State government must give back land to farmers in Singur, says Mamata

Kamarkundu (Kolkata), May 26 : Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee has demanded that the State Government return land to the farmers who have refused to accept compensation.

"Even it is just two years of our movement still we are ready to fight for the rights for years to come. The farmers who have not accepted the compensation should be given back 400 acres of land. The Left has to listen to the demand," she said in a public meeting here on Sunday.

At Singur, 1,000 acres of fertile land belonging to farmers was allegedly acquired by the Communist-led government in West Bengal without the consent of the farmers for handing over to Tata's for a passenger car project.

The State Government also vainly tried to acquire 19,000 acres for a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district without consent from villagers.

Nandigram and Singur became politically volatile zones after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's government started implementing its industrialization policy.

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress party this month wrested control of the three 'Zilla Parishad' seats in Singur.

The Left Front also faced a rout in the Zilla Parishad polls in East Midnapur where trouble-torn Nandigram is located.

The results have dealt a heavy blow to the 'Left Front' already mired in trouble with some farmers alleging the government of grabbing lands of the farmers against their will.

ANI