Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally at Singur in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Sunday, a venue closely associated with the 2008 exit of Tata Motors’ Nano project.
The rally is expected to assume strong political and symbolic significance ahead of the crucial Assembly elections later this year.
The Trinamool Congress led a violent agitation against land acquisition, forcing Tata Motors to withdraw the Nano project from Singur.
At the time, Mamata Banerjee, then Leader of the Opposition and now Chief Minister, spearheaded the movement.
The Tata Nano project subsequently moved to Sanand in Gujarat, where Narendra Modi was serving as Chief Minister at the time.
Ratan Tata’s 2008 Announcement
Late Ratan Tata had announced the withdrawal of the project on October 3, 2008, expressing anguish over the developments. His remarks during the announcement remain etched in public memory, and the Prime Minister is likely to recall them during his address.
The BJP’s West Bengal unit has launched an extensive campaign around the Singur rally, projecting the Nano exit as a major setback for the state’s industrial growth.
Union Minister of State and former state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar stated that the incident not only harmed Singur but also dented West Bengal’s investment potential. He asserted that a BJP-led government would work to restore the state’s reputation as an investment hub.
Ahead of the rally, the Prime Minister will also virtually attend an organisational programme to inaugurate several central government projects in West Bengal, largely linked to the Indian Railways.
A day earlier, he addressed a rally in Malda district.
PM Modi’s visit carries political weight, especially after dense fog thwarted his earlier attempt to reach Taherpur in December and forced him to address the gathering via an audio link.
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