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Monday, Dec 04, 2006
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Opposition must review stand: Buddhadeb

Special Correspondent

"Without industry and commerce there can be no progress"

PHOTO: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

"NOT IN CONFLICT": Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu on Sunday told a rally in Kolkata that the move towards industrialisation is not to jeopardise "our agricultural achievements." At the same meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee appealed to the Opposition parties to give up resistance to the car plant proposed by the Tatas at Singur.

KOLKATA: Appealing to the Opposition parties to "rethink" their resistance to the proposed setting up of the car manufacturing plant at Singur in West Bengal's Hooghly district, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Sunday that "they [the Opposition] were yet to understand the gains that are in store [with the setting up of industry in the area]... . even though they might not be the sort to agree".

"It is not a matter of opposing the State Government any longer; it involves the very future of the entire State," Mr. Bhattacharjee told a rally organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). "There can be no going back; the people have given us the mandate to go forward... .without industry and commerce there can be no progress," he said.

The move towards industrialisation was not being taken by ignoring the agricultural sector, veteran Marxist leader, Jyoti Basu, pointed out. "Are we fools that we will jeopardise our agricultural achievements of all these years? We have the need for land for more industries and are providing compensation to those providing it on a scale never done elsewhere in the country," he said.

"There can be no alternative to industrialisation," Mr. Bhattacharjee said. "We have to hold onto our successes in agriculture, protect our food security and also create more job opportunities by setting up new industries and infrastructure projects for which there is need of land. There is need for caution to meet this need of which we are aware," he added.

The rally was organised in support for nationwide strike called by Left trade unions and organisations on December 14 in protest against the Centre's economic policies. "Only making demands is not enough; we have to strengthen our organisations and make the public conscious... .When we strike or call a hartal we do so for the betterment of the people, not to put them into difficulty," Mr. Basu said.

Referring to the Singur project, Mr. Bhattacharjee reminded those opposing it that it "would create jobs for thousands of people of the region" as what is being set up is not just an automobile plant but its several ancillary units. "The entire economy of Singur will change and this will have a bearing on economy of the entire State".

"The Opposition seems to have got its calculations wrong when it comes to the assets and man-days industry in the area would generate. There is need for them to rework on their calculations," he said. He blamed "some outsiders for stirring unrest during the fencing of the site earmarked for the project by attacking the police."

"The police cannot sit still, but neither do they attack unless attacked... ..Attacking people is not our principle," the Chief Minister said.

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