after rhetoric, some harsh realities?

So everybody's been protesting and threatening lately, of course, led by Mamata Ban-her-jee. She and her party had been screaming off the top of their lungs, they have been blocking Tata workers from entering the factory premises, they set up barriers on the Durgapur highway and told the High Court that they havent, and basically calling for Ratan Tata to give up the 400 acres of land that he 'stole'.

It seems that Mr. Tata will finally be calling their bluff. Let me add that I think that Mamata was under the impression that since the Tatas had already spend Rs. 1500 crores on the project, they would not even think of leaving. You know, I don't know a lot of things in life, but I have studied some microeconomics here, and I know a sunk cost when I see one. The Tata's have spent this money and will not get it back, so there is no point crying about it and move on. Also, I think quite a substantial amount of their equipment can be salvaged. The tatas can take a hit of Rs. 1500 hundred, leave with their entourage and start shop in some other part of the country and deliver Nano to every part of the world. But what will West Bengal do. Mamata bannerjee has the loudest bark, but I doubt her ability to bite. Already, the Commies and Mamata are asking Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Governer, to intervene and mediate this issue. This is the same Gandhi that the Commies so hate for getting under their collective skin for varied reasons. I have already mentioned about Mamata saying that she doesn't want the Tatas to leave, she only wants the land back. Cool, she has the same mentality as the commies - they don't owe anything to anybody, but everybody owes them something. Word is that the parties are meeting on Friday to try to find a way forward.

I don't even need to write about the agitations FOR the Singur project. The industry has spoken for it, the intellectuals are speaking for it (!), but maybe it is too late? Mamata Bannerjee has already murdered a poor daily wager who committed suicide because the work at the plant has stopped. On who'se head will his blood be? Given this medieval system we live in, I think he is simply a casualty of war, and the people involved will simply forget about it after trading charges.

Its not that the Left have stopped making moves. According to Business Standard, they have sweeted their deal to the owners of the 400 acres. According to the site -

The package was likely to offer a bundle of options like enhanced compensation, annuity scheme and some sort of job assurance for one member from each distressed family.

The issue of alternative land could also be brought to the negotiating table if the opposition wanted it and the government would try to accommodate that request to the extent possible, said a source.

When one plays Poker and ever gets in a situation in which you have put a lot of money into a bad hand, most times it is very difficult to simply back out and cut your losses. This quicksand that the politicians of West Bengal have gotten their people and their state into, will probably not be solved with more money and more incentives. Mamata's stand is "land for land", and she will not want to accept the offer for money or alternate land and be seen as backing down from her position. Of course, there is no issue of the commies giving up in the fight. They are planning their anti-Mamata campaign.

Looking at the big picture, the debate has started on what is in store for the state after this, and how has this issue, whatever its resolution may be, affected the image, the policies and the sensibilities of this country as a whole. A newspaper quoted an American businessman as saying if the Tatas fail in West Bengal, how could they succeed? A very legitimate question. One of India's most revered, powerful and rich companies seems to be getting ready to give up and pack its bags and start elsewhere. Of course, i am not implying that the Tatas should stay and fight, as businessmen, they are not there for that, but like I said, for the sake of the future of West Bengal, there needs to be a positive outcome of this whole episode. In these fights, the people on the ground are the real losers, and unfortunately, they aren't even a factor anymore, despite what some politicians will tell you.