She stops to conquer

Bad Business

The government-industry interface is mired in doubts and suspicion. "I want industry here, but not industry that kills people. A murderer's identity is that of a murderer, a terrorist is a terrorist. I cannot pardon someone on grounds that the person has a different identity," Mamata had said after the AMRI fire when FICCI, in a statement, sought the release of the hospital's arrested directors. FICCI felt Mamata's reaction was "anti-industry" and that the actions taken were not "completely non-discriminatory."

The FICCI row finally degenerated into an unseemly campaign within the business community in Kolkata that the government was drawing a distinction between Bengali and non-Bengali businesses. This was fuelled by reports that non-Bengali businessmen were being forced to employ Bengalis and that they were facing extortions, though Mamata has announced from public platforms that the industry should not pay "a single paise" to anyone extorting money in the name of Trinamool cadres.

In the past nine months, the Trinamool government has been checkmated by its own policies while attracting fresh investments. The Infosys stalemate is a case in point. The IT major wants an SEZ status for its Bengal project but the state cannot allow this because of its stated opposition to the idea. "The government is working out an alternative solution," says State Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee.

On the other hand, Binod Hampapur, Senior Vice-President, global head (Commercial and Corporate Relations), Infosys, said after a meeting with Chatterjee recently that any model the state offers has to be financially viable for Infosys's operations in Bengal. A worried Chief Minister, while reiterating her party's stand against SEZ, said a couple of days ago that the state government was willing to push the Centre to grant SEZ status to Infosys based on the recommendations of the earlier Left Front government.

... contd.

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