Mamata Banerjee returns land to farmers

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she had kept the promise she had made to the farmers of Singur whose land was acquired by the Left Front government for Tata Motors’ small car project. She returned farmers’ land and distributed compensation cheques in Singur. Thousands of people assembled at Durgapur Expressway — overlooking Tata Motors’ abandoned plant — to observe and celebrate Bijoy Divas.

While distributing land parchas to 9,117 farmers and cheques to 806 persons amid jubilation, Ms Banerjee said, “Today, I am happy because I kept my promise (of returning farmland). We will also give Rs 10,000 each to the farmers to ensure that the land can be made cultivable. Our government will extend all necessary help and will provide them with seeds and fertiliser,” she added.

She made it clear that her government will continue to give Rs 2,000 monthly to the farmers that they have been getting till now. “This money would be given until our government manages to make your land fertile and cultivable. The government will also set up a custom hiring centre in Singur so that machines with modern technology can be borrowed for agricultural activities at a subsidised price. You may also get a maximum of Rs 24 lakh loan for cultivation of your land,” Ms Banerjee said. She assured the share-croppers that they will get their share of compensation.

The CM reiterated that her government will not go for a forcible acquisition of land like the previous government.

“We have our land bank for industrialisation. Land could be given to industrial units easily from the land bank. We have a land map and a land policy,” she said. She also added that if anybody is found to have procured compensation cheques by forgery, an FIR will be lodged against the person.

She made it clear that industry and agriculture should be complimentary and not competitive. “Agriculture and industry are like siblings. There should be no competition, no clash between the two. We have to save the rights of the farmers and at the same time bring in industry for the state,” she said.

The CM blamed both the previous UPA regime in Delhi and the CPI(M)-led government in Bengal for betraying the Singur farmers in protecting their land. “The previous government in Bengal has no right to talk about Singur. When we were holding our agitation in Singur, the Congress-led UPA government was in power in Delhi but they did not render any help to us in our fight against forcible land acquisition,” the CM said.

Reminiscing her days of Singur movement, when she had started a hungerstrike and dharna to oppose the “forcible” acquisition, Ms Banerjee said, “I was beaten up by the police at midnight at the BDO office and was admitted to nursing home in a serious condition. I will never forget those incidents. I had then decided that either it will be a victory of democracy, victory of people or I will sacrifice my life for Singur,” she said amid loud cheers from the gathering.

Thousands of people from different parts of the state turned out at Ms Banerjee’s Singur rally on Wednesday. The gates of the Tata Motors’ were thrown open to allow thousands of farmers from different villages to march to the sprawling venue of her programme.