Ratan Tata Hits Back After Mamata Government’s ’Lost His Mind’ Barb

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Kolkata, August 7, 2014: Ratan Tata today reacted sharply to West Bengal Minister Amit Mitra’s comment that he appears to have "lost his mind", in response to his critique of industrial development in the state.

In a statement, Mr Tata, 73, said he "never spoke of industrial development" and "Mitra’s anger was needless."

"Mr Mitra might believe I have lost my mind. I would be delighted if he could show me what industrial development projects I missed while driving through Rajarhat. If he cannot, then I would have to conclude that he has a very fertile imagination," the industrialist said in a statement.

Amit Mitra, the state Finance Minister, had said yesterday, "Onar motibhrom hoyeche (Maybe he has lost his mind). Maybe he hasn’t got the information." He went on to list investments by Tata Group companies like TCS, or Tata Consultancy Services, and Tata Metalicks. "If I give you a list, it will take all day. Perhaps (Mr Tata) should concentrate on his other hobbies like flying planes," he said disparagingly.

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of an industry meet hours after Mr Tata made comments critical of Bengal and his experience in Singur, where a farmers’ agitation backed by Mamata Banerjee forced him to shift a Tata Nano plant to Sanand in Gujarat.

Mr Tata, the Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, said at an interaction in Kolkata that shifting the Nano plant in 2008 was a good decision and he would do it again.

"If you hold a gun to my head, you can pull the trigger or take the gun away. But the head will not move," he joked, repeating the words he used when he shifted the plant.

Three years after the Singur row, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress took power in Bengal with a massive mandate.

Asked whether he had noticed any changes since then, Mr Tata replied, "There seems to be unbelievable change in terms of buildings and development. But it still looks like a countryside under development. We don’t see that much sign of industrial development."