The Hindu : National : Mamata extends campaign to Bhangar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2007
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National

National

Mamata extends campaign to Bhangar

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee extended her campaign against acquisition of farmland for industry to Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district on Monday — the proposed site for an infrastructure project to be set up by the Indonesian conglomerate, the Salim Group.

"The State Government should seek the mandate of the people on whether they are willing to give up their land for industry or not before proceeding with its plans for greater industrialisation," she said.

So far her campaign fosussed on Singur in Hooghly district, where a car manufacturing project is being set up by Tata Motors, and on Nandigram in Purbo Medinipur — the proposed site for a Special Economic Zone by the Salim Group.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, at a public meeting at Khejuri near Nandigram on Sunday, said there would be no forcible acquisition of land in the area.

If the people were against setting up of industry there, the SEZ could be set up elsewhere as no such project could come up without the consent of the local people.

"False statements"

Ridiculing Mr. Bhattacharjee's statement, Ms. Banerjee charged him with misguiding the people with such "false statements."

She said notices for acquisition of land in the area were yet to be withdrawn by the Government.

She repeated her claim that farmers at Singur had not given their consent to the acquisition of at least 400 acres of the 997 acres required by Tata Motors.

Ms. Banerjee addressed a rally near Singur on Saturday where she vowed to continue her campaign against setting up of the plant, warning Tata Motors "not to play with fire." "Singur is not a closed chapter" in our movement, she said.

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