Trinamool flays Ratan Tata's comments on Singur
Kolkata, Aug 11 (UNI) A day after Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata alleged that vested interests were at work in Singur, the Trinamool Congress today demanded that the deal for setting up the small car factory could be made public.
In an outburst against Mr Tata's remarks, Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee also threatened that the ambitious project would never be allowed to come up unless farmers' interests were protected.
''The deal the Tatas have struck with the state government had never been spelt out in the Assembly either by the Chief Minister or the Industry Minister. We want that it is made public,'' he told a press conference at the Trinamool Bhavan.
Denying that the Trinamool Congress had any vested interest in Singur, Mr Chatterjee said the remark of the Tata Group captain was an insult to the local farmers and those associated with the anti-land acquisition movement.
''Mr Tata is an industrialist, but he is speaking like a CPI(M) Polit Bureau member. It is better that he refrains from making such comments. The acquired land in Singur will have to be returned and the small car factory will never come up unless farmers' interests are addressed,'' he said.
Talking to reporters at the end of Tata Tea AGM yesterday, Mr Tata said the Singur project was getting delayed and that vested interests were active there.
He, however, assured that Tata Motors would use its capabilities to ensure that there was no time to run the project, having a deadline for start producing small cars next year.
While observing that West Bengal as one of the most investment friendly states in the country, Mr Tata also described Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as 'pragmatic'.
However, not pleased at the encomiums Mr Tata showered on the Chief Minister, the Trinamool leader said the people of West Bengal would be judging his comments.
UNI