We are not pulling out of Bengal: Ratan Tata

Kolkata, Dec 27: Giving a boost to the Left Front government in West Bengal, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata today announced that there was no question of taking the small car project to some other state.

''Not just politics, but also our business competitors are responsible for the growing trouble in Bengal,'' Mr Tata said in an interview to a private news channel.

The announcement came at a time when the state is on a boil over the Tata's acquisition of land for a small car project in Singur in Hooghly district.

Ms Mamata Banerjee, supremo of the state's major opposition party Trinamool Congress, has been on a fast for the past 24 days protesting the 'forcible' acquisition of 'agricultural' land.

However, state Industries Minister Nirupom Sen immediately welcomed Mr Tata's decision.

Mr Tata said he would not bow to any pressure or external threat.

''If someone holds a gun to my head, they are welcome to pull the trigger. I am not the kind to leave under pressure or threat,'' he clarified.

Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee's health sharply deteriorated yesterday and she had to be put on oxygen.

She is continuing with her hunger strike having refused several dignitaries, including Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and the Prime Minister's emissary Union Minister P R Dasmunshi.

Veteran Marxist Jyoti Basu and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had also appealed to her to end her fast and come to the negotiation table.

But the impasse continued with Ms Banerjee maintaining that she would not end her strike unless the 'forcibly' acquired land was returned to the farmers and prohibitory orders repealed from Singur.

Mr Bhattacharjee too stuck to his stand that his government could not roll back the decision of offering land to the Tata Motors.

However, Mr Bhattacharjee had been urging the leader to come and sit for a dialogue with him and has already sent her two letters.

UNI

Related Stories
NDA for Prez intervention to save Mamata