Mamata plea for Ford unit

Mamata and Ford greet each other at the Chandrodaya temple in Mayapur on Monday. Picture by Pranab Debnath

SUBHASISH CHAUDHURI, TT, Feb 12, 2018, Mayapur: The Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, on Monday requested Iskcon devotee Ambarish Das - also known as Alfred Ford, a great-grandson of Henry Ford - to consider setting up an automobile manufacturing unit in Bengal.

Mamata made the request during her first ever visit to the international headquarters of the Iskcon in Mayapur. She urged Das if the Ford Motor Company - where he is a board member - could establish the manufacturing unit in Bengal like the one in Chennai.

"I requested him to invest in manufacturing industry in our state. He (the company) has such a factory in Chennai. A manufacturing unit here could be very beneficial for us. He has assured me of considering the proposal," said Mamata, who, according to sources, also requested him to invest in the development on infrastructure in Nadia's Mayapur, 120km from Calcutta.

Ford manufactures and exports vehicles and engines from its integrated manufacturing facilities in Chennai and Gujarat's Sanand. The US motor giant, which re-entered the Indian market in 1995, has invested billions of dollars in the country.

Mamata and Das had an interaction in the Chandrodaya temple in Mayapur, where he and some senior Iskcon monks welcomed her.

Das, 67, was initiated into Vaishnavism by Iskcon founder Srila Prabhupada, whom he met in Dallas in 1974.

Iskcon sources said Das had assured the chief minister that he would consider the proposals. They said he, too, had requested the chief minister to help the Iskcon promote a world tourism circuit centre in Mayapur.

Das, however, made no comment on the discussion with the chief minister.

Sources in the state industry department said there had been no formal interaction with the company yet, but the government would eagerly wait to see if Das followed up with his board. "If we can somehow bring Ford, it would permanently heal the Singur wounds," said an official.

"He is a first cousin of William Clay Ford Jr, the current executive chairman of the company. He does wield considerable clout, but one cannot be sure of how far he would be willing to go to do this for Bengal," he added.

Mamata offered puja at the Chandrodaya temple and later at the Panchatattwa temple. She also visited the Nrisimhadeva temple before leaving for Sri Chaitanya Math to attend a cultural programme.

The chief minister later informed journalists that the Iskcon authorities had sought the support of her government to promote Mayapur as a world tourism circuit.