PRESS RELEASE SINGUR :: TATAS BLACK MAILING TACTICS Camp: Kolkata. Dated: 3rd September, 2008. In a press communiqué director of Tribal Welfare Society for eastern zone has stated that : Singur has got its own significance now in the era where there is forcible displacement of farmers by acquiring their farm land is taking place at all the corners of India. “Private Purpose” becomes “Public Purpose” by twisting and manipulating terms of Land Acquisition Act, 1894. Ø How can we ignore to look at National Agricultural Policy? Ø How can we ignore the Environmental clearance norms and mandatory requirements, as notified vide latest notification issued by the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Govt. of India? Ø How can we ignore the policy guidelines for Resettlement and Rehabilitation? [All the above categorically states to ensure that no farm land is acquired for industrial purposes, until and unless there is no choice] Ø How can we ignore the very fact that the District Collector has to satisfy that he had no other option except to acquire that particular piece (s) of land. Ø Where is the home work done by the state authorities when zeroing on the land at Singur? Ø Why farmers have never been consulted at any stage till they start protesting to protect their rights? The group of Industrial houses be it most respected Narayan Murthy, or the chamber of Commerce officials, or the FICCI, ASSOCHEM, Mukesh Ambanis, Rahul Bajajs, Nevatias, And what not. All sing the same tune where there is no space for the poor farmers or the large section of the society. The hue and cry made by all of them have one thing is common. “This is most unfortunate”. When were all these faces when the hell broke on the farmers being it at Singur or other places? Is this country not belonging to farmers? Tribals? Are they not equal citizens of the country? If the future of investors is not safe, is the future of farmers safe enough? Why one way traffic when the champions of industry define development in nexus with the authorities? There is no doubt that our GDP is rising at a fair pace. If the Singur episode is unfortunate, what is happening to farmers is even more tragic and even more unfortunate. Thousands and lakhs of farmers have committed suicide. It is pity to see that the champions of industry proudly speaks about high growth rate of GDP but do not speak a word that 70% of our population is surviving on a mere Rs. 20/- per day. When they speak that the Singur episode will bring a bad name for India globally, why do they keep quite to note that India has been labeled as the most corrupted country in the world. Who corrupts whom? Are those poor persons who hardy earn Rs. 20/- per day or those corrupt faces in the corridors of power who are ready to dance to the tunes of Industrial houses? What is the logic in giving 1000 Acres of land for a penny? Where is employment? Where is revenue generation for the state of West Bengal. When we speak loudly from top of the world bending on knees before Ratan Tata begging him to be here, as if he has a magic wand that will solve the problems of the state? Absurd. This is not development nor this is a policy that will change the future of the people of the West Bengal but more and more greedy faces will be seen queuing up to demand a share in the booty that is for loot in the state of West Bengal. No where in the world, government authorities act as a property dealer and buy land for industrial houses. Tatas knows well. Be it in USA or UK, but here you bend the land acquisition act to benefit a private industrial house, even without doing any homework as to know the exact requirement of the land. Be it Singur in West Bengal, Kalinga Nagar in Orissa, Lohandiguda in Chhattisgarh, story is same every where. Farmers are made to sell their land at “Gun Point” by state police in nexus with the cadres of the ruling Party and hired goons but are smartly shown as if the farmers gladly and willingly accepted the money. It is a different story that corrupt officials even extract bribe from those poor farmers to get the compensation on records and also to save them from going to jails on falsely created criminal cases in which they are never involved. This is the story of our land acquisition process. What is pity to see that a fifth generation industrialist Ratan Tata shamelessly knocks the doors of Chief Ministers begging for Cheap Land and Zero Tax. What is justification of charging substantial land and development charges from first time industrialists and taxing all the citizens of our country. Corporate social responsibility or Irresponsibility is best seen in the silence of the corporate houses that are busy in issuing statements in favour of Ratan Tata and laughing at the agitators. Those faces are busy buying costliest mansion in London, building 600 million Rs. House at Mumbai, and planning what to grab next. Is this the definition of Development? There is a strong need to discuss the whole issue in a transparent manner with both sides to tell their story. One way traffic that is being practiced for glorifying house of Tatas is strongly deplored. Ratan Tata is in habit of eating back his words. The person who spoke that even at the gun pointed on his head, he will not move out of Singur, now speaks of going back? What he says is not being practiced. There are many examples all over the country that can be illustrated to prove what we have stated here in this press release. Pravin Patel Human Rights Activist Director, Tribal Welfare Society (Eastern Zone) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jharkhand [EMAIL PROTECTED]/live
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 15:40:28 +0100From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Fwd: PRESS RELEASE ON SINGUR---------- Forwarded message ----------From: tribal welfare <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Sep 3, 2008 12:28 PMSubject: PRESS RELEASE ON SINGURTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Appu Esthose Suresh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear all The press release goes to all of you. I am also to request my activist friends to please print out a copy and circulate amongst the local news papers. The scenerio is created in such a way that as if the hell is going to break down, if Ratan Tata moves out his Nano car from Singur. Pity is that only one side of the story is published and the real facts are behind the curtain on which no one speaks. Pravin Patel Human Rights Activist _________________________________________________________________ Win New York holidays with Kellogg’s & Live Search http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/111354033/direct/01/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Explore http://Jharkhand.org.in 4 Live Chat, i-Messaging, Music Video, News and much more..... Posting Norms - http://www.jharkhand.org.in/posting_norms.htm -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
