TMC's game of using the poor is not new, after all it is a legacy that the offshoot from Congress has inherited. as in the case of those who led the narmada protests,( despite its need), no space was given for dialogue and negotiation. at the same time, for a Left govt. in power for so long, there are lots of lessons, including the need for more transparency, giving the local governance institutions a key role in land acquisition issues for industrialization.
NANO coming to Gujarat should also be seen in the context of "vibrant Gujarat" not taking off as expected owing to 2002 violence and after math. Gujarat has a great deal of skilled labour and entrepreneural history, so this project is expected to give a boost to many other allied enterprises. This could have happened in west bengal too. in gujarat, the local panchayats took a lead in building opinion in SANAND area. What political message Modi gives to NANO coming to gujarat, is another point, a political one. Modi said that NANO should stay in India, in any part ( " National spirit "), and second, that gujarat which has a maritime history will now have chance to build surface transport and become its hub. politically, this project also ends Modi's isolation, after 2002 communal violence for TATA's have a difffernt image, very much linked to "national interest". This is the challenge.
meera velayudhan
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