Chronology of events(Singur Impasse)

Protest against forceful land acqusition at Singur. Photo:Shantanu Debnath.

Pic Courtesy: anonymous photographer

The firebrand TMC supremo  and now chief minister of Bengal,Mamata Banarjee’s land movement in Singur and Nandigram raised a storm across Bengal.
After coming to power, the first thing the state government had done was passing the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill 2011 to return the land taken away from the reluctant farmers. But recently, Calcutta high Court ruled that the act was ‘unconstitutional and void’.
Here,the chronology of events at Singur which helped to change the political scenario of Bengal.

May 18, 2006: Tata group chairman Ratan Tata announces small car project at Singur on the day when Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was sworn in Bengal’s chief minister.
May 25: Angry demonstrations by farmers over ‘forceful acquisition’ of land for the Tata car project.

May 26: Former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu criticises Buddhadeb for mishandling the acquisition of land for Tata project.
July 18: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee sows paddy near Tata factory site to protest ‘forceful acquisition’ of farm land.
ug 25:FICCI( Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) warns that Singur developments may force industry to shift projects to other parts of India.

Sep 25: Mamata breaks down, alleged that police assaulted her in Singur.

Oct 2:Buddhadeb Bhattacharya calls for all-party meeting on Singur.
Oct 9:12-hour shut-down called by Trinamool Congress paralised the entire state.
Oct 27:Social activist Medha Patkar holds meeting near Tata Motors factory over the forecible land acquisition.

Dec 2: Hundreds and thousands of farmers join protests, even as Patkar is arrested by the police.

Dec 3: Mamata Banarjee begins indefinite hunger strike.

Dec 7: Medha Patkar meets president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam over Singur issue.
Dec 21: Governor of Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi asks Mamata to withdraw fast that completes 17th day.

Dec 26: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sends Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi as central emissary to Mamata.

Dec 27: Ratan Tata assures no pulling out of Singur.

Dec 28:Mamata breaks 25-day fast.

Jan 4, 2007: Tatas select first batch of trainees for Singur project.

Jan 10: Singur-bound Medha Patkar detained by police in Kolkata.

Jan 11: Medha Patkar released, but says she will return to Singur.

Jan 21: Tatas start work at Singur, women torch factory fencing was torched .

Feb 4: Fresh violence at Singur, ahead of TMC Rally.

Feb 6: Ratan Tata says clear evidence of rival hand in Singur.

Feb 14:High Court of Calcutta says prohibitory orders in Singur is misuse of power.

Feb 15: Buddadev Bhattacharya holds first public rally at Singur, in support Tata project.

Fen 23: Calcutta High Court slams state government over method adopted for Singur land acquisition.
March 9 : Tatas and state government ink Singur land deal lease.
March 12:A farmer who was unwilling to part with Singur land, commits suicide.
March 16: Mob attacks Tata Motors’ factory fencing at Singur.
March 18: Explosion outside Tata Motors’ factory damages fencing.

March 25: Five guards at project site injured during clash with protesters.

May 24: Peace talks between state government, Trinamool fail.

May 25: Another farmer commits suicide.

June 14: State government rules out returning Singur project land to farmers.

July 2: Another Singur farmer commits suicide.

Sep 18: Tatas appoint first batch of 17 Singur youth after training.

Nov 12: Central Reserve Police Force deployed at Singur after fresh protests.

Dec 2: Trinamool Congress holds major rally to mark one-year of agitation.

Jan 10, 2008: Tatas unveil name for small car, say Nano will cost Rs.100,000($2,500). Singur protesters burn Nano replica.
Jan 16: Tata’s give jobs to 80 displaced farmers.

Jan 18: Calcutta High Court says Singur land acquisition legal.

Feb 15: Tatas announce Nano roll out by October.

May 13: Supreme Court refuses to block roll out of Nano from Singur.

May 21: Trinamool Congress(TMC) wins majority in Singur self-governance institutions.

June 27: Singur protesters break Nano factory gate at Singur.

Aug 7: Mamata Banerjee says she is willing to talk with Tatas on Singur impasse.

Aug 18: Bhattacharya invites Banerjee for talks.

Aug 19: Mamata says 400 acres must be returned to farmers.

Aug 20: Talks between state government, TMC fail.

Aug 22: For the first time, Ratan Tata says Nano will move out of West Bengal if violence at Singur persists.

Aug 23: Indian industry begins rallying behind Tata Motors factory at Singur, says continuing protests will tarnish state’s image.

Aug 23: Several states, including Haryana and Maharashtra, ask Tatas to relocate Nano factory to their territories.

Aug 24: TMC begins indefinite dharna(strike) at Singur demanding return of land.

Aug 26: Buddadev Bhattacharya says acquired Singur land for Nano cannot be returned.

Aug 27: Several industrialists, including Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, back Tatas on Nano project.

Aug 29: Nano factory workers stay away from work.

Aug 31: TMC  delegation meets Governor G.K Gandhi over Singur, who suggests mediator to resolve impasse.

Sept 2: Cricketer and West Bengal’s sports icon Saurav Ganguly suppports Tata’s project.

Sep 3: Tatas suspend work at Singur, examined alternative sites for the project.
Sep 3: Governor G.K Gandhi plays mediator; state government, TMC  agrees  to meet him to end impasse.
Sep 4: Ratan Tata says all possible steps being taken to roll out Nano as scheduled .

Sep 5:The Bengal Government and the TMC started their negotiations.

Sept 6: No solution in sight.Governor Gandhi is going to meet Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and Mamata Banarjee.

Sepr 7:Government agrees to handover some acres of land to farmers and formed a committee to identify the lands.But stalemate continues……

Oct.3:Ratan Tata announced after meeting chief minister to pull out from singur.

Aug 27: Several industrialists, including Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, back Tatas on Nano project.

Aug 29: Nano factory workers stay away from work.

Aug 31: TMC delegation meets Governor Gandhi over Singur, who suggests mediator to resolve impasse.

Sep 2: Cricketer and West Bengal’s sports icon Saurav Ganguly bats for Tatas.

Sep 3: Tatas suspend work at Singur, say alternative sites being examined.

Sep 3: Governor Gandhi plays mediator; state government, Trinamool Congress agree to meet him to end stalemate.

Sep 4: Ratan Tata says all possible steps being taken to roll out Nano as scheduled .

Sep 5:The Bengal Government and the TMC started their negotiations.

Sept 6: No solution in sight.Governor Gandhi is going to meet Buddhadeb and Mamata.

Sepr 7:Government agrees to handover some acres of land to farmers and formed a committe to identify the lands.But stalemate continues……

Oct.3:Ratan Tata announced after meeting chief minister to pull out from singur.