“In the last few days, the Trinamool Congress-backed Save Farmland Committee has resorted to violence and has issued threats, asking workers to keep away from the plant. We are sure that the Trinamool chief is not against industrialisation and we welcome her move to initiate a dialogue with the Tatas,” said Bose. He said the factory had generated employment for state’s youth and it was a prestigious project for West Bengal.

Higher Education Minister Sudarshan Roychowdhury said while the Opposition has accused the state government of giving away excess land to the Tatas, the Centre has stated that excess land was not allotted. “The Opposition has asked us to return land from the ancillary factories of the project but it is not possible,” he added.