On the anniversary of the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill 2011, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee targeted the Centre over the new farm laws passed last year, stating that on one hand her government fights for the rights of farmers and addressed their grievances and on the other, an 'indifferent' Centre is letting them suffer.
Terming farmers as the 'backbone of the society, Mamata further stated that she will continue to fight for their well-being, adding that upholding the rights of the farmers remains a top priority for her.
In a tweet, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, "On this day, ten years back, the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill 2011 was passed in the WB assembly after a long and difficult struggle. We unitedly fought for the rights of our farmers and addressed their grievances, bringing in positive change in their lives."
Mamata, after coming to power, passed the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, to take over the land given to the Tata's by the previous Left Front government. The bill was passed in the assembly on June 14, 2011. The Tata Group was given around a thousand acres of land by the then state government in 2006 to build a car manufacturing factory, but in the wake of violent protests from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the project was shelved.
Tata Motors moved the Calcutta High Court challenging the law. The acquisition of the land was upheld by a trial court and the law passed by the TMC-led state government was declared unconstitutional on appeal. After that, the dispute moved to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the farmers.
"Today, it pains me that across the nation our farmer brethren are suffering owing to the indifference of the Centre. Together, we shall continue our fight to ensure the well-being of the very backbone of our society. Upholding their rights remains a top priority," said Mamata in another tweet.
Farmers have been protesting against the Centre's farm laws for the last six months. Many have camped at the borders of the national capital.
Despite several rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmer leaders last year, the deadlock remains.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
( With inputs from ANI )
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