New Delhi: Top industry leaders on Friday warned that the country would suffer a big setback if Tata Motors was forced to withdraw the small car project from West Bengal.
Joining the ranks of protesters from the industry, two days after RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani threw his weight behind the Tatas, were Sunil Mittal, Jamshyd Godrej, C K Birla, Gautam Thapar, Venu Srinivasan apart from K V Kamath, President of CII.
"Tatas pulling out of West Bengal would be unfortunate for India... immediate political dialogue to find a solution towards keeping the project in West Bengal is imperative," Bharti Chairman and Group CEO Sunil Mittal said.
If the house of Tatas, known for its values and care for society, can face such resistance, the much needed fresh wave of industrialisation in the country would suffer, he added.
Expressing similar views, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Jamshyd N Godrej said,"... Nano's moving out would be a setback for not just West Bengal but for the entire country."
The small car project was a statement of the coming of age of Indian manufacturing, he said, adding "it is, therefore, very unfortunate that the entire project is facing a political situation which it does not warrant".
Sundaram Clayton Managing Director Venu Srinivasan said the controversy which was effectively stalling an 'iconic project' like the Nano was very unfortunate.
"We have in Ratan Tata one of the most socially conscious business leaders of our times. Their record of caring for all stakeholders in general and the community in particular is unparallelled. Considering the national importance of this project, it would be unfortunate if political considerations, come in the way of India's progress," Srinivasan said.
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Terming the Tatas' Nano project as a prestigious one for India and for the state of West Bengal, Hindustan Motors Chairman C K Birla said: "It would be unfortunate if issues other than economic and social come into play and force the Tata Management to consider pulling out from Singur."
The plant to be functional in West Bengal reinforces the states commitment towards industrial resurgence, Birla said, adding "the Tatas have bench marked Corporate Social Responsibility in India and I am sure they will be extending the same norms at Singur as well".
Reacting to the ongoing agitation at Singur, Avantha Group Chairman and CEO Thapar said: "A pullout by the Tatas at this stage would be very unfortunate, and would severely tarnish India's image as an investment destination."
A constructive approach was required, and all efforts must be made to ensure that the project implementation goes forward. The project had put the country's manufacturing capabilities on the world map, he added.
Expressing disappointment over the situation, apex body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) asked for an early solution to the stalemate.
"We would like to see an early resolution in Singur... It would like to appeal to all concerned that a process must be initiated to arrive at a solution that would take forward the project so that production targets are not missed," it said.
Such a solution would ensure that the investments of over Rs 70,000 crore committed by the industry to be made in the country over the next few years would happen, SIAM said.
"The investments being made would result in a product that is a global first and hence global attention is on the developments. SIAM believes that this was a landmark decision by the company (Tata Motors) that could and will change the lives of people in the area and also revive industrialisation
in West Bengal and the eastern region," SIAM added.
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