The people’s resistance to forced acquisition of
their lands by the Tatas at Singur has acquired a
new urgency with the Tatas performing a ’Bhoomi
Puja’ even as Section 144 of the Cr.P.C. has been
imposed in the area to undermine collective
protest there. That section 144 needed to be
imposed itself is indicative of the wide
opposition to the project. The people’s
resistance in Singur, along with the ’war-like’
situation prevailing in Nandigram, and the bitter
opposition to SEZs elsewhere in the country has
brought to the forefront, yet again, how
’development’ is being rammed down the throats of
people it is supposed to benefit.

We are organizing a dharna in front of the office
of the Resident Commissioner, West Bengal
government, on Monday, 29 January 2007, at 3 pm
to:

PROTEST against the forced acquisition of land
and suppression of the democratic and
constituional rights of the people of Singur, the
complete lack of transparency and lack of consent
in the process of land acquisition, the
imposition of Section 144, the violence
perpetrated on resisters in Singur, the rape and
murder of Tapasi Mullick, and the huge tax
handouts to Tatas and industry in general; and

DEMAND an immediate stoppage of any further
construction of the Tata Motor Plant till lands
coercively acquired are returned to the people
and issues raised by the protesting people in
Singur are resolved.

This call for a dharna is being given by a number
of organizations, women’s and democratic rights
groups, student bodies, unions, and individuals.

Please circulate this email widely, mobilize,
contact the Press, bring your songs and music,
and let us together raise our voice against this
development process that is actively undermining
the livelihoods and lives of sharecroppers,
adivasis, agrarian working women, the urban poor,
and dalits not only in Singur and Nandigram but
in many parts of the country.

Date: 29 January 2007, Monday

Time: 3 pm onwards

Venue: Office of the West Bengal Resident

Commissioner, West Bengal Emporium (near Shivaji
Stadium bus depot), Baba Kharak Singh Marg,
Connaught Place
aman)

New Delhi

Kashipur Solidarity Group, Delhi Solidarity
Group, AIFTU, Saheli, Lok Raj Sangathan and
others

For more information, contact Malavika
(9313900378), D. Manjit (9868471143), Vijayan
(9868165471), Nagraj Adve (26856749)