Basu appeals to Singur land-losers to accept package

KOLKATA: Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu on Friday appealed to Singur agitators to accept the compensation package prepared by the West Bengal government for the land-losers and allow resumption of work for the Tata Motors small car project.

"To enable the small car project to materialise, the state government recently announced a compensation package for the farmers who have given land. I appeal to all concerned to accept the package and allow the project to come up," Basu said in a statement from his Salt Lake residence after meeting party state secretary Biman Bose.

"I also appeal to those who are opposing the project to rise above politics and cooperate with the state government in allowing the project to come up in the interest of the people of the state," Basu said.

The CPI(M) patriarch, who returned home on Tuesday after spending nine days at hospital following a head injury, could not attend the party state secretariat meeting earlier in the day at the party office. He was briefed about the meeting by Bose.

Describing the Tata Motors small car project as "very important" for development of the state, he said once the project came up, it would increase employment opportunities and bring about economic development. It would also attract more investments to the state.

"The development of the state should be the desire of everybody irrespective of political affiliation," Basu said.