Bengal government admits defeat

KOLKATA: Its official now, at least from West Bengal government’s side. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and state industry and commerce minister Nirupam Sen on Thursday virtually accepted defeat in their bid to retain the Tata Motors’ factory at Singur.

In an emergency meeting of the state cabinet, Bhattacharjee and Sen told their cabinet colleagues that the Singur chapter is virtually closed now. “The Tatas have clearly told us that they need a proper working atmosphere to continue at Singur. They have also said that they cannot continue with the project under constant police protection. On the other hand, the opposition is adamant on its stand for return of 300 acres of land from within the project area. In such a situation, it can be concluded that the project is unlikely to come up at Singur,” Bhattacharjee said at the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, land reforms minister Abdul Rezzak Mollah said: “The chief minister told us there is absolutely no hope for the Singur project.”

Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, speaking on the sidelines of an industry meet, said: “The people genuinely want a solution and they deserve it.”