Nano project: State govt affidavit misleading,Tata tells High Court

Advocate Sidhartha Mitra,another counsel of the Tata Motors,said an automobile industry cannot be shifted overnight. It takes time to set up an automobile factory and earn profits,he said. “We are not fly-by-night operators. We came here to set up an industry and we were forced to go,” he said.

Tata Motors shut down the project after a meeting with the state government in October 2008. Following that,the Nano project was shifted to Pantnagar in Uttar Pradesh,said Mitra.

Pal further said contrary to the state government’s argument that there has been a “fundamental breach of contract”,Tata Motors has maintained “honour and respect “.

“The new government is trying to make up good stories,” he said.

Pal said the small car project was important for industrialisation in the state as it did not have any automobile industry after Hindustan Motors. “The state did not get any benefit from the project as it failed to bring about a congenial atmosphere,” Pal said.