The Hindu : Front Page : Mamata falls ill on the 23rd day of her fast

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Wednesday, Dec 27, 2006
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Mamata falls ill on the 23rd day of her fast

Staff Reporter

Still firm on demand over Singur project

— Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

SECOND VISIT: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in conversation with BJP president Rajnath Singh in Kolkata on Tuesday.

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KOLKATA: As her indefinite fast entered the 23rd day on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee developed breathing problems and had to be administered oxygen.

Ms. Banerjee has refused to call off her fast till the West Bengal Government stopped the alleged forcible acquisition of land for setting up the proposed Tata car factory at Singur in Hooghly district.

Ms. Banerjee, however, declined to accept the medical facilities arranged by the Government, consisting of two ambulances and a team of doctors, which have since been put on standby.

Earlier in the day, BJP president Rajnath Singh visited Ms. Banerjee and assured her that his party was by her side. He also announced that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would hold a meeting on Wednesday at the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence to formulate a strategy regarding the Singur crisis and devise ways to carry out nationwide protests.

On his second visit to meet Ms. Banerjee ever since she started her indefinite fast, Mr. Singh said that the crisis in food security would be heightened if agricultural land was acquired for industrialisation. Stating that he had come to enquire about Ms. Banerjee's health, Mr. Singh said that he would apprise the NDA leaders about the situation prevailing here. He said that Mr. Vajpayee had also expressed concern about Ms. Banerjee's deteriorating health.

Mr. Singh said that while neither the BJP nor the Trinamool Congress opposed industrialisation, the NDA had decided, following their National Council meeting in Lucknow, that fertile land could not be acquired for setting up industries or Special Economic Zones and waste or arid land should be used for the purpose. "We have issued instructions to the BJP-ruled State governments along similar lines," he added.

Mr. Singh said that there was no need to talk to the Tatas to find a way out as it was the sole responsibility of the State Government to resolve the problem.

Some Trinamool Congress leaders courted arrest in front of Writers Building, the seat of government, when they violated the prohibitory orders in protest against the alleged forcible acquisition of land for the Tata factory.

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