Mamata won't budge, Nano factory shut again

Singur/Kolkata: A lane of the vital highway that passes through Singur, the site of Tata Motors’ Nano car factory, has opened after eight days but the Trinamool Congress isn’t calling off its protests.

There was no work at the factory again as Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee’s indefinite dharna outside entered its ninth day. "Conditions are still not conducive here for resuming our work. We continue to assess the situation closely," said a Tata Motors spokesperson in Kolkata.

Banerjee will hold a rally Monday in which she is expected to flay the entry of Tatas into retail trade. Banerjee has said she was opposed to allowing the Tatas' entry into retail trade "since it would spell disaster for small retailers"

Banerjee on Sunday turned down an appeal from West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi for a mediator to resolve the stalemate but she is willing to continue with talks.

"Negotiation and agitation can go together," she said adding the dharna outside the Nano factory would continue till the demand for return of 400 acres to farmers was conceded by the state government.

The factory lost two mandays Friday and Saturday when work came to a stop due to the protests. Sunday was a holiday at the site.

A delegation led by the agitating Trinamool Congress met Governor Gandhi who earlier sent a missive to Banerjee to come to the discussion table.

Gandhi sent a second letter to Banerjee after the meeting.

"The governor has sent me a letter and requested me to read it out to all who are present at the agiatation dais. He has suggested that a mediator be selected between the government and us to sort out the Singur issue," Banerjee said.

"I thank him for his concern. But the increasing mass support we are getting proves we don't need mediators," she said.

A senior leader of West Bengal's ruling Left Front said efforts were on to call an all-party meeting on Tuesday to seek a way out.

"The Left Front is planning to call an all-party meeting Tuesday to discuss the Singur issue," Front partner Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Kshiti Goswami told reporters.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee came out in support of Tata Motors. "The Singur issue has become a serious problem for everyone. But if Nano rolls out from the Tata Motors factory at Singur it will be highly beneficial for West Bengal," he said.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)