Singur

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Singur | type = city | latd = 22.81 | longd = 88.23
locator_position = right | state_name = West Bengal
district = Hooghly
leader_title =
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altitude = 14
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 19,539| population_density =
area_magnitude= km²
area_total =
area_telephone =
postal_code =
vehicle_code_range =
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
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Singur is a census town in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Singur railway station is 34 km from Howrah Station on the Howrah-Tarakeswar line. It is 2 km ahead of Kamarkundu junction, the crossing point of Howrah-Bardhaman chord and Howrah-Tarakeshwar lines. It is just off the Dankuni-Shaktigarh Durgapur Expressway.

Geography

Singur is located at coord|22.81|N|88.23|E|. [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Singur.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Singur] ] It has an average elevation of 14 metres (45 ft), and is situated on the Ganges delta. The several villages comprising Singur include Dobandi, Khasherberia, Joymolla, Ujjal Sangha, Beraberi, Bajemelia, etc.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, [GR|India] Singur had a population of 19,539. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Singur has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 71%. In Singur, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Economy

mall Car Manufacturing Facility

Singur gained international media attention since Tata Motors started constructing a factory to manufacture their $2,500 car, the Tata Nano at Singur. The small car was scheduled to roll out of the factory by 2008. [ [http://www.blonnet.com/2006/11/26/stories/2006112604380300.htm The Hindu Business Line, 26 November 2006] ] The choice of Singur was made by the company among six sites offered by the state government. The project faced massive opposition from 2,000 of the 12,000 displaced farmers. The unwilling farmers were given political support by West Bengal's firebrand opposition leader Miss Mamata Bannerjee with an eye to the upcoming Lok Sabha (Parliamentary) elections. Miss Bannerjee's "Save Farmland" movement was supported by celebrity anti development activists like Medha Patkar, Anuradha Talwar and Arundhuti Roy. Miss Bannerjee's movement against industrialization of Singur was also supported by several Kolkata based intellectuals like Aparna Sen, Kaushik Sen, Shaonli Mitra and Suvaprasanna. Ultra left activists also shared the platform with Miss Bannerjee's Trinamool Party. The Tatas finally decided to move out of Singur on 3rd October, 2008. Mr Ratan Tata blamed violence by Miss Mamata Bannerjee and her supporters for the pullout decision. The pullout decision meant, loss of huge investment for the state of West Bengal. On 7th October 2008, the Tatas announced that they would be setting up the Tata Nano plant in Sanand, Gujarat.

Perspective of those who favour the Tata project

In the 1950s, the Indian state of West Bengal was one of the most industrialized states in the country. Bidhan Roy, its first chief minister, founded large industrial plants in Durgapur, Asansol, Kalyani, Howrah and Calcutta proper. In the 1960s and 1970s, disruptions by the Bangladesh War, the Naxal movement and militant trade unionism by leftist parties led by Jyoti Basu slowed down industrial development. Consequently other states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka attracted industrial investment and experienced job growth. In the 2000s, inspired by the pragmatic Deng Xiaoping of China, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya shifted from the past anti-industry political policies of the Communist Party of India and articulated a new vision of industrial renaissance for West Bengal.

The rapid rise in the population of West Bengal has not been accompanied by significant economic growth. Key indicators such as unemployment rates, poverty rates, infant mortality rates, job growth rates, per capita income, mobile phone penetration rates lag the more industrialised states of India. Local politicians gained power by promising agricultural land to landless farmers, but given West Bengal's population density, the land-holdings are small and the yields are insufficient to sustain poor families. While the shift from agriculture to industrial jobs requires re-training, given India's economic growth, it provides an opportunity for earning higher income.

Tata Motors is a large publicly traded firm. Its decision to locate the flagship Nano project in West Bengal provides an opportunity for West Bengal to make a return to industrial growth. The experience of China, South Korea and even Tamil Nadu in this decade shows that industries create well-paying jobs at a rate agriculture cannot match. If the Nano project is successful, more industries will locate to West Bengal and over time the wrenching poverty of its rural workers will start to become history. Several states have proposed to offer land to Tata Motors if they abandon the project in Singur.

Most of the land acquired for the project was smooth and their land-holders were satisfied with the compensation they received. A small number of absentee landlords, illiterate farmers and Trinamul Congress supporters refused to accept the compensation offered. Another point to bear in mind is that most of the land-holders never bought the land in the first place; there is no rule of law in rural West Bengal in the normal sense. Agricultural land is doled out to party supporters by local hoodlums aligned with major parties in the name of "land reform". The opposition's assertion that the land is extremely fertile is debatable; the land-holders have not experienced anywhere near Punjab-level agricultural output efficiency or prosperity.

Perspective of those who are against the Tata project

The company has made substantial promises. According to their claims, Singur would become a mini-auto city and approximately 70 vendors would set up shop along with the factory. The total investment planned is to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. [ [http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/12/13/stories/2006121305020100.htm The Hindu Business Line, 13 December 2006] ] . The project has, however, generated controversy right from the start, particularly on the question of state acquisition of fertile agricultural land for private enterprises.

The land acquisition controversy

on 23rd SEP,Tatas have decided to leave Singur in West Bengal, the decision is reported to have been made by the Tata management and the Bengal government has been informed. On 3rd October it has become official that TATA will leave Singur (WB) when Ratan Tata announced it in a press confrence in Kolkata.

While the ruling party has gone all out [ [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061014/asp/bengal/story_6870254.asp The Telegraph 14 October 2006] ] for acquisition of 997 acres (404 ha) of multi-crop land required for the car factory, questions have been raised about the partly allegedly forcible acquisition which was made under the colonial Land Acquisition Act of 1894. Even the provisions of this act have allegedly not been met. [ [http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=287336 The Business Standard] ]

The law has provisions for state taking over privately held land for public purposes but not for developing private businesses. The illegality of the acquisition has been substantially conceded by the Kolkata High Court.

The Tata Motors site is the most fertile one in the whole of the Singur, and the Singur block, in turn, is among the most highly fertile in West Bengal. Consequently, almost the entire local population depends on agriculture with approximately 150,000 making their livelihood directly from it [ [http://www.countercurrents.org/ind-kumar301206.htm Countercurrents.org, 30 December 2006 Headline Singur] ] . With the number of direct jobs to be created no more than about 1,000, many of which are expected to go to outsiders, the local populace feel understandably threatened for their livelihood. [ [http://www.tehelka.com/story_main27.asp?filename=Ne030307Bengal_CS.asp&id=2 Tehelka Mar 03, 2007] ] Environmental degradation is also feared.

Chief protesters include the opposition parties spearheaded by the Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee and Socialist Unity Centre of India. The movement has received widespread support from civil rights and human rights groups, legal bodies, social activists like Medha Patkar and Anuradha Talwar, Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy and Magsaysay and Jnanpith Award-winning author Mahasweta Devi. [ [http://www.doccentre.net/Tod/singur-final-report.php doccentre.net Report on Public Hearing] ] . Other intellectuals, writers like the poet Joy Goswami, artists like Suvaprasanna, theatre and film personalities like Saonli Mitra, Aparna Sen etc. have pitched in. The state police force has been used to restrict their access to the area. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Do_you_need_a_visa_to_enter_Bengal/articleshow/739035.cms The Times of India December 8, 2007: Do you need a visa to enter Bengal?] ] The Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has on the other hand appeared to defend the decision to set up the factory. He however opposed forcible acquisition of land. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070215/nation.htm#2]

The protesters have been trenchantly attacked, verbally by the CPI(M) leaders and physically by the party's supporters. Benoy Konar, member of the party's state committee, famously declared that protesting intellectuals would be greeted by women supporters of the party by baring their behinds [http://content2.msn.co.in/News/National/NationalHT_160307_0905.htm] .

Preliminary surveys by officials of the state and Tata Motors faced protests, and manhandling on one occasion, from the villagers organized under the Save Singur Farmland Committee with Trinamool Congress forming its chief component. [ [http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=217799 The Indian Express 15 January 2007] ] It is reported that Naxalite elements hold sway over the direction the agitation takes and the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee takes no decisions without consulting them. [ [http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Naxals-NGOs-now-lead-Mamata-agitation-She-wont-act-without-our-OK/355813/ Banerjee doesn't take decisions without Naxal elements' OK:The Indian Express August 31] ]

The state government imposed the prohibitory Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code for initially a month and then extended it indefinitely. The imposition has been declared illegal by the Kolkata High Court [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1614554.cms The Times of India February 15, 2007] ]

While landless peasants and share-croppers fear losing out entirely, sections of the locals, particularly those owing allegiance to the CPI(M) have welcomed the factory. These count chiefly among the owners of bigger portions of the land even as discrimination in the compensation has been alleged. [ [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061210/asp/insight/story_7118722.asp The Telegraph December 10, 2006] ]

A section of those promised jobs at the factory have boycotted classes while training in protest against the alleged going back on the promise. [ [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070623/asp/bengal/story_7962811.asp The Telegraph 23 June, 2007 Job cry from Tata trainees] ]

Fencing off the land

The land earmarked for the project was taken control of by the state administration amidst protests and fencing off commenced on December 1, 2006. Mamata Bannerjee, who was prevented from entering Singur by the state police, called a statewide bandh in protest while legislators belonging to her party turned violent in the legislative assembly causing damage to furniture. [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=1&id=166070] Later, she went on a 25-day hunger strike [http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/dec/29mamta.htm] . During this period she presented affidavits of farmers apparently unwilling to part with their land. [ [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2006-12-23&clid=1&id=168248 The Statesman 23 December 2006] ]

The fenced off area has been regularly guarded, besides large contingents of policemen, by cadres of the CPI(M) party. They were accused of the multiple rape followed by burning to death of teenage villager Tapasi Malik who was active in the protests, on December 18, 2006. [ [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=1&id=167862 The Statesman 19 December 2007] ] Negligence and political interference in the probe into her death have been alleged. [ [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=23&id=171772 The Statesman 22 January 2007] ] Later, CPI(M) activist Debu Malik and based on his statement, CPI(M) zonal committee secretary Suhrid Dutta were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the crime. [ [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/203224.html The Indian Express 29 June 2007 CPM local boss arrested for Singur girl’s murder] ]

Intermittent attacks by villagers have since continued on the fence. However, continuing agitations against the project appeared to have proved ineffective and a farmer who lost land committed suicide [ [http://www.indianexpress.com/story/31930.html The Indian Express 26 May 2007] ]

On the other hand the pro-factory villagers siding with the CPI(M) have made accusations against the Naxalite faction of the ‘Save Singur Farmland Committee’ of threats and violence against them. [ [http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1076208 DNA - India - ‘Save Singur’ turns sour - Daily News & Analysis ] ]

Construction of plant

Tatas ceremonially initiated the construction of the plant on 21 January 2007. [ [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070122/asp/frontpage/story_7294279.asp The Telegraph 22 january 2007] ] . The Tata Group announced on October 3, 2008 that they are pulling out of Singur due to the political unrest and agitation by the Trinamool Congress against the construction of the plant.

Procedural lacunae

Other aspects of the process of setting up the factory that have come under severe criticism are the government's secrecy on the details of the deal and the chief minister's furnishing of false information, including in the legislative assembly Vidhan Sabha. In particular, the concessions being given to Tata Motors have not been publicly revealed. The falsehoods of the chief minister chiefly pertain to claims made by him of having acquired convert|912|acre|km2 [ [http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=210657 The Indian Express November 24, 2006] ] through voluntary consent of the owners without the use of force.

The Kolkata High Court declared the acquisition prima facie legal. [ [http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/15789.asp The India Daily February 24 2007 Calcutta High Court says Singur land acquisition appears illegal -all eyes now on communists in West Bengal] ] The air seemed to have cleared somewhat when the High Court ordered the state government to submit correct figures following which an affidavit but was not satisfied with the result [http://content.msn.co.in/News/National/NationalPTI_020507_1718.htm] . In a fresh affidavit filed later in June 2007, the government admitted to 30 per cent of the land was acquired from farmers without consent. [ [http://in.news.yahoo.com/070610/211/6gult.html IBN 10 June 2007: 30 pc Singur farmers not compensated] ] The affidavit remains unclear on whether the lack of consent is based on insufficiency of the compensation or refusal to sell altogether. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kolkata/State_files_Singur_affidavit/articleshow/2107690.cms The Times of India 8 June 2007: State files Singur affidavit] ]

Business houses' role

All eight business chambers in Kolkata have naturally been worried over the developments and some alleged politicisation of the industrial process. Their interest is understandably threatened by the unrest.fact|date=September 2008

The critics of the government's industrialization policy have argued on the other hand that while India is moving towards a "free market" economy, government has been acting as a broker for the private sector by forcing private citizens to give up their property at throw away prices.who|date=September 2008

Tata Pulls Out

On October 3rd., after a brief meeting with the Chief Minister, Mr. Ratan Tata declared his decision to move the Nano Project out of West Bengal. Mr. Tata specifically mentioned his frustration with the opposition movement at Singur Project led by Trinamool Congress Cheif Ms. Mamata Banerjee. However, Ms Banerjee refused to take responsibilities and in stead pointed finger back to Tatas and the state government. [ [http://www.anandabazar.com/archive/1081003/index.htm Tata Pulls Out of Singur] ]

Politics

In the 2006 assembly elections, Rabindranath Bhattacharjee of All-India Trinamool Congress won the Singur seat. He was a teacher of Singur School. [ [http://in.rediff.com/election/wbdetail06.htm Rediff.com West Bengal election results] ]

Singur is part of Hooghly (Lok Sabha constituency). [cite web
url = http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S25/WB_Dist_PC_AC.pdf
title = Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies
accessdate = 2008-10-02
work = West Bengal
publisher = Election Commission of India ]

References

External links

* [http://sanhati.com/singur_news/ Singur archives at Sanhati]
* [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
]

ee also