As Nation Mourns Ratan Tata's Death, Here Is An Alternative View On Tata Sons Empire.
The Indian business icon and chairman emeritus of India’s largest conglomerate, Tata Sons, has left behind a remarkable legacy as he died at the age of 86 on October 9. The Maharashtra government has declared a day of official mourning on the account of Ratan Tata’s demise, a man respected by most in India and abroad.
The legendary businessman is revered not just for his immense contribution to the growth of Tata Group but also for the nation’s development. A known philanthropist, Ratan Tata has earned huge respect among the people in the country. However, an alternative reading of his business empire Tata Sons shows some dark dots, evident in several protests conducted against the celebrated business group since Ratan Tata took charge as the chairman of the Tata empire.
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In 2006, as Tata Group ventured into its steel project, causing displacement of people, especially the local tribals, a tragedy happened in Orissa’s Jaipur district in Kalinga Nagar. In January, locals gathered at the proposed site of the steel plant of Tata, protesting against the facility. On the order of the State Secretariat to facilitate the construction, the police firing at the agitators caused the death of at least 13 tribals.
Another stir against the Tata Group was by farmers against a 100 MW captive solar power set up in Nashik District’s Nandgaon Taluka in September 2022. The plant was set up by Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), a subsidiary of Tata Power, in collaboration with Viraj Profile Private Limited (VPPL), to meet the power supply requirements of VPPL’s Stainless Steel Manufacturing Plant at Tarapur, Maharashtra.
The local farmers’ community claimed that they had been cultivating crops in the 300 acres of agricultural lands in the ‘Reserve Forest’ area of Doctorwadi and Panzhan villages since the 1960s. They alleged the lands were taken over by functionaries of the solar power plant. According to the officials, they had purchased the land for the project construction. The farmers had back then complained of the repeated harassment by the project functionaries.
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In 2006, after the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front returned to power for a seventh consecutive term, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee announced plans to set up the Tata Motors car factory at Singur. Bhattacharjee, who passed away in August 2023, had a close relationship with Ratan Tata and was eager to attract major investments to West Bengal. However, the decision to acquire multi-crop agricultural land for the project sparked widespread protests, with Mamata Banerjee leading a historic 26-day hunger strike. Public perception grew that the government was forcibly acquiring land, leading to violence and unrest. Eventually, Tata Motors pulled out in 2008, relocating the project to Gujarat. This incident severely damaged the credibility of the Left Front, contributing to the end of its 34-year rule and paving the way for Mamata Banerjee’s rise to power.
The Tata Sons’ credibility as a genuine business house was questioned two other instances – one related to a donation to BJP by a trust associated with the group, and during the Radia tape scandal.
The Bharatiya Janata Party received Rs 356 crore from the Tata Group’s Progressive Electoral Trust in 2018-19, making up 75% of its total corporate donations that year, according to recent disclosures by the Election Commission.
In 2010, leaked conversations between lobbyist Nira Radia and key figures, including Ratan Tata, led to allegations of misconduct. Tata sought legal action to prevent further media exposure of the tapes.
The Indian industrialist also faces allegations of being part of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory. Since 2008, the Indian company has been associating with aerospace and defense company Israel Aerospace Industries to develop and manufacture various defense products for Israel. At a time when the Jewish nation is on a genocidal offensive in Gaza, many feel investment by several Indian billionaires with the supply of several equipment in Israel’s war crimes against Palestinian civilians. Tata reportedly supplied armoured vehicles for Israel to conduct patrolling through the occupying land of Palestine.
