Tuesday, September 26 2006 12:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Singur (WB): Going on a collision course with the Left Front government in West Bengal over land acquisition for the Tata Motors car project here, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee yesterday (Sept 25, 2006)night called a statewide bandh on October nine and a one hour road and rail blockade tomorrow, which was supported by Congress.

Unruffled, the state government said the process of distribution of compensation cheques to the land losers would continue tomorrow as scheduled.

Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said, "We will continue to make payment to those who gave up their land for the project.We will also not use force to remove Mamata Banerjee from the BDO's office at Singur where she is holding her dharna," he said after a high-level meeting which reviewed the situation.

The Trinamool Congress supremo who opposed the conversion of farmland, rushed here after being informed that the administration had started making payments to landlosers in the area.

Banerjee who entered the block development office where the BDO, superintendent of police and district magistrate were present, sat on a dharna and demanded that the distribution of cheques should be stopped immediately.

The TC supremo said that she would continue her dharna overnight.

Earlier, members of the 'Krishijami Raksha Committee' (Save Farmland Committee), opposed to the aquisition of agricultural land for the project demonstrated before the block development office and were joined by women wielding broomsticks.

State Congress working president Pradip Bhattacharjee said that his party was against acquisition of farmland and had also protested against it.

He told sources his party would give moral support to the Trinamool Congress bandh call as also tomorrow road and railway blockade today(Sept 25, 2006).

"Congress workers will be out on the streets today," he said.

CPI(M) state secretary, Biman Bose speaking from Delhi reacted angrily and said that the TC chief's opposition to land acquisition at Singur was 'anti-development." ' "Mamata Banerjee is anti-development, anti-industry and anti-agriculture," he said.

He said the Trinamool agitation was pre-planned and was against the interests of the state.

Tata Motors requires 1000 acres for their Rs one lakh people's car plant at Singur.