Thaindian News

Kolkata, May 26 (IANS) Shying away from its earlier promise to make public the 2007 agreement on the Tata Nano project in Singur, the West Bengal government Thursday said it will take more time to bring the document in public domain to avoid legal hurdles.

“There exists many legal complications. We would not do anything which may increase the legal hurdles. I have been told to study the agreement. I want more time,” state Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters here.

“There exist many documents and correspondences regarding the agreement between the government and Tata Motors. A lot of parties are involved. There are 54 vendors. Some of them only exist on paper,” he said.

“I will inform (Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee of my feelings after studying the agreement. Then whatever directive she gives, we will do,” he added.

Banerjee Wednesday said the agreement between the state government and Tata Motors would be made public Thursday.

“We have received a copy of the agreement on the Singur project. Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee is studying it. After he studies it, he will get back to me. Tomorrow (Thursday) we will make it public. We will give it to the media,” Banerjee had told media persons.

Tata Motors had to abort its plan to set up the small car plant in the Singur area of Hooghly district following an intense agitation of farmers led by Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.

The protesters demanded that 400 acres out of the 997.11 acres acquired for the project by the state’s then Left Front government be returned to farmers from whom the land was “forcibly taken”.

The Tatas finally shifted the plant to Sanand in Gujarat in late 2008.

The Trinamool, then the principal opposition party, demanded the Left Front government make public the agreement. But the government refused to do that citing the confidentiality clause.