Mamata speaks out against forcible land acquisition

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that Trinamool Congress was totally against forcible acquisition of land for industrial purposes and the choice of giving up land should be left to the people.

"We are against forcible acquisition of land. Our party fought in Singur and Nandigram against land acquisition. If the people agree to give land, it is their decision," Banerjee said.

Banerjee had also reportedly raised serious objections to the bill related to land acquisition for industrialisation at a meeting of the Union cabinet last week. Speaking at a public meeting in Birbhum district in West Bengal, she was, however, careful not to appear anti-industry.

"We will develop infrastructure, agriculture and industry, provide electricity, water, education and health in villages which the Communist Party of India - Marxist has failed to do in its prolonged rule," she said.

Calling for political change in West Bengal, she said, "We will not differentiate on the basis of political colour. We want poor people to get the benefit," she said.

Banerjee asked partymen to work for the betterment of the people wherever they were in power be it in the panchayat, panchayat samiti or zilla parishad, as she claimed that there was no development and no employment opportunity in the state. "We have to generate employment for the younger generation, but unless the CPI-M is removed from Writer's Building (state secretariat) how can we do it? We have to bring in a change," she declared.

Banerjee also spoke of the development of minorities, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe and the economically backward sections of the society. The Trinamool Congress chief accused the Marxists of not implementing programmes like providing 100 days work under National Rural Employment Gurantee Act or for bettering education and health.

"They have only practised the politics of killing," she alleged.

Referring to the anti-Maoist operations in West Midnapore district by security forces, she claimed that the CPI-M was committing atrocities on the people at Lalgarh 'with the Centre's help'.

She said a TC delegation would visit Lalgarh on Tuesday. The Centre has instructed the state to make arrangements for their visit, she said.