New Delhi: Ratan Tata has finally spoken up on the Singur issue.
In an interview to an Indian news channel, the Tata Group chief said he is not going to pull out from the state come what may. He alleged that his competitors for 'fueling' the fire in the Singur controversy.
The Tatas are seeking to set up its ambitious Rs 1-lakh car project on a huge plot of agricultural land at Singur, which has drawn stiff resistance from Opposition parties in the state as well as social activists.
"Let me just say it is not just political, because I happen to know that some of our competitors are also fueling some of this fire, which they would be very happy if the project got delayed," agencies quoted Tata as saying in the interview.
On Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had expressed helplessness, saying he cannot tell the Tatas to go back after persuading them at his own initiative to set up the plant in his state. In fact, the veteran CPI-M leader has expressed his resolve to have the project installed in Singur.
Ratan Tata also spoke in a similar tone when he said he is not going to pull out from the state. "The West Bengal Government has been very steadfast in its support for the project and it would be wrong for us to say that we will pull out and go."
The Tata car project is mired in a controversy over the acquisition of fertile agricultural land and forcible eviction of farmers. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has been sitting on a hunger strike for over 24 days in protest against the project. The Trinamool Congress has been demanding relocation of the project out of the fertile agricultural land to some other site within the state.
Ratan Tata said he decided to go to West Bengal, "because we believe in the leadership that the present government has provided" even though there were 2-3 other states which offered him very attractive terms. "No, I am not apprehensive that it would not happen," he said.
Tata said he finds the West Bengal under the leadership of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to be "very investment friendly".
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