Ratan Tata's concern over Singur situation

Kolkata, Aug 22 (UNI) Tata group chairman, Ratan Tata has expressed concern over the situation in Singur regarding the small car project even though asserting that he was against relocating the project from West Bengal.

Mr Tata, who was in the city to attend Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Tata Tea Ltd, had held an unscheduled meeting with West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen last night.

Without detailing the agenda of the meeting, Mr Sen later told newspersons that he discussed with Mr Tata about the situation in Singur.

''He expressed his concern at the proposed indefinite agitational programme at Singur from August 24, '' the minister said.

Mr Tata also reportedly said he had invested in the project with a good objective and could not anticipate that the situation would come to such a pass.

Mr Tata, however, said that he was here not to go back.

''They have invested a lot at Singur, so they are unlikely to go back unless the situation compelled to do so,'' Mr Sen said.

Alleging that about 400 acres of the project land was forcibly acquired, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamta Banerjee has decided to go ahead with her agitational programme, demanding that the land should be given back to the farmers.

Even though the state government held a meeting with the TMC for a conciliation, the party stuck to its demand, at a meeting on August 20, where Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and the Industry minister were present.

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