Trinamool Congress Reacts to Tata Motors’ Win in Singur Case, Says Legal Options Still Open
The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has played down Tata Motors’ victory in the arbitral proceedings against the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) for the abandoned car project in Singur, emphasizing that it is not the “final verdict” and that the state government still has legal avenues open.
Tata Motors announced on Monday that it has emerged victorious in the arbitral proceedings, which focused on the loss of its capital. As a result, the company can now recover Rs 765.78 crore plus interest from WBIDC.
TMC MP Sougata Roy stated, “This is not a final verdict or a verdict by the Supreme Court. This is a ruling by an arbitral tribunal. It doesn’t mean this is the end of the road for the state government. Legal avenues are still open.”
The controversy surrounding the abandoned car manufacturing plant in Singur dates back to 2008 when Tata Motors, faced with opposition led by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, decided to withdraw its ambitious Nano car production plant. At that time, the CPI(M)-led Left Front was in power in the state, and the BJP accused the TMC of driving industries away.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya expressed their stance, stating, “We are against forcible land acquisition. But when the industry started, we wanted the factory to come up. For the wrong policies of the CPI(M) and the militant agitation of the TMC, the Tatas were forced out of the state, permanently driving industries away.”
Tata Motors, in an official statement, confirmed the outcome of the arbitral proceedings, stating, “In respect of arbitration proceedings between Tata Motors Limited and WBIDC, this is to inform that the aforesaid pending arbitral proceedings before a three-member Arbitral Tribunal has now been finally disposed of in favor of TML on October 30, 2023, and the company has been held to recover Rs 765.78 crore plus interest from WBIDC.”
