Congress stirs Singur pot,demands factory

The state Congress,however,is planning to stir up the Singur issue with a massive rally there on August 26. The demand: the state government should take steps to set up a factory there.

The Congress also wants the state government not to make any distinction between willing and unwilling farmers and provide allowances to all farmers who lost land for the abandoned Tata Nano project site. The top brass of the state Congress leadership will address the rally.

Pradip Bhattacharya,Pradesh Congress chief and Rajya Sabha MP,said,“We are very keen that the Singur imbroglio should be settled once and for all. The case is sub-judice now but we will urge the state government to do something for the farmers.”

Abdul Mannan,former MLA and Congress spokesperson who is the organiser of the rally,said the state government was playing ducks and drakes with the farmers in Singur.

“The present state government is playing politics just as its predecessor did. A huge chunk of land remains unused for six years and farmers are paying the price for it. We demand that the state government go for an out-of-court settlement with the Tatas or they themselves set up a factory there. The Singur imbroglio should be settled soon,” Mannan told The Indian Express.

He reiterated that the Congress’s aim was not to create trouble for the government. “Our aim is to show the government where they are going wrong. In fact we are extending all help to the government,’’ Mannan added.