politics'

New Delhi Bureau 9 Sep 08 (http://epaper.sakaaltimes.com/default.aspx?selPg=128&page=09_09_2008_001.jpg&ed=987&BMode=100&artHigh=14)

 

Leading industri alist Rahul Bajaj came out in strong support of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, saying she was "not playing politics over the Singur issue" and was "?ghting for farmers".

Reacting to resolution of Singur impasse, the Bajaj Automobiles chairman said, "The agreement is subject to scrutiny of details worked out between the three parties, i.e.

the vendors, Mamata and the West Bengal government." Asked about his opinion on how he considered the decision, Bajaj said, "I am not sure what Tata Motors says on that but I do not believe that the West Bengal government would have given any commitment without ?rst consulting Tata Motors. I hope its October and Singur for Tata's Nano." Bajaj went on say that two-years back the West Bengal government did not take the issue raised by Mamata Bannerjee "seriously".

He stated that the fact that ancillary units are having to be moved cited "insensitiv ity on part of the West Bengal government." "Why are the ancillary units being moved now? Who was at fault? There was insensitivity on the part of the West Bengal government...then maybe they were at fault. I am not saying if the Tata's are at fault or not. There was a problem and it was buried for too long a duration," he said.

Asked if the Tata's Nano project got caught in a political turf war, Bajaj responded, "Mamataji's party was trying to help poor farmers and calling it politics will be unfair.

>>

IN FOCUS - Industry bodies welcome Singur accord

Wants details of agreement between the state government and agitating Opposition to be made public

New Delhi: Apex business chambers on Monday welcomed the agreement reached between the West Bengal government and Trinamool Congress, which has been spearheading a farmers' agitation against 'forcible' acquisition, to make way for Tata Motors small car project at Singur.

Welcoming West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi's initiative to resolve the Singur issue, industry chamber Ficci urged that all concerned should sit down to work out the details of the plan for a quick resolution of the crisis and resumption of plant construction work.

Ficci said it "is concerned that devil is in the details." It said ancillary and vendor development is very critical from the point of view of employment generation. It sought an all-round settlement, "which is a win-win for the government, the Opposition, the Tatas, the ancillary units, the vendors and the farmers." Ficci secretary general Amit Mitra said the Tatas would have to do cost-bene?t analysis about the feasibility following the agreement and "that is why we are not getting a reaction from the Tatas perhaps".

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, too, lauded the resolution of Singur imbroglio.

The chamber's secretary general Krishan Kalra said, "It is a happy augury that there is a political consensus to continue with the project, which is going to create a large number of (avenues of) employment and to change the industrial landscape of West Bengal. It's also important that we should avoid sending a wrong message to international investors.

Our compliments are to all stakeholders, who have initiated the compromise formula, including the governor, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhat tacharjee, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee and Tata Motors chief Ratan Tata." Kalra said it is also a testimony that how vexatious political issues can be sorted out across the table in a spirit of give and take. "I hope Singur will be a classic example for others to follow in case of an impasse or political resistance." He hoped that the work in Singur would start soon and the target set for rolling out of the Nano is met. It is also important to have a committee to identify issues which might crop up in future and to resolve them without getting it precipitated.

However, unable to see through the government-Opposition agreement, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) chief mentor Tarun Das sounded a note of caution. "It is not clear what this agreement actually means. Does it ensure the continued viability of the Nano project?" He also wondered whether the agreement would mean "sustained peace to enable uninterrupted work in the long term." It would be helpful to get clari?cation on these issues, Das said.

Another chamber, Assocham, said the West Bengal government should clarify what transpired during the talk to completely assure the Tatas that nothing "untoward" would happen at Singur. "This will give them (Tata Motors) con?dence in taking up the construction activities," Assocham president Sajjan Jindal said.

Unclear deal

Ficci says it is concerned that the devil is in the details.It said ancillliary and vendor development is very crucial for employment generation.

Leading industri- alist Rahul Bajaj came out in strong support of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, saying she was "not playing politics over the Singur issue" and was "?ghting for farmers". Reacting to resolution of Singur impasse, the Bajaj Automobiles chairman said, "The agreement is subject to scrutiny of details worked out between the three parties, i.e. the vendors, Mamata and the West Bengal government." Asked about his opinion on how he considered the decision, Bajaj said, "I am not sure what Tata Motors says on that but I do not believe that the West Bengal government would have given any com- mitment without ?rst consult- ing Tata Motors. I hope its October and Singur for Tata's Nano." Bajaj went on say that two-years back the West Ben- gal government did not take the issue raised by Mamata Bannerjee "seriously". He stated that the fact that ancillary units are having to be moved cited "insensitiv- ity on part of the West Bengal government." "Why are the an- cillary units being moved now? Who was at fault? There was insensitivity on the part of the West Bengal government...then maybe they were at fault. I am not saying if the Tata's are at fault or not. There was a prob- lem and it was buried for too long a duration," he said. Asked if the Tata's Nano project got caught in a politi- cal turf war, Bajaj responded, "Mamataji's party was trying to help poor farmers and calling it politics will be unfair.

 

 

 

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