Opposition stages walkout from Bengal Assembly

Kolkata, Nov 23 (UNI) The Trinamool Congress, the Congress and the SUCI today walked out of the West Bengal Assembly, protesting the ruling party's ''adamant'' attitude towards allocating farm land to Tata Motors for setting up a small car unit.

Opposition members demanded the government immediately withdraw from the proposed plan and identify barren land in some other area for the project.

However, replying to the Opposition's allegation, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Industry Minister Nirupam Sen sought wholehearted cooperation from them.

Both Mr Bhattacharjee and Mr Sen said keeping in mind the bright future of the state following rapid industrialisation, the Opposition should desist from carrying out such protest.

Quoting government figures, both of them said only a portion of the total 998 acre land required for the project and ancilliary units was multi-crop and the government had taken all steps to provide adequate compensation and alternative employment opportunities to those who had willingly given their land.

Mr Bhattacharjee said keeping in mind the industrial prospect of the state, talks were already on with two other auto manufacturers - Ashok Leyland and Mahindra&Mahindra, in a bid to attract them for setting up their plants in the state.

He, however, made it clear the government in the name of democratic movement, would not allow any indiscipline and would do everything necessary to acquire land for the proposed unit.

Describing the Opposition move to discuss the issue as the adjournment bid for the state's industrialisation programme, the Chief Minister ridiculed them for putting up a hindrance to the state government's attempt to set up a nuclear power plant in the state besides setting up the SEZs in Haldia.

Coming back to the Singur and deal, already Rs 73.19 crore had been disbursed among the willing farmers and there was no question of the state government's backtracking.

Later, Trinamool Congress members, led by Opposition leader in the House Partha Chatterjee (Trinamool Congress), sat on a dharna in the House and said they would submit a memorandum to Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi this afternoon seeking his immediate intervention on the issue.

Among others Congress Legislature party leader in the House Manas Bhunia, Trinamool Congress leaders Sougata Roy, Sonali Guha and Sovandeb Chattopadhaya and CPI(M)'s Dibyendu Chakravarty took part in the motion.

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