An outsized model of Nano, the ultra-cheap car from Tata Motors, is pulling crowds of thousands at a Hindu festival in eastern India, after its factory was abandoned by the automaker after farmers' protests. Tata Motors Ltd. said on Friday it would move its factory for the Nano, hailed as the world's cheapest car, out of West Bengal state after violent protests by farmers who had lost land forced the company to stop construction of the plant. The company's decision dismayed many in the state. On Saturday, around 500 people, including farmers and workers from construction and auto supplier companies, held a rally in Singur, the cluster of villages that had been slated for the Nano's factory, to protest Tata's decision to pull out. The festival is celebrated all over India and in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state with over 15 million people, more than 2,000 marquees were set up, showcasing diverse themes and craftsmanship by West Bengal artisans and famous idol makers. The yellow ten-foot-long replica of Nano was one of several models representing contemporary themes set up by community groups in central Kolkata. The Nano was depicted parked against the backdrop of a giant padlocked factory. “This car model is a big crowd-puller. “But we created the model to draw attention to the need of industrialization in West Bengal,” said Pradip Ghosh, a community leader. “We wanted Nano to roll out of West Bengal. “We also want to draw attention to the closure of 50,000 industrial units in the past by creating a padlocked factory as a model.” There has been strict security his year for the festival in the wake of serial bombings in Indian cities over the past few months.
