Mamata criticises Tata; not to budge from demand

Criticising Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata for threatening to pull out the Nano project if violence and disruption continued in Singur, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said she would not budge from her demand for return of 400 acre of land there.     

"We don't want anybody to move out of West Bengal, but at the same time, we will not bow to any kind of pressure," Banerjee, whose party planned to lay siege to the small car plant at Singur on August 24, told reporters.     

"There should not be any kind of blackmailing. It is highly reprehensible that he has chosen to brand Singur villagers thieves for alleged pilferage of construction materials."     

Asked if she was ready to talk to the Tatas, she said "in principle, we would like Ratan Tata to concede our demand for return of 400 acre forcibly taken away from unwilling farmers."     

Banerjee was also critical of Industry minister Nirupam Sen's meeting with Tata at a hotel here last night, saying the meeting aimed at "secretly plotting against the people of Singur".     

The Trinamool supremo blamed the state government for the crisis at Singur and said it had not yet made public the land deal with the Tatas despite several demands.