'Many industries are coming to West Bengal, but some people just cannot see them. Do not believe such people. As for the media, it only highlights our negatives,' she said. Her reference was to Mr. Ratan Tata, who until recently headed the Tata Group of Industries. Ever since Mr. Tata announced the shift of the prestigious Nano small car project from Bengal to Gujarat, the very mention of his name acts like the proverbial red rag to the countless angry bulls of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by their doughty Chief Minister.

Before justifying Ms Banerjee’s remarks, one should explain the backdrop to her remarks. On this occasion, Mr, Tata had commented harmlessly that as he was visiting Kolkata after a gap of two years, he saw some new commercial buildings coming up in the Rajarhat new town area, but not much by way of industries in the countryside. He said this in reply to a question during a local Ladies study group session to which he had been invited.

The reaction from senior West Bengal Ministers made people wonder whether they were accusing Mr, Tata of being a common criminal, judging by their raw, intemperate language. Two samples: 'Tata has out of his mind, he is too old! He should stick to his hobbies like flying planes etc, and not talk about West Bengal’s industries ... so many investment offers are coming that I would take all day talking about them ...' This from Mr. Amit Mitra, Minister for Finance and Industries. 'Tata has gone mad, there is no need to react to what he says' was the view expressed by Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim.

There followed a sharp public outcry against the Ministers and the state government for these comments. But Mr. Tata can in a way, feel complimented. Badmouthing distinguished men and leaders has been the singular contribution of the TMC to current Indian politics and governance, for which its leader Ms Banerjee can feel proud. Tata is in excellent company with the present Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi.

During her campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Ms Banerjee had abused Mr. Modi repeatedly and copiously, even using subaltern Bengali slang on occasion to achieve greater effect! There was therefore nothing surprising in Mr Mitra’s bark or Mr, Hakim’s, for that matter. Trinamool MPs like Tapas Pal and others have got away with far worse, thanks to their leader’s indulgence and support.

But Ms Banerjee, it has to be admitted, spoke truthfully enough in her public rally. 'The Government says it is attracting investments and industries are coming, but nobody can see them, as she rightly says ... all ask ,where are the units, the machines, the workers and the production?' asks a CITU leader.'Nobody, but nobody can see them anywhere except in the TMC ads in the papers. Neither in Parliament, nor in the state Assembly, nor in the State budget statements, TMC leaders give details of new industries set up since May 2011,' he said.

Mitra mentioned the old Jindal Steel mill project and the Raghunathpur cement producing unit as examples of 'new investment' both of which are in the proposal stage and have been since the Left front days. Ms Banerjee, knowing better, did not attempt to mention a single new industry in her speech, indicating “at least a more honest approach than her ineffectual Industries Minister,' said a BJP leader.

The fact is, when the Left Front lost the Assembly elections in May 2011, it was second in India in terms of new investments and project proposals. In 2014, under the TMC, the state is currently in the 18th position. Worse, this year for the first time, a Northeast state, Assam, with a proposed investment of Rs 1000 crore-plus amount has exceeded West Bengal’s miserable figure of Rs 500 crore up to May this year! The decline is too obvious to need much comment

Recent official data too do not flatter the TMC Government. According to Central Government figures, during the last two years, the state has received 170 new proposals, with a promised investment of Rs 13,209 crore. As against this, in May 2011, the proposed investment for the state was Rs 2,96,000 crore!

A brief list of units the TMC Government had announced (and inaugurated, in some cases) which have not seen the light of day yet, is as follows :

Manufacturing unit at Goaltore, over 1000 acres; international small industries hub at Jhargram; IT hub at Haldia; new Cargo hub, Haldia; Jellingham Industries Park; Rs 12,000 crore industries hub, Panagarh; IT hubs at Asansol, Borjora, Purulia.... It needs adding that Mitra announced new units at Raghunathpur were being set up by Emami and Reliance groups in his largely untruthful riposte to Mr, Tata, but in fact there has been little work on the ground.

On the other hand, even existing units, big, medium and small, are being closed down like autumn leaves falling in a bunch. Major units like Dunlop, HIndustan Motors, Shalimar Paints, along with scores of tea plantations, affecting lakhs of workers and wage earners , have gone sick or are closed. Plantation workers and others have been committing suicides regularly. ECL authorities have threatened closure complaining of TMC instigated hooliganism. Haldia port has suffered major losses during the last two years, because of favouritism shown to a TMC-backed contractor. Haldia petrochemical plant has remained closed over a month, because of financial problems the state Government has not been able to solve. As a result, 50,000 workers in downstream units are facing loss of jobs and starvation in the days ahead.

Interestingly, the Chief Minister has found little time or inclination to address the problems of industrial closures, whether at Haldia petrochemicals, Hind Motors or elsewhere. She finds time, on the other hand, for attending special public shows for the state police force attended by Shahrukh Khan and local starlets for hours on end!

It is clear from the lack of initiative at any level of the state government, whether in the administration or the Ministry, that she has not yet found time to assign her senior Ministers to handle the Himalayan heap of backlog the government must take care of in the days ahead. No wonder, people like Mitra and Hakim are having the time of their lives taking on men like Ratan Tata. (IPA Service)