Jyoti Basu warns of tough measures on Singur

Kolkata, June 18 (UNI) Hinting that tough measures were ahead in pushing through the Tatas' small car project, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu today warned Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee that the Left Front Government would do its 'duty' if attempts were made to pull down the boundary wall of the site in Singur.

'' She is threatening that the Tata's wall will be pulled down. The Government will do what it is supposed to do if they resort to that kind of violence, '' he told reporters after attending the CPI(M) State Committee meeting.

The nonagenarian leader, who had earlier ruled out the possibility of returning land to any of the Singur farmers, as demanded by Ms Banerjee, today also shot down the proposal for shifting the car project to an alternative site.

To a question whether the compensation package had been prepared on the line of the demand of Ms Banerjee, the CPI(M) veteran shot back : '' What does her demand mean ? she said there is a 600-acre plot(for shifting the project), but that is owned by individuals. How they (Tatas) can go there, '' he asked.

He said the compensation package the Government was working on for the section of Singur farmers whose land had been taken against their wishes, would be finalised by tomorrow and shortly it would be made available to the affected people.

'' The work on the package is almost over. I am impressed with it...today there is a hearing on Singur in the High Court. Then we will go for distribution of it among the farmers, '' he said.

Mr Basu's comments were significant in the background of the adamant stand of Ms Banerjee, who had threatened to pull down the boundary wall of the Tatas' site if about 400 out of a total 997 acre of land acquired for the project, was not returned to the original owners, who had allegedly been forced to part with their plots.

In a meeting with Mr Basu at his residence early this month, the Trinamool leader had assured cooperation in bringing peace back to Nandigram if the Government conceded her demand.

However, the CPI(M) and the ruling Left Front found it impossible to comply with her demand since such an act, they observed, would jeopardise the whole project.

To another question, Mr Basu said the peace process for Nandigram would continue at local level, and not at the state-level, as demanded by the Trinamool-led opposition.

UNI