BCC suggests rapprochement on Singur, state non-committal

Kolkata: Bengal Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has suggested that the West Bengal government reach an out-of-court settlement with the Tata group on Singur issue to which the state remained non-committal saying Saturday that the matter is subjudice.

BCC had in a letter to state Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said the rapprochement with Tatas would 'dramatically' change the perception of the investors.

"If the government of West Bengal makes overtures to the Tatas with a view to reaching an out-of-court settlement on the Singur issue it would be in the best of interest of our state to reach out and arrive at a rapprochement with a group as professional and as economically powerful as the Tatas," the letter written by BCC president Kallol Datta said.

Referring to the letter, Chatterjee told PTI here during the day "The matter is subjudice. I cannot comment on it. We are committed to return the land (400 acres) to the unwilling farmers (of Singur). We are also committed to have industry on the rest of the land (600 acres)."

Chatterjee, who was approached with the letter by the Chamber during a meeting yesterday and cold shouldered them, said "The government is well aware of the situation. I had gone there to listen on the new draft on industrial policy being prepared by the chamber and not to receive the letter from them on an issue which is subjudice," he said.

"We have to wait till December 29. I cannot comment," he said without elaborating when asked to react on Ratan Tata hinting that some day Tatas may still be back to West Bengal.

Ratan Tata will retire as the chairman of Tata Sons on December 28 and will be succeeded by Cyrus Mistry. Tata will be the honorary Chairman Emeritus of the group.

Chatterjee said the Shapoorji Pallonji group, which is the major stakeholder of Tata Sons, has already discussed investment in infrastructure, power generation and port management in the state.

PTI