'Giving land to farmers best solution'

Q&A: Mohsina Kidwai

Mohsina Kidwai, AICC general secretary in charge of West Bengal, talks to Business Standard on the Singur issue. Excerpts:

The Singur impasse continues. What is the Congress’ formula for resolving the problem?

The Congress believes that the best solution is to give land to the farmers. The solution derived at the meeting convened by the West Bengal Governor should be acceptable. It is true that Industry cannot come at the cost of the farmers. But industry should also get impetus.

But the Trinamool Congress is demanding that land should be returned from the Tata site itself.

It is not possible to give away land from the Tata site. Unwilling farmers, who haven’t yet taken compensation, can be given land in other areas. We think the requirement of farmers should be fulfilled by allotting alternative land in the adjoining areas. We have to understand that earlier only barren land could be utilised for setting up of industry. Now, it is no longer possible to build industry only on barren land.

Although the Congress is a prominent Opposition party in Bengal, after the Singur and the Nandigram episodes, Mamata Banerjee has emerged as the sole Opposition power against the CPI(M).

Yes, I agree that she is working very hard to continue the struggle. But, we are also opposing the ruling Left in our own way. We have also gained in the panchayat elections.

Does this mean you are preparing to fight elections alone in Bengal?

Right now, our sole aim is to strengthen the Congress organisation. But every state has its own political ground realities. There is no doubt that an alliance with the Trinamool Congress will benefit both the parties. But this will depend much on the mood of the state leadership. Therefore, I have left it to Priyaranjan Dasmunsi and Pranab Mukherjee. Earlier, we were taking the Left’s support for our government at the Centre, so we were dubbed as “B team” or “C team” of the CPI(M). Now the situation has changed.