She completed the circle, she outnumbered in her attempt, she is the one who is the only hope of Bengal, ‘she’ is CM Mamata Banerjee.
It is CM Mamata Banerjee’s tireless effort that Supreme Court had to sets aside January 18, 2008 order of Calcutta High Court, and had to allow appeals filed by some farmers and NGOs. The Supreme Court quashed the land acquisition done by the erstwhile Left Front government in the year 2006.
In May 2006, the then West Bengal Government let the Tata Motors acquire 997 acres for small car factory in Singur of Hooghly district. Almost 6,000 families, including many agricultural workers and marginal peasants lost their land and livelihoods. There was no compensation taken for the landless agricultural workers and other rural households who were indirectly dependent for their livelihood on land and agricultural activities. Almost all the land owners had also expressed their unwillingness to give their land from the inception of the project, but these appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
The Govt. Statistical Handbook on Singur block says that 83%of the land is irrigated and the crop density is 220%. The Tata Motors project, to locate the Rs 1 Lakh small car, at Singur in Hooghly, confiscated the lifesupport of almost 6,000 families, including many agricultural workers and marginal peasants. So Ms. Mamata Banerjee took up an epic and exemplary struggle against State-sponsored tyranny and atrocities which later became a movement “The Singur movement”.
The farmers, having their lands taken away forcibly by the then state government, found confidence in Mamata Banerjee, her will and her tenacity. Didi finally aced in her exam and did what she promised, she took up the cause and within 26 days of becoming the Chief Minister, kept her promise. On June 14, 2011, the historic Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill passed in Assembly which led to the returning of the 400 acres of land to the farmers unwilling to part with their agricultural land on 31st August 2016.
This success definitely needed a pompous celebration and we saw it happening last Wednesday at the same spot where the movement germinated. It was obvious that this Wednesday would see a new sun, it is was a special day for the entire Bengal and also for the family members of Tapasi Malik and many such martyrs of this movement. This day would be remembered throughout. CM Mamata Banerjee distributed about 800 cheques to the farmers on Wednesday. From the same stage she called for more employment and also invited the Tata’s to take interest in the state keeping aside the previous bitterness.
~ ‘She’ Created History ~
