Gujarat Congress accused the Modi government of "doling out huge incentives" to Tata Motors at the expense of the exchequer and demanded a white paper on the concessions given.
AHMEDABAD: Raking up a political controversy, Gujarat Congress on Tuesday accused the Modi government of "doling out huge incentives" to Tata Motors at the expense of the exchequer and demanded a white paper on the concessions given.
A day after government "documents" purportedly relating to incentives given to the Tatas for relocation of the Nano project in Gujarat from West Bengal became public, the party demanded that the government should come clean on the issue.
None from the Gujarat government was ready to comment. Minister of State for Industry and spokesperson of the Gujarat government Saurabh Patel said he would not not like to say anything while officials were equally unwilling.
Officials in the Chief Minister's Office and the Chief Secretary also did not respond to repeated phone calls.
"We are not against the Tata or Nano project. But what we are against is the huge soaps that have been offered to Tata going out of way," Congress president Sidhdharth Patel said, alleging that "incentives to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore" have been offered to get the Nano Car Project here.
Congress leaders also said that if the government wanted to help the industry, it should extend such sops to other industries also.
"Why are are not helping out diamond industry which is in recession presently? Why Nano project is special case for Gujarat?," Siddharth Patel asked.
Party spokesperson Arjun Modhvadia claimed that if all the incentives and soaps were included it comes to Rs 60000 per car.
"In the next 20 years Tata will produce 50 lakhs cars (2.5 lakh per year). In Rs one lakh car, people of Gujarat will contribute Rs 60000, thanks to the incentives provided by the government," he claimed.
The Congress leaders asked why the details of the MoU signed between the Tata and the government have not not been disclosed under RTI.
"When we sought a copy of the document under RTI, they refused to part with it saying it was a 'trade secret document' and cannot be disclosed," Modhvadia claimed.
The state government owed it to the pople of Gujarat and should put all the details regarding the deal in public domain, he said.
On the "leaked documents", Patel claimed "We have tried to confirm and officials have told us that it is genuine one. Otherwise why the government is not denying it publicly?"
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}