The Hindu Business Line : Bengal bandh peaceful; Mamata continues fast

SOCIALIST UNITY Centre of India activists courting arrest during a rally in protest against the acquisition of farmland for the proposed Tata Motors plant in Kolkata on Tuesday. — A. Roy Chowdhury

Kolkata , Dec. 5

Today's 24-hour bandh in West Bengal, called by the Socialist Unity Centre of India to protest the acquisition of farmland at Singur for the Tata small car project, passed off peacefully barring stray incidents of intimidation and attempts to obstruct vehicular and rail movement.

Traffic on the road was relatively thin and trading establishments were largely closed. Government offices reported an attendance of around 70 per cent even as banks and financial institutions reported thin attendance. Several schools and colleges were closed as well.

Flights to and from Netaji Subhas Bose International Airport took off and landed on schedule except one Indian flight on the Kolkata-Bangalore sector, which was delayed by about an hour on account of fog in Bangalore. Train movement on the Howrah and Sealdah divisions was normal despite attempts at disruption at some places.

Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by Ms Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress in protest against the "forcible acquisition" of farmland for the Tata small car project entered its second day. Ms Banerjee refused to enter into any discussion on the issue with the State Government.

Addressing people who had gathered at the spot where she is on fast, Ms Banerjee said she was not against industrialisation of the State but was against the acquisition of multi-crop farmland for industrial use. "This party has been in Government for the last 30 years. Why have they woken up to the need for industrialisation only now?" she asked.

More Stories on : New Projects | Politics | Cars | West Bengal | Tata Motors Ltd

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page