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This is an archive article published on November 10, 2023
Singur farmers suffered setback during Left & TMC tenures: BJP MLA
“Under the Left regime, farmers of Singur suffered because their land was acquired forcibly. But when their land was returned under the TMC's rule, the characteristics of land had changed and the government did not help them,” BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri said
BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri (Photo: X/@ashoklahiribjp)
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Singur farmers suffered setback during Left & TMC tenures: BJP MLA
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The farmers of Singur suffered twice during the government led by the Left Front and then the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri alleged on Thursday.
“Under the Left regime, farmers of Singur suffered because their land was acquired forcibly. But when their land was returned under the TMC’s rule, the characteristics of land had changed and the government did not help them.”
After Tata Motors announced in 2006 to set up a factory in Singur to produce its car Nano, the then Left Front government acquired 997 acres of land in Gopalnagar, Beraberi, Bajemelia, Khaser Bheri, Singherberi, and Joymollah.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, then an Opposition leader, led an agitation against the alleged forced land acquisition and sat on a 26-day-long hunger strike at Kolkata’s Esplanade in December 2007. Tata Motors pulled out of the project on in October 2008. The Supreme Court on August 31, 2016 ordered that the land be returned to farmers.
Recently, Tata Motors issued a statement that it was entitled to recover Rs 765.78 crore at an annual interest rate of 11% from the Bengal government from September 1, 2016, till the actual date of recovery.
It is also entitled to recover Rs 1 crore as costs of proceedings, it is claimed.
Addressing a press conference, Lahiri said, “If the state government further delays to repay Tata’s claim, the amount will increase and it will have to be paid from the taxes of people of West Bengal.”
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BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya hailed ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui’s announcement that he may fight from Diamond Harbour in the coming Lok Sabha elections. “He is fighting the TMC without any compromise. Though his ideals are different from ours, we should acknowledge his fight.”
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