Singur rues missed chance on launch eve

SINGUR:It could well have rolled out of Singur but politics willed otherwise. On theeve of the launch of the world's cheapest car, residents of the trouble-tornblock rued the loss of their date with history and the chance to reap thebenefits of change that the Nano had promised. The Krishi Jami Raksha Committee(KJRC), which had violently opposed the project, did a volte-face on Sunday,saying they were never against the Nano project, but had merely protested theforcible acquisition. The CPM-appointed Land Collection Committee (LCC), too,called upon the Tatas to do a rethink in the changed scenario.Alarge section of the "unwilling" farmers, who had refused to part with theirland and turned down compensation cheques, are now a changed lot. They admitthey hadn't bargained for a total pull-out when the agitation started. Scores oflocals, who had jacked up their earnings, thanks to the Nano project, now regretthe pull-out. Take Kashinath Samanta, who had converted a portion of hisresidence into a lodge at Ratanpur. A group of Tata engineers and technicianshad rented rooms for Rs 5,000 a month. After they left, he has been forced towind up."My rooms have remained vacant ever since. I used to meet myfamily expenses from the income. The Nano pull-out has severely affected me,"said Samanta. Several of his neighbours, who had rented rooms or opened shopshoping to cash in on the Nano-induced economic boom, have similarly beenaffected.Landowner Joydeb Ghosh of Gopalnagar-Ghoshpara village wasabout to fulfil his dream of owning a showroom. Tata officials had promised tohelp him out with loans after he handed over his plot. "They were really helpfuland promised help. But the project had gone before I could go about seeking aloan," said Ghosh.And it's not just individuals whose dreams havebeen shattered. Five banks that had set up branches in this area are nowcontemplating winding up. Local leaders, however, were sceptical about thechanged mood. They see "dirty politics" in the volte-face done by KJRC members."Some so-called unwilling' farmers have sold their plots at a higher rate toother buyers. It was they who had resisted the project and are now sheddingcrocodile tears. We will definitely have industries in Singur even if Nanodoesn't return," said Rupchand Paul, CPM candidate for the Hooghly Lok Sabhaseat.LCC, however, plans to request the Tatas to return. SinceSingur was their original choice for the plant, it should be given a secondchance, said Dibakar Das, a CPM district committee member and LCC convener.Congress and Trinamool workers held at a meeting in Singur on Sunday. It wasdecided that nothing would be said against the Nano project before polls. "We'venever been against Nano. Our protest was against forcible acquisition," saidBecharam Manna, president of Singur Trinamool Congress. Manna added that theywould request Mamata Banerjee to hold a meeting in Singur.