Sticking to her stand of not acquiring land forcibly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she would prefer death than agree to it.
"I am against acquisition of land forcibly. We will not acquire land by pointing guns at farmers. I will prefer death than acquire land forcibly from farmers," Banerjee said here in North Dinajpur district on the second day of her tour of five districts. "I went on a 26-day fast and was about to die, but did not compromise," she said referring to her 26-day hunger-strike in December 2006 to demand return of 400 acre to farmers who unwillingly parted with their land for the Tata Motors small car project at Singur.