October 24, 2008

CPI(M) questions governor’s role in Singur accord


Kolkata, Oct 23 (IANS) : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) West Bengal secretary Biman Basu Thursday questioned whether a governor could be a party to an accord between the state government and the opposition to resolve a dispute.
''I often hear that the agreement between the state government and the opposition Trinamool Congress was signed in the presence of Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. Firstly, I want to clarify that no agreement was signed over the Singur dispute. It was just a declaration letter which was released in the presence of the governor, not an agreement,” Basu told a press conference here.

“No governor can participate in any accord between the government and the opposition unless he or she is authorised by the government of India to intervene in any issue, as far as the Indian constitution is concerned.”

Last month, Gandhi had invited the Left Front government and the opposition to resolve through dialogue the vexed issue of land acquisition for Tata Motors’ car plant in Singur, about 40 km from here, after the firm suspended work on the project.

Several meetings were held at the governor’s residence and an accord was reached Sep 7.

The auto major finally shifted the project to Gujarat following continuous protests by Trinamool-backed farmers demanding return of a portion of land acquired for the project.

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