Communists in West Bengal to garner support for Tata

Kolkata, Sept 13 : Communists in West Bengal on Saturday said they would create public awareness in support of the Tata plant project in state's Singur area.

Tata Motors is facing opposition in the state's Singur area, about an hour's drive from Kolkata, from where it is scheduled to roll out world's cheapest Nano car.

The state ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has asked its cadres to personally talk to the people over phone telling them about the benefits of the plant project.

"In order to create public awareness, we have requested our district level offices to tell people over phone about the benefits of the Tata factory in the place. Moreover, a meeting of the communist members is slated on September 15 and we have asked all our cadres to report in Singur on that day," Biman Bose, CPI (M) State Secretary told reporters in Kolkata.

The committee was formed as part of an agreement reached last Sunday between State's Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya and Mamata Banerjee, chief of Trinamool Congress at the Raj Bhavan to look for land available in the Tata Motors project area in Singur for farmers who have not been compensated.

Trouble began after the West Bengal government acquired 1000 acres of farmland for the car manufacturing plant last year. The government offered compensation, which some farmers rejected and the state's main opposition Trinamool Congress has been demanding that at least 400 acres be returned to farmers.

The government says it is in favour of a land-based solution for farmers but against disturbing the Tata Motors plant site.

ANI