V P joins failed leaders to dissuade Mamata

Kolkata, Dec 15(UNI) Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee today turned down the request of former Prime Minister V P Singh to withdraw her indefinite hunger strike and demanded that the Left Front Government soften its attitude on the Singur issue.

Mr Singh, who joined the list of all those dignitares including West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and BJP President Rajnath Singh, who failed to persuade Ms Banerjee to break her fast, came to the city on a day's visit to ascertain facts on Singur and mediate in the stand-off over the Tatas' small car project.

He met Ms Banerjee at the dharna manch in the city's Esplanade area and had an hour-long discussion on acquisition of agricultural land for the proposed project.

''I urged Ms Banerjee to break her fast, but she did not agree. Everybody has the right to a movement and can not be forced to withdraw. I would convey to the state government whatever she has told me,'' Mr Singh told reporters.

Earlier, the former Prime Minister met the Chief Minister for an hour at the state Secretariat to discuss details on Singur, including the rehabilitation package for the displaced farmers.

Describing the talks as 'positive', Mr Singh told reporters that they had discussed ''not only Singur, but also matters on a larger perspective concerning the whole country.'' However, though Mr Singh appeared to be satisfied with the clarifications of the Chief Minister on Singur, he made a futile attempt to dissuade the Trinamool leader who claimed that she was on the right track.

''With full conviction I can say that I am on the right track and I possess all the documents to prove myself regarding forcible eviction, atrocities by police and torture on women,'' she told Mr Singh.

Ms Banerjee also alleged that several jute mills and cold storage units at Singur were based on agriculture and grabbing of farm land there would jeopardise the livelihood of many.

She categorically stated that there was no point in budging from her stand as her very purpose of going on an indefinite strike was to protest the acquisition of agricultural land at Singur would be lost.

Last week the Chief Minister appealed to Ms.Banerjee to withdraw her protest and initiate dialogue with him on the rehabilitation and compensation of farmers. But the Trinamool leader summarily rejected it saying the Government should first stop acquisition of land.

The arrival of Mr Singh, a close ally of the Left parties, was being viewed as a significant event since he was said to be opposed to acquisition of agricultural land at Singur for setting up Tata Motors' small car factory, However, Mr Jyoti Basu told reporters after attending the CPI(M)'s state secretariat meeting that the former Prime Minister had been supplied wrong facts and the Chief Minister would convince him by presenting the correct informations.

He said the state government was ready to accept any suggestion offered by Mr Singh on the rehabilitation of the displaced farmers of Singur.

''The informations given to Mr Singh by some quarters on the rehabilitation package in Singur is not correct. The Chief Minister will give him the right picture when the two will meet,'' he said.

Mr Basu said he himself would also give Mr Singh some facts over the Tata Motors' small car factory.

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