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Anger over Tata car factory move | Anger over Tata car factory move |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Thousands of people have been protesting in the Indian state of West Bengal after the Tata group abandoned its plans to manufacture cars there. | Thousands of people have been protesting in the Indian state of West Bengal after the Tata group abandoned its plans to manufacture cars there. |
Tata, one of India's leading industrial groups, had planned to make what it said would be the world's cheapest car, the Nano, at a factory in Singur. | Tata, one of India's leading industrial groups, had planned to make what it said would be the world's cheapest car, the Nano, at a factory in Singur. |
But the project was disrupted by a row over land on which the plant was built. | But the project was disrupted by a row over land on which the plant was built. |
Tata's decision to find an alternative location for the plant met with dismay from thousands of its supporters. | Tata's decision to find an alternative location for the plant met with dismay from thousands of its supporters. |
After weeks of sustained and sometimes violent protests, Tata announced on Friday that it would scrap the venture and shift production of the Nano elsewhere. | |
"You cannot run a plant when bombs are being thrown," said the firm's chairman, Ratan Tata. "You cannot run a plant when workers are being intimidated." | "You cannot run a plant when bombs are being thrown," said the firm's chairman, Ratan Tata. "You cannot run a plant when workers are being intimidated." |
The plant was seen as a key part of efforts to regenerate what was once India's most industrialised state, but which is now one of its least developed. | The plant was seen as a key part of efforts to regenerate what was once India's most industrialised state, but which is now one of its least developed. |
This is a black day for Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen Tata abandons Nano car factory | This is a black day for Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen Tata abandons Nano car factory |
Protests | Protests |
Local supporters of Tata's West Bengal project were bitterly disappointed with the decision and thousands of them took to the streets around the plant. | Local supporters of Tata's West Bengal project were bitterly disappointed with the decision and thousands of them took to the streets around the plant. |
Some were armed with sticks and iron bars and they blocked roads and disrupted traffic. | Some were armed with sticks and iron bars and they blocked roads and disrupted traffic. |
Among them were labourers and contractors who had hoped that the Tata factory would provide them with sustained employment. | Among them were labourers and contractors who had hoped that the Tata factory would provide them with sustained employment. |
They vowed to take on those who had opposed the plant, and effigies were burnt of the opposition leader, Mamata Banerji, who was a major force in the campaign against it. | They vowed to take on those who had opposed the plant, and effigies were burnt of the opposition leader, Mamata Banerji, who was a major force in the campaign against it. |
For her part Ms Banerji has accused Tata of conspiring with her political rivals to discredit her. | For her part Ms Banerji has accused Tata of conspiring with her political rivals to discredit her. |
"We had stopped the agitation for more than a month, so why are the Tatas pulling out now?" she said. | "We had stopped the agitation for more than a month, so why are the Tatas pulling out now?" she said. |
Uncertain future | Uncertain future |
Meanwhile the state authorities have greeted the collapse of the project with dismay. | Meanwhile the state authorities have greeted the collapse of the project with dismay. |
"This is a black day for Bengal," said the Industry Minister, Nirupam Sen. "We will have so much more difficulty getting investment now." | "This is a black day for Bengal," said the Industry Minister, Nirupam Sen. "We will have so much more difficulty getting investment now." |
Local economists and others have expressed similar misgivings. | Local economists and others have expressed similar misgivings. |
An editorial in the Indian Express newspaper talked of Tata's withdrawal as being a grave loss for West Bengal. | An editorial in the Indian Express newspaper talked of Tata's withdrawal as being a grave loss for West Bengal. |
"A door to its future has just closed," it said. | "A door to its future has just closed," it said. |
Controversy over the project was seen as a reflection of wider tensions in India. | Controversy over the project was seen as a reflection of wider tensions in India. |
Efforts to acquire land for factories have run into opposition from farming communities in a number of places. | Efforts to acquire land for factories have run into opposition from farming communities in a number of places. |
The battle over the site at Singur on the outskirts of Calcutta was particularly high-profile and seen as something of a test case. | The battle over the site at Singur on the outskirts of Calcutta was particularly high-profile and seen as something of a test case. |
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