Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhttacharjee on Friday rued his mistake of “allowing” the agitation staged by Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee outside the Tata Motors’ factory at Singur which brought the business to a standstill for at least 26 days, and ultimately led to the exit of Tatas from Singur.
Mr Bhattacharjee was interacting with the pro-Left intellectuals on the occasion of Poila Baishakh (Bengali New Year) at Kala Mandir on Friday.
Answering to a question asked by film-maker Tarun Majumder, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “I am aware that many people did not like my decision of not using force to remove the agitation. But one must understand in a democratic situation, applying force is not always feasible. I was patient enough and believed that as the factory work had progressed almost 80 to 90 per cent, the Opposition would understand but they did not pay any respect to the well being of the state.”
He added, “I have learnt a mistake from that episode and henceforth will act accordingly and assure that if the Left Front comes to power for the eighth time, we will restore peace and normalcy.”
Also present during the programme were thespian Ashok Mukhopadhyay, actor Biplab Chatterjee, veteran actor Sobha Sen, former Assembly Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim. Interestingly, actress Madhabi Mukherjee who had once contested the Assembly election under the Trinamul Congress against Mr Bhattacharjee, was also present.
The chief minister was visibly uncomfortable when Mr Chattarjee asked him the reason behind majority of the intellectuals abandoning the Left Front. “I think the correct time has not come that we can deduce that the majority of them have abandoned the communists,” he said.
The chief minister also read out the letters sent to him by filmmaker Mrinal Sen, novelists Sunil Gangpadhyay and Buddhadeb Guha.
While Mr Sen’s letter was full of support for the chief minister, Mr Gangopadhyay advised him to listen to music and read novels to relax in between the busy election campaigns.
He also mentioned of an hearty adda after the formation of the eighth Left Front government.