Raipur: The issue of setting up a steel plant in Bastar resurfaced as Raman Singh, former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh attacked the Congress-led state government in a tweet “What was wrong earlier, how is it right now, and what is right now, how was it wrong earlier?”
The Bastar steel plant always results in a war of words between Congress and BJP. The Memorandum of understanding was signed by the BJP government in 2005 to set up a steel plant in Bastar by Tata. 1665 hectares of land was procured from 1707 farmers for the purpose of setting up the steel plant. Congress opposed the move fiercely.
As Congress rose to power, the land acquired for the plant was returned to the farmers in accordance with the terms and conditions liable upon the failure of setting up the plant. Recently, Congress made a fresh move to set up four to five steel plants in Bastar and BJP launched attack over the move.
The former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh tweeted :
1. MOU for Tata Steel Plant in 2005
2. Plant was to be set up within 5 years
3. Land was taken from hundreds of farmers
4. 70 per cent of farmers had given consent
5. Acquisition of 2043 hectares covering 10 villages
6. Land was taken from 1707 farmers
7. As per conditions, the plant was to be set up on 1665 hectare land within 10 years
8. If the plant was not installed, the land had to be returned
9. Refusal to set up a steel plant in 2016
10. Small plants to be set up
11. The plant will be installed on 500 acres of land
12. Farmers' land will not be acquired for the plant
13. Trees and forests will not be cut for the plant
Read:Chhattisgarh CM gives nod to set up new steel plants in Bastar
A war of words since 2005
The erstwhile BJP government was attacked by Congress over farmer's land acquisition and failure in returning it. Congress party members including MLA took to the streets and marched towards the Assembly. The Congress election manifesto promised restoration of the land to ṭhe farmers and it was fulfiled as soon as the Congress government was formed.
Chattisgarh CM give a befitting reply
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said “We do not know in which world Raman Singh is living; he only made MoUs in the name of setting up industry and visiting foreign countries. The industries which were established in the state during his time also went to other states.”The Chief Minister further said that small steel plants will be set up rendering more employment opportunities. At the same time, he has also assured that in order to set up these plants nobody would be displaced and no trees would be cut.
BJP slashes back
BJP State spokesperson Sanjay Srivastava remarked on CM's statement that the Congress government would cheat the people of Bastar. The government is talking about setting up 4-5 steel plants, but there is no plan. Even though the government said that nobody's land would be taken over, but they did not reveal the information on the proposed land. “I do not think that the foundation of these steel plants will be laid by 2023,” he further added.
BJP failed in setting it up for 7 years
In response to BJP's allegation, State President of Congress Media Department Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said that the plant could not be set up during the BJP government rule for more than 7 years. The Congress government returned the land to its original owners as the plant was not installed. Why did Raman Singh want to grab the lands of farmers? Raman Singh must remember that neither Lohandiguda nor the Nagarnar incidents would be repeated in the Congress government when people's lands were acquiesced for NMDC's steel plant and later a conspiracy to sell the entire plant popped up. Shailesh said that four or five steel plants will be proposed; the land will also be acquired for them, but unlike Tata Steel Plant, the land will not be left vacant.
Dilemma over devolopment
Development and policies are always changing according to the government. The plant which BJP government planned to install, the Congress found flaws in it and the plant which the Congress government wishes to set up, the BJP finds flaw in it. In the midst of all this, the native people and their offsprings spend their lives with the hope that a plant will be set up.No matter which political party rules, they wish to earn their livelihood and afford two meals a day.
Also read: Chhattisgarh: 39.57 lakh online classes held during Covid 19 crisis
