Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said a future BJP government would bring Tata Group back to the state and accused both the Left and TMC regimes of failing on industrialisation, alleging land-related excesses on one hand and inaction on the other.
Addressing a press conference here, Adhikari said his government would focus on reviving Bengal’s industrial base, attracting investment and generating employment while avoiding past policy mistakes linked to the Singur and Nandigram land agitations.
"We will bring back the Tatas in Bengal," the chief minister asserted, referring to the conglomerate whose small-car project at Singur in Hooghly district was shifted to Gujarat in 2008 following a prolonged land acquisition dispute.
He also criticised the TMC for what he called a lack of meaningful industrial progress despite repeated claims over the years.
"We don't want to indulge in lies and organise photo sessions like the previous government did to attract industries," he said.
On land acquisition policy, Adhikari said the proposed framework would balance industrial development with farmers’ rights, rejecting both forcible acquisition and what he termed policy stagnation.
"The government is working on its land acquisition policy. We are against forcible land acquisition, like what happened in Singur and Nandigram during the erstwhile Left Front regime. At the same time, we are also against the TMC's policy of doing nothing while only holding photo sessions and spreading lies about bringing industries," he said.
He added that the government’s approach would ensure consent-based development while promoting investment-led growth.
The Singur episode involving Tata Motors’ small-car project remains a defining moment in Bengal’s political history, contributing to the rise of the TMC in 2011.
In a separate set of remarks, Adhikari also reiterated a strict stance on law and order, saying his administration would not tolerate unrest, hooliganism or anti-social activities.
At a press conference organised by the state BJP to mark 12 years of the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said maintaining law and order was a priority for his government in Bengal.
"After we came to power, there have been certain incidents, and we tackled them firmly, sending out a clear message that there will be zero tolerance towards this kind of unrest, hooliganism and anti-social activities. We will not allow such things to continue," he said.
"The strictest action will be taken against those involved in vandalism and taking the law into their own hands."
He further asserted that maintaining peace and public order would remain central to governance, drawing a contrast with the previous TMC administration and warning against disruption of normal life.