WHY SO MUCH NOISE AT SINGUR

For an investment of only Rs. 1500 crores

COMPARED TO JHARKHAND AND ORISSA

FOUR LAKH CRORE AT JHARKHAND

Land acquisition is a major hurdle

But very little Noise when compared to Singur.

We see in news channels, in print media, in discussion forums and people discussion Singur in the state of West Bengal and also at many other areas. This is definitely not a coincidence until and unless something is special about the whole thing. I would like to discuss about the whole drum beating of SINGUR, SINGUR, Singur… every where Singur… be it media, be it discussion forums or blogs, there is a hue and cry as if that with exit of Tata's dream US $ 2500 / 2000 Euro or Lakhtakia car project from Singur, sky is going to fall on West Bengal. Illusion has been created in the minds of people of the state that the Tatas small project at Singur to assemble / make a small car is the ultimate solution to the unemployment problem of the state. However, there are many hidden faces that need to be exposed to clear the clouds of confusion. But state government prefers to hide them under the veil of secrecy confirms the doubt that every thing is not gold that glitters.  

Ratan Tata himself stated before a year that even at gun pointed on his head, he will not move is the same person who now says though they have invested 1500 crore at Singur, they can move. People of Singur had not gone to Mumbai to invite him to take away their precious farm land but the day Buddhadeb Bhattacharya sworn as CM of West Bengal, Ratan Tata announced the Nano project to be set up in West Bengal. This can not be a mere coincidence. Double talk of Ratan Tata has proved beyond doubt that he is playing black mailing tactics to create further pressure on those persons in the corridors of power who have already bowed down before him on their knees. They with both eyes closed and shutters of mind pulled down, inked on the dotted lines to see that Ratan Tata cancels his ticket to the rural hilly interior terrain of Uttaranchal.  There is hell and heaven difference between Pant Nagar and Singur. The agreement released recently further confirms what I state. Land is given virtually free of cost with a bonus of Rs. 200 Crore with a laughingly low rate of interest to be repaid after 21 years. Monetary concessions in shape of differed payment of VAT for 30 years and other sops are extra gifts. If every thing is fair, why Tatas had to go to Hon'ble High Court to obtain a stay to ensure the secret part of the deal remains secret. If it would have been a document with their 50 : 50 partnership with Fiat of Italy, or agreement with vendors or bankers it is a different matter altogether where secrecy is related to business but a welfare state inks a document and in a democratic country, people are not allowed to know what is promised by their government, to whom they have voted to power. Great !! Secrecy of the deal with state further confirms our doubt that even dipper conspiracy has been hatched. What are the hidden costs and at what consequences on the people of the state? Government knows that they are a welfare state and not an agent of an industrial house. They are answerable to the people. By not releasing the facts, creditability of the government and more particularly of Industries Minister who has totally failed to protect the strategic interest of the state and its people. 

Comparatively small investment of Tata Motors, which will hardly employ 500 persons is not a solution to the unemployed problem. It is surprising to see lot of noise made in the matter of Singur. Sky is not going to fall on Singur or State if Tatas finally decides to move out. (I bet, they will never, never move out) No body on the earth is going to give them what they have received at Singur. Tatas know the problems in those states who invite him are much more and difficult. Five crore worth MoUs at Jharkhand, but not a single inch of land could be possessed. What has happened to the survey staff of Bhushan Steel, close to Tatanagar is seen by every one media. Kalinga Nagar, they are not able to put a single brick and at Chhattisgarh also, they are sailing in extreme rough weathers. POSCO with 52000 Crore investment is trying hard to even enter those areas on which they have set their eyes. Tatas knows much better than any body else how difficult the situation is elsewhere. National Highway 200 at Kalinga Nagar in Orissa was totally under seize for 14 months and economic blockade continued for few more months. This must be the world record of any National Highway blocked for so long. Few days of democratic agitation at Singur on express saw people from all sections of society, crying and shouting at top of their voice, as if the future of Bengal is at risk if Nano is born outside the state. This raises another question, why people of the state and more particularly the youth are under illusion?

Tata's Rs. 10,000 crore green field steel plant project has also run in to difficult waters at Bastar in Chhattisgarh state. Tribals have strongly protested to give even an inch of their land. They are firm in their determination to resist any move of the state to forcibly displace them. No body should be surprised if another Nandigram or Kalinga Nagar at Lohandiguda is repeated, if state tries to act heavier on its own people. But no noise.

Now finally, there are confirmed reports that 1000 Nanos are all set to be born at Tata Motors Pune Maternity Home raises the curtain of another part of the drama. This may be a political gimmick to impress upon the people of West Bengal that we did it every thing, but farmers and few political persons who are opposed to industrialization, to the growth of the state, those who oppose for the sake of opposing. If the state plays game to create a similar impression in the minds of the unemployed educated youth, we should not be surprised. The famous proverb comes in my mind, " One wrong spoken by 100 persons, makes others to believe it as right. This is the reality of Singur.

People of the state of West Bengal know what is good and what bad, politics apart. To those who want to see Singur as Jamshedpur should also visit the habitats of the people living in the periphery of that city or meet the workers at Tata Refractory at Belpahar and iron ore mines in Orissa, meet the victims at Tata Salt plants at Gujarat, they will see for themselves the truth. Clouds of illusion will vanish in thin air within no time. There are many stories to tell the truth. It is now up to the government of West Bengal, how they deal with the situation in the long term strategic interest of the state. 

Pravin Patel