Land cant be returned without scrapping project: Buddhadeb

  • 27/08/2008

  • Hindu (New Delhi)

"Singur is an exceptional case and not a general feature of the State' KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said land at the Singur Tata Motors project site could not be returned without scrapping the project. Many industrialists present at a meeting here, however, urged the government to try and resolve the matter by talking directly with the farmers who are said to be demanding their land back. Participating in an interactive session with industrialists, Mr. Bhattacharjee said he could not afford to roll back the project or allow other States to take it away. "I am trying to make the Opposition see reason. The car [Nano] is expected to roll out in October. I just cannot and should not stop it.' The session was organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India (ASSOCHAM). Mr. Bhattacharjee addressed a wide-range of industry concerns ranging from the impact of the Singur issue on the State's industrialisation to bandhs and gheraos. "Singur was an exceptional case and not a general feature of the State as a whole.' He said the entire thing was unfortunate and had never happened in any other State. Pointing out that he was unable to understand why the Singur issue turned out this way, he said the alignment of the acquired land became like a