[Reader-list] Breakthrough in Singur

[radhikarajen at vsnl.net]

What went wrong in Singur and nandigram, is the basic question that needs immediate attention of all the citizens of the nation.

  Basically as I see it, the west bengal governance did not take the common man, farmer, farm worker in to confidence may be because it had so much more confidence on its "disciplined" cadres to do whatever it takes to oppress the opposers if they had the courage to oppose being landless. Secondly, governance did not take in to account that "compensation" fixed was adequate or otherwise was not pondered upon as the only means of livelihood of the small farners was being forcibly taken off under  legal provision enacted in the days of british India. In democratic life, when we talk of freedom of right to live, the governance thought it fit to snatch lands from the most hapless and weak citizen to "industrialise" the state, and this courage of governance was further reinforced with cadres running freely the writ of the CPM with guns and bombs in the areas. Rape of a young woman to enforce that writ to forcibly enforce the taking over of the lands was a shock even to "intellect
uals" of jola patti type who always talk of equality and justice.

  If at all, the Tatas had a better choice to take up barren lands instead of fertile lands little further down the road, but no, this zcar of modern India unlike his ancestors, who took barren lands at Mitapur or in jamshedpur has had other ideas, to make rich mans toy, small car at subsidised lands, later the price tag can be adjusted as seen in previous instance of poor mans rich car, Maruthi.

  When do we understand that free India, has to have inclusive growth and not exclusive growth as seen by all now.

 An Ambani building a home worth 20 billion with helipad, spa, swimming pool at shareholders cost, does not bother about the common man who can not even earn his meal a day, as this industrialist throws up lavish parties for the hangers on and political bosses, as the visual media covers his visit to Madam, for favours. ?

Regards.  

----- Original Message -----
From: Tapas Ray <tapasrayx at gmail.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:39 am
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Breakthrough in Singur
To: sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>

> Shuddha and others,
> 
> Although this was definitely a victory for the people who had lost 
> their 
> land, I was wondering - as you (Shuddha) clearly were as well - 
> whether 
> the last word had been written. As they say, if it looks too good 
> to be 
> true, it probably is. That is what seems to be happening here.
> 
> The state government shows a different face from the one Singur 
> had seen 
> until now, but as soon as the Tatas express their "distress" 
> (according 
> to the Telegraph), it "scurries to clear the air" with a 
> clarification, 
> which Mamata Banerjee quickly rejects as being contrary to the 
> agreement.
> I do not know who is lying, but will watch to see where this goes.
> 
> Incidentally, I have firsthand knowledge of an automobile plant in 
> the 
> USA, which makes SUVs. It occupies all of 300 acres, give or take, 
> whereas just the *disputed land* in Singur at present measures 400 
> acres. And this is a scaled-back demand, which was for 1,000 acres 
> initially.
> 
> If one wonders why Nano needs so much land, I think the answer 
> lies in 
> two areas. One, for the Tatas' stated objective of cutting 
> manufacturing 
> costs to the minimum. And two - this is my guess, as I do not know 
> any 
> details of the project - they probably want to set up a self-
> sufficient 
> township like Tatanagar (Jamshedpur), maybe smaller because of the 
> proximity to Calcutta.
> 
> By making sure that ancillaries are adjacent to the car plant, 
> they cut 
> transport costs and time to practically zero. In other words, the 
> farmers of Singur are subsiding the dream car of India's middle class.
> 
> If my guess about the township is correct, that will have some 
> interesting consequences, too. I will share my thoughts on that 
> here if 
> I can ascertain the details.
> 
> Tapas
> 
> 
> Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > At the close of last night, the Governor of West Bengal, Gopal  
> > Krishna Gandhi announced that a solution acceptable to all (the  
> > protesting farmers at Singur and the Government of West Bengal) 
> has  
> > been found, and that Ms. Mamata Bannerjee of the Trinamool 
> Congress  
> > (one of the key protagonists of the Singur protest) would 
> announce  
> > that the agitation at Singur would be suspended. 
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > Though it may be premature to call this 'breakthrough' a victory 
> for  
> > peasants and working people, it is certainly reason to believe 
> that  
> > not every struggle conducted by ordinary people over land, 
> resources  
> > and livelihood is doomed to failure. This news should raise the 
> hopes  
> > of all those committed to protest against unjust land 
> alicquisition  
> > and transfer moves - be they in Orissa, Haryana, Kerala, Kashmir 
> or  
> > elsewhere.
> > 
> > I enclose below a PTI report in the Hindu that gives more 
> details of  
> > the agreement.
> > 
> > regards,
> > 
> > Shuddha
> > 
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