No compromise on 400 acres land from Tata project: Mamata

Singur, Aug 31 (UNI) Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said her party was ready for talks with the government but insisted on having an assurance for return of 400 acres of land from Tata's car project here.

She said this after return of a 16-member delagation that had called on Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi at Raj Bhawan in Kolkata.

" We assured the Governor that the Trinamool Congress is always ready for talks with the state government," Ms Banerjee told the reporters after getting briefed from the delegation members.

" We also made it clear to him (governor) that there will be no compromise on our demand for returning of the 400 acres of land acquired forcefully from the unwilling farmers,'' Ms Banerjee said.

She said the party would decide about the persons representing her side in such discussions if at all held. She said only those associated with the movement would be selected for talks with the government.

"The indefinite dharna will continue unless a solution is reached," she reiterated.

She informed that a 500-acre low lying land opposite to the Tata project on the other side of the highway could serve as an alternative site for setting ancillary industry for the Nano plant, after returning the 400 acre of land.

The delegation to Raj Bhawan was in response to Governor's letter to Ms Banerjee urging her to agree for talks with the state government to resolve the Singur impasse.

She said a meeting will be convened here tomorrow to chalk out programme on how to save the smaller business people from growing shopping malls across the state.

As Ms Banerjee's indefinite dharna entered the eighth day today, no work was done in the small car project for the third consecutive day following a decision of the authorities.

Earlier in the day, Left Front Commitee chairman Biman Bose today said they they were considering a proposal to call an all-party meeting on Singur issue, The proposal for an all-party meet on Singur impasse came up at a Left Front meeting today which all top ranking leaders of the Front, including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, attended.

Mr Bose, in a statement, said the proposal was under consideration, adding that the next Left Front next meeting would be held on September 2.

Mr Bose called upon the ''democracy-loving and honest'' people to remain alert and vigilant.

Meanwhile, more than 16,000 people signed up in favour of the Tata's project during a day-long campaign at the IT hub of sector five in the city's Salt Lake area.

Techies, students, teachers and housewives put up their signatures on 200-foot flex sheet.

Organised by a group formed through the campaign website ''http://wesupporindustry.silicogene.com/ISR'', the campaign will be spread to other areas of the city also, one of the organisers said.

UNI XC-SB PC AB 2116