Modi scores over Buddha

B D Narayankar

WHEN TATAS decided to set up Nano car manufacturing plant in West Bengal’s Singur - that itself was an adventurous foray into a state that had been dominated by the Marxists, who are not known for entrepreneurship.

From being the number one industrial state in the country to becoming an abyss of poverty, illiteracy, backwardness and industrial graveyard, the contribution of Marxists in this direction is immense. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the West Bengal chief minister, tried everything to change this image. Manna fell from the heavens - Ratan Tata decided to go to Singur to set up Nano plant there. This raised Buddha’s stocks and in fact played a stellar role in making him win the last assembly election.

However, his aura of being a dream merchant was shattered no sooner than later in the political struggle between Mamata Banerjee and the Marxists. In this battle, Ratan Tata lost a whooping Rs 1,500 crore since setting up the Nano plant at Singur.

This fiasco over Nano once again proved that the Marxists and Mamata Banerjee are least bothered about their state’s development. When all sensible state governments in the country have welcomed the project in their states for its cheap economics, both party leaderships indulged in mudslinging politics with an eye to grab seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

In normal circumstances, the setting up and shifting of a car plant does not evoke nationwide attention. But it did.

It was because of the wasted and frustrating experience of the Tatas in West Bengal.

The fact that Ratan Tata had chosen Gujarat to shift Nano plant from West Bengal speaks volumes of chief minister Narendra Modi. There is a lesson to be learnt from Modi. The saffron leader started wooing investors only after he was sure he had done his homework on infrastructure development thoroughly. There are Congress leaders who have been attempting to woo investors without bothering to improve infrastructure in their states.

Modi is a doer. He has the courage, character and commitment to walk his talk. That Ratan Tata told the media that he could have moved in a day if only he could transport the machinery that fast speaks volumes about the excellent administrative capability of Modi.

From the land of the Left to the land of the Right, Tatas have shown the world the difference BJP could make in India’s march to modernity.

Source: Meri News