KOLKATA: An overwhelming 85 per cent of West Bengal’s population back Tata Motors’ Nano project at Singur, but 70 per cent respondents are of the view that the issue has been ‘‘over-politicised’’, an Assocham survey has revealed. In its study covering 2000 people in 12 districts of the state, Assocham found that around 1,700 respondents were of the view that the Tatas should be persuaded to stay put in Singur. More than 80 per cent of those surveyed went to the extent of saying that Bengal needs more Nano-type projects to give a fillip to the manufacturing sector. Over 1,580 respondents were of the view that the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government should focus more on manufacturing and less on IT because of the former’s ability to create jobs even for unskilled workers. Assocham said 1,400 respondents held that the problems faced by the small-car project were due to its over-politicisation. Around 50 per cent of those surveyed said, “The issue was mishandled for which the blame could be placed on local administration and political outfits that have being stiffly opposing (the) Nano (venture).’’ Nearly 1,000 respondents or 50 per cent of those surveyed said that given the size of the project and fertility of soil, ‘‘the compensation package needs to be made much more attractive to adequately compensate the land oustees’’.
Protest may backfire for Mamata
KOLKATA: With Tata Motors announcing pullout plans from Singur because of Mamata Banerjee’s agitation that has virtually shut down work on the Nano plant, the Trinamool Congress chief faces the biggest challenge of her political career. Industrial units shutting down due to political unrest and militant trade unionism is nothing new in West Bengal but the Tata Motors’ small-car project is different. The state government had been touting the Nano project as the symbol of Bengal’s industrial resurgence. With the name of the Tatas — the oldest and one of the most respected industrial houses in the country — tagged to the project, the plant is vital to the state’s brand image. By taking on the Tatas, Mamata has challenged the might of almost the entire India Inc. There have been protests against her agitation from different corners of the country. The real threat to the state is that the withdrawal of Tatas may trigger a flight of new investments. Predictably, mass protests against Mamata’s stir like signature campaigns and candlelight marches have been noticed in urban areas. In case the Tatas really act on their pullout threat, Mamata is likely to face an erosion in her vote-bank in urban areas, which have been Trinamool’s traditional areas of strength. Mamata is aware of this, but the Trinamool-led Krishi Jami Raksha Committee has a different view. ‘‘Even after making our opposition to the Nano project clear, Trinamool has done well in the recent panchayat polls. It isn’t correct to say that we might lose urban votes because of this,’’ argues a KJRC leader. For Mamata, there may be a different reason for plunging headlong into the agitation against forcible land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram, knowing that she runs the risk of being branded ‘‘anti-industry’’. The ruling CPM had grown in rural areas and urban voters had traditionally voted against it. For the past two-and-a-half decades, Opposition has drawn its sustenance from cities and towns. But with CPM changing tactics and projecting itself as a champion of industrialization, there is a danger that it will take the wind out of the sail of the opposition in their bastion. The process of industrialisation and the attendant problem of land acquisition have created, however, a grievance in rural areas and Mamata is trying to capitalise on this. Since her own party had little organisational strength in rural Bengal and Trinamool leaders, mostly urban-based, had little experience in farmers’ stir, Mamata depended on Left-wing outfits like SUCI and Naxalite groups for help. This has given a militant dimension to her movement, hitherto unknown in Trinamool’s brand of politics ( END ) Source: Times of India
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