Tata interrupted: Work stalled at Nano plant site

MAMATA'S GAMEPLAN: Trinamool has put up a blockade on National Highway No 2 adjacent to the Nano plant site.

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Singur: The mass influx of Trinamool supporters into Singur continued on Friday as part of the infinite dharna outside the Tata Motors' plant, but the same can't be said about the workers at the plant.

Employees of the two morning shifts in the Tata Motors' Singur plant did not report to work on Friday.

Around 700 Tata Motors employees were also stranded inside the factory premises after finishing duty on Thursday night for about three hours. This was due to the blockade outside the factory premises, preventing them from leaving for their homes.

Till Wednesday, Tata Motors had been quietly moving its employees into the Singur plant in the early hours of morning to ensure transit into the factory.

The Trinamool Congress has put up a blockade on National Highway No 2 adjacent to the plant site in protest against acquisition of land from “unwilling farmers” for the Tata small car project.

The Opposition party has demanded that 400 acres of acquired land be returned to the “unwilling farmers”.

Meanwhile, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said that the Central Government will not intervene in the Singur issue.

Carnival time in Singur

Ice cream carts, fruit vendors and even fast food stalls – the dharna site in front of the Tata Motors facility in Singur looks nothing short of a fair.

The demonstrators have spread out and the slogan shouting has given way to singing.

Meanwhile, social activist Anuradha Talwar said, “Three parties should sit for talks – the farmers, Tata motors and the government. They have to come to an amicable settlement which means returning the land.”

On the other side, 700 odd employees of Tata Motors on Thursday were seen packed in about 50 vehicles taking a 50-km detour to get pass the dharna and report for work. In, fact Trinamool supporters did not seem to bother much about that.

But the gathering of protestors continued to be impressive. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee is keeping their spirits up with attacks on the government and on a section of the media, which she says is misleading the public.

This carnivalesque atmosphere in Singur could be a Trinamool strategy to keep its supporters in good humour but with the stalemate still persisting, patience could run out not just for the party but also for the Bengal government.