Wage War...Yes, War!
I want to see it, before I go!
-- Mahasweta Devi
(On 27 October, 2006 at a Public Hearing held at Singur, writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi as well as Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar had heard the voices of the Singur peasants. We reproduce below, some excerpts from three articles by Mahasweta Devi that appeared in the Dainik Statesman (November 2, 3, and 5, 2006), and appeared in translated form in Mainstream, November 18, 2006.)
Singur, Thanks
... By this agitation, the peasants of Singur showed us the need for protest...If the State, in its utter insolence, with the help of its armed constabulary, continues to pursue its anti-people programmes, people would have no option but to rise up and protest. ...People of Singur are protesting because their life and living is being threatened. Twenty-one year-old Raj Kumar lost his life. Twenty-two ladies along with a girl child of two-and-a-half years were kept in jail custody for three days. Are these all false news? Are these all got up?...
Singur, I am with you
I applaud Singur again and again....A concerted false propaganda is being made suggesting that people are voluntarily selling their land to the government to be given over to the Tatas. I am today recording the truth over the Singur episode.
The Act of 1894 clearly states how land could be acquired. The first portion relates to acquisition for public purpose by the government like for making roads, hospitals, railways, etc...
The Act provides for a separate procedure for acquisition land for a company. Land in Singur is being acquired for the Tatas for a car factory...But why has the government in indecent haste started giving compensation money from out of the public fund? This is an illegal, yes an illegal act. Because they have deliberately violated the legal procedure for acquiring land for a private company. The law is quite clear. It says that the company has to deposit upfront the estimated compensation money with the Collector of the District. The company would also have to enter into an MoU with the Collector indicating in what manner it is proposed to utilise the land to be acquired for it. No such MoU has been signed between the Tatas and the Collector of Hooghly.
The State Government is giving land to the Tatas illegally and unethically. The Tatas have informed the government that they would pay Rs. 20 crores five years after they received the land, as compensation money. And they had the audacity to state that they would pay interest at the rate of 0.01 per cent per year. One can’t help admiring their sense of humour. The discounted value of Rs. 20 crores to be paid five years later is around Rs. 11-12 crores now. That means that by paying Rs. 12 crores they would grab lands worth Rs. 100 crores. Knowing fully the implication of their activities, the State Government is giving away the golden multicrop land thereby extinguishing the livelihood of innumerable families. ...I am forced to drew attention to Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988. it clearly states that whoever using official power arranges to give undue pecuniary advantage to another person commits a crime. I accuse everyone in the State Government from top to bottom associated with this illegal action as criminal offenders.