Kolkata, December 7
GOVERNOR GOPAL Krishna Gandhi might have fuelled yet another spate of controversy. Gandhi, who has been critical of the Left Front government’s policy of forcible land acquisition for industrialisation, refuted the pro-industry belief of the state government on Friday.
What could be his most scathing criticism of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government, he denied the prevalent thought that industry not agriculture holds the key to the nation’s future. He was talking at a seminar organised by the Indian Society for Soil Sciences at the Indian Glass and Ceramics Research Institute.
“We all know Ramkrishna Paramhansa said ‘taka mati, mati taka’ (wealth is synonymous to land and vice versa). However, we should not misinterpret this and regard soil as fixed deposit, which could be enchased for the use of capital. I am all for industry and capital but industry and capital should not look readily upon soil as an encashable asset, to be put into the profit graph of private capital,” he stated.
According to sources, Gandhi said while soil was very important, the government needed to understand its significance and then decide whether to set up industry or give it away for agricultural purpose. Maintaining his tone, the Governor further said the deciding factor behind converting agricultural land for industrial purposes should be left on the fertility of the soil and not on margin of profit.
“Our natural balance of land should be maintained. Due to topographical reason, North Bengal is prone to landslides. In such a scenario, the plains are important for agricultural,” he said. Gandhi pointed out that it was as bad as trying to irrigate the deserts of Rajasthan for cultivation.
Sources informed that Gandhi also questioned SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and felt that these should not be allowed to come up just anywhere.
Although no media persons were invited for the seminar, contents of the Governor’s speech trickled out. Sources believe the speech is likely to bite the Left Front government hard enough and Gandhi would continue to be an eye sore, both for the administration and CPI(M).
Although the Governor has been critical of the steps taken by the sate government and its industrial policies ever since forcible acquisition of land at Singur, Gandhi gave vent to his angst and desperation in a statement following the police firing on peaceful demonstrators at Nandigram on March 14. Although he did not criticise the state government directly, he has often implied that he did not have faith in Bhattacharjee and his government. Recently, he further proved his lack of confidence in the government and Bhattacharjee when he met Marxist patriarch and former chief minister Jyoti Basu, requesting him to appeal for peace at Nandigram.
letters@hindusantimes.com
GOVERNOR GOPAL Krishna Gandhi might have fuelled yet another spate of controversy. Gandhi, who has been critical of the Left Front government’s policy of forcible land acquisition for industrialisation, refuted the pro-industry belief of the state government on Friday.
What could be his most scathing criticism of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government, he denied the prevalent thought that industry not agriculture holds the key to the nation’s future. He was talking at a seminar organised by the Indian Society for Soil Sciences at the Indian Glass and Ceramics Research Institute.
“We all know Ramkrishna Paramhansa said ‘taka mati, mati taka’ (wealth is synonymous to land and vice versa). However, we should not misinterpret this and regard soil as fixed deposit, which could be enchased for the use of capital. I am all for industry and capital but industry and capital should not look readily upon soil as an encashable asset, to be put into the profit graph of private capital,” he stated.
According to sources, Gandhi said while soil was very important, the government needed to understand its significance and then decide whether to set up industry or give it away for agricultural purpose. Maintaining his tone, the Governor further said the deciding factor behind converting agricultural land for industrial purposes should be left on the fertility of the soil and not on margin of profit.
“Our natural balance of land should be maintained. Due to topographical reason, North Bengal is prone to landslides. In such a scenario, the plains are important for agricultural,” he said. Gandhi pointed out that it was as bad as trying to irrigate the deserts of Rajasthan for cultivation.
Sources informed that Gandhi also questioned SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and felt that these should not be allowed to come up just anywhere.
Although no media persons were invited for the seminar, contents of the Governor’s speech trickled out. Sources believe the speech is likely to bite the Left Front government hard enough and Gandhi would continue to be an eye sore, both for the administration and CPI(M).
Although the Governor has been critical of the steps taken by the sate government and its industrial policies ever since forcible acquisition of land at Singur, Gandhi gave vent to his angst and desperation in a statement following the police firing on peaceful demonstrators at Nandigram on March 14. Although he did not criticise the state government directly, he has often implied that he did not have faith in Bhattacharjee and his government. Recently, he further proved his lack of confidence in the government and Bhattacharjee when he met Marxist patriarch and former chief minister Jyoti Basu, requesting him to appeal for peace at Nandigram.
letters@hindusantimes.com
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