Left govt’s partner takes right turn in Singur deal

KOLKATA: Even though the West Bengal government gave “permissive possession” to Tata Motors on December 27 to enable it to carry out preliminary work like a topographical survey and soil testing for its small car project at Singur, it came under attack on Tuesday from one of its major partners AIFB, who accused it of lack of transparency in the deal with Tata Motors for its car project at Singur.

“There was lack of transparency besides, procedural lapses and lack of coordination for the Tata Motors small car project at Singur,” AIFB general secretary Debabrata Biswas told a press conference on the eve of the party’s three-day central committee meeting beginning here Wednesday.

“Good work has to be done in accordance with procedures. We feel there have been procedural lapses besides lack of coordination and transparency at Singur,” he said. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress, which has been protesting against the acquisition of land at Singur for a Tata Motors' project, on Tuesday said there can be no talks on the issue if prohibitory orders remain in force in the area.

Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said no talks could be held if the prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC continued to be in force at Singur. Party chief Mamata Banerjee ended a 25-day-old fast on the issue following requests from the president and prime minister, who said the West Bengal government was ready for talks on all matters pertaining to land acquisition at Singur, and not that of the chief minister, Roy told a Trinamool Congress youth rally.

”But surprisingly, the state government extended the prohibitory orders by 20 days immediately thereafter," he said. He called for the immediate withdrawal of the order and creation of a congenial atmosphere for talks. He said he had had discussions with Banerjee, currently recuperating at a nursing home here, and she was of the view that the Trinamool would have to consolidate the gains of its movement.