Singur's Tata Motors plant workers stranded, following siege

Singur, Aug 28 (UNI) The Paschim Banga Khet Majur Samity along with Trinamool Congress workers today virtually laid a siege to Tata Motors' small car unit here, preventing 300 workers from leaving the site.

Altogether six buses carrying the workers were stranded in the face of a blockade, spearheaded by socialist leader Anuradha Talwar at 1600 hrs, when they were about to exit the project site through the gate at Joymolla under police escort.

'' We will not let them leave unless our demand for the return of 400 acre of land is met, '' Ms Talwar said.

The workers remained stranded till the report was filed.

The attendance of the contract labourers in the Singur unit was 15-20 per cent today, official sources said.

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed a action of print and electronic media, alleging them of misleading the people.

She alleged that police and administration had been orchestrating the blockade and passing the buck on Trinamool Congress, thereby tarnishing the party image.

Ms Banerjee said her party workers did not create any obstacle on National Highway Two, informing that the platform for her indefinite dharna did not lie on the arterial road.

Meanwhile, thousands of vehicles carrying goods got stranded on Delhi Road, which was the only alternative to the arterial road connecting Kolkata to Burdwan, Birbhum and Bankura districts.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion of the foundation for the party's student wing, All India Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, she said campaigns would be conducted in schools and colleges for strengthening the demand for the return of 400 acre of land to the ''unwilling'' farmers.

The Trinamool Congress will also organise a road blockade programme across the state for an hour tomorrow from 1600 hrs in support of its demands.

Federation of West Bengal Trade Associations chairman Mahesh Singhnia called for ending the Singur stalemate immediately as lots of perishable commodities were decomposing following the blockade on NH 2.

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