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Tatas to exit Bengal if protests continue

August 29, 2008

Purnendu Bose is the key person to contact if one wishes to access Banerjee, the firebrand Trinamool Congress chief, fondly referred to as didi.

One has to handover one's identity card to Bose, who would then pass it on to Banerjee. No one, except Trinamool loyalists, is allowed to be on the manch.

On receiving this correspondent's card, Banerjee waved from the dharna manch and said, "I have lost my voice. This andolon (agitation) has taken its toll on my health. But I will continue to say 'no-no' to Tatas' Nano unless our demands are met.

"I am not here to give exclusive interviews to the media. I am fighting for the rights of the farmers. All the people you see here speak my mind, they convey my thoughts", she said, adding, "it feels good to know that even the national and international media are taking such interest in the movement."

Top industry leaders warned that the country would suffer a big setback if Tata Motors was forced to withdraw the small car project from West Bengal.

Joining the ranks of protesters from the industry against the threat to industry, two days after Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani threw his weight behind the Tatas, were Sunil Mittal, Jamshyd Godrej, C K Birla, Gautam Thapar, Venu Srinivasan apart from K V Kamath.

"Tatas pulling out of West Bengal would be unfortunate for India...immediate political dialogue to find a solution towards keeping the project in West Bengal is imperative," Bharti chairman and group CEO Sunil Mittal said.

Image: Mamata in conversation with one of her loyalists

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