Basu hints at CPI(M) formula on Mamata's demand over Singur

Kolkata, June 8 (UNI) Hinting that the Left Front Government was seriously considering Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee's demand for returning land to 300 'unwilling' farmers of Singur, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu today said a formula was being worked out dealing with various aspects of the issue.

''We have some points, including legal ones. The issue of giving back land is also to be looked into. Industry Minister Nirupam Sen is putting on paper all these things...'' he told reporters after attending the CPI(M) State Secretariat meeting.

In reply to a question whether alternative land would be provided to the farmers who had refused to accept compensation cheques for their plots, acquired for the Tata Motors' project, Mr Basu said there was no such land at Singur.

''Alternative land is available in other places. But why should they go there,'' he asked.

Replying to another question, Mr Basu asserted that a solution to the problem was very much possible, but it depended on the Trinamool Congress whether the stalemate would be over shortly.

''They (Trinamool Congress) will be told about our views. How do I know what they will do,'' he said.

Attended by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Left Front Committee Chairman Biman Basu, the State Secretariat meeting discussed in detail the Trinamool leader's demand that she raised during a meeting with the CPI(M) patriarch on June four.

While assuring that her party would cooperate in the homecoming of 2,000-odd CPI(M) supporters, who still remained evicted in the continued political violence in Nandigram, Ms Banerjee told Mr Basu that the Government must either give back land to the unwilling farmers of Singur or look for an alternative site for the project.

A day before she warned at Singur that the Rs 1,000-crore project would never be allowed to come up unless the land was returned to the 300 farmers who had not given up plots willingly.

Threatening to intensify her agitation, the Trinamool leader also resolved to take out 'Bhookha Michchil' of the Singur farmers in five cities across the country to highlight their plight.

Even though work for the factory on 997 acres of land was in full swing, her threatening sounded an alarm in the Government and the CPI(M) with the possibility of the prestigious project getting delayed or even the Tatas being forced to shift it to some other state.

Assuring that her demand would be looked into, Mr Basu briefed Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and few other senior party functionaries and ministers on details of the meeting the next day.

UNI