Mamata Banerjee vs Ratan Tata: Why West Bengal ends up being the real loser | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis
Mamata Banerjee vs Ratan Tata:
Why West Bengal ends up being the
real loser
.
The bitter acrimony which started in
2007 between West Bengal chief
minister Mamata Banerjee and
industrialist Ratan Tata has found
its way back to the forefront. At the
time, Tata was forced to abandon
setting up shop in the state and
Mamata rode on the high of the
Singur and Nandigram agitation to
win an unprecedented mandate.
This time, an assessment by Ratan
Tata that the industry hasn't
developed in Bengal under Mamata's
rule has been the trigger of
confrontation. And Amit Mitra, the
industry and finance minister of
West Bengal is busy proxy fighting
for Banerjee calling Ratan Tata
"delusional"
.
On Wednesday, Ratan Tata
reportedly blamed the Singur
agitation for the failure of his Tata
Nano project. But just last year, he
had said poor marketing resulted
in the dismal performance of his
much touted car
. Still smarting from the massive loss
he had to face in Singur while
confronting the agitation lead by
Mamata Banerjee, looks like he
himself is confused about the true
reason why the Nano failed to create
a flutter in the market. His blunt
assessment of West Bengal's
industry is probably an outburst
from his deep seated anger about
the issue. Tata had recently heaped
lavish praise on Narendra Modi as a
“doer
”. But he has never criticised the
poor human development indices in
Gujarat or other lacunae the state
faces. So it looks like his personal
equation is having an effect on his
public assertion, something
unbecoming of a person of his
stature.
The Bengal government in its part
has also been extremely rigid with
land acquisition rules. Didi is still in
an agitation mode like she was in
the opposition. Thus, any criticism
or dissent is promptly quelled by
her. The deficits have steadily
increased and the industrialisation
is still laggard - something that
touches a raw nerve in the ruling
class of Bengal. Responding to Ratan
Tata's quip could have been avoided
by Mamata or her ministers. By
personally attacking Tata, TMC will
only attract negative publicity and
will increase scrutiny on the lack of
infrastructure and the poor economic
condition of the state. It will further
erode the already depleted “Brand
Bengal” Mamata prefers to boast
about.
But in the middle of all this, the
common people of Bengal are the
ones who end up getting a raw deal.
By raising rhetoric against Tata,
Mamata can further concentrate her
rural votes. Tata in any case will be
immune to all criticism. But Bengal's
status as a pariah state for
industrialists will increase further.
The best and the brightest will
continue to migrate out of the state
for jobs and livelihood. Politics will
triumph at the altar of common
sense.