Buddha146;s reply to critics: Bengal is not Singur

The chief minister8217;s remark came amid the Tatas8217; cold reception to the peace brokered by Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi between the Trinamool Congress and the state government. The Tatas8217; refusal to resume the suspended work in its car factory has apparently disappointed the chief minister who had put his own credibility at stake to get the project on track.

Three days after he stood with Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and Governor Gandhi to announce the agreement in the precincts of Raj Bhavan, Bhattacharjee chose to be upfront about the turn of events. He also made an attempt to reassure investors in the wake of Infosys8217; reluctance to begin work in the state.

8220;It is true that after the incidents in Singur, Infosys has shown apprehension about investing here. I have asked IT minister Debesh Das to speak to the Infosys management and assure them that the government would guarantee that no such problem would surface when Infosys starts work in Bengal,8221; he said.

Obliquely referring to pro-factory rallies when Trinamool supporters laid siege at the Tata factory, Bhattacharjee said: 8220;The young generation in West Bengal wants industrialisation and nobody can stop it.8221;

He also listed various upcoming projects to underline that the Communist government in the state has not given up the industrialisation slogan it embraced during the last assembly elections. 8220;Besides Sector V in Salt Lake, other areas identified by the state government for the IT sector, such as Nonadanga, Bantala and Rajarhat, have all been taken up by IT heavyweights. The Videocon is coming in a big way in Siliguri and Jindal is setting up a steel plant in Salboni. Seven other steel pants are coming up in remote areas of Burdwan and Purulia,8221; Bhattacharjee said.

He pointed out that the Japanese, too, have shown a keen interest in expanding in petrochemicals in Haldia.

8220;We are not ignoring agriculture. But after our past success in agriculture, we have to move towards industrialisation. Singur had sent wrong messages within and outside the country,8221; he added.

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