JOIN USThe state unit of CPM’ farmers’ wing Pradeshik Krishak Sabha (PKS) will take out a rally of 50,000 farmers from Singur in West Bengal’s Hooghly district to Kolkata on Wednesday.
Announcing the decision here on Saturday, the PKS leadership said that the main demand of the long march will be the “ re-industrialisation” of Singur. They accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of ruining the industrial prospect of Bengal as Trinamool Congress’(TMC) anti-land acquisition agitation forced Tata Motors to shift their Nano car factory out of Singur in 2006.
“The people of Singur are suffering. There is no industry and no employment in Singur. Our long march from Singur to the Governor’s House in central Kolkata will start on November 28 and conclude on the following day,” said Amal Haldar state secretary of PKS.
He also said that initially, about 2,500 farmers will take part in the long march from Singur and as the march will head for Kolkata, over 47,500 farmers will join from the districts of Nadia, North 24 Paraganas and South 24 Paraganas.
The PKS leadership alleged that the TMC government was “aloof” to the plight of farmers who are struggling to earn their livelihood due to dipping prices of crops and rising production costs.
Accusing the chief minister of “driving away industries” from Singur when she was an opposition leader, Haldar claimed that the state government has made false claims about returning the acquired land in Singur in cultivable condition.
“Out of the about 997 acres of land which was then acquired, farming has taken place only in 4.40 acres. The TMC government is only making false promises to farmers,” said Haldar.
He further alleged that since 2011 when TMC came to power in Bengal, 187 farmers committed suicide for being unable to repay loans.
“As the prices of crops are plummeting, the debts of farmers in Bengal are rising and 187 farmers have committed suicide for failing to repay their loans,” said Haldar. However,the TMC government has so far denied any case of farmer’s suicide in the state.