Nano serious drain on financial resources: Full text of Wadia's letter to shareholders of Tata Motors

Nusli Wadia charged Ratan Tata of making investments in loss-making UK operations at the cost of Indian operations

The spat between Tata Group and Mistry camp appeared to be escalating with industrialist Nusli Wadia shooting off a letter to Tata Motors shareholders, rubbishing all allegations levelled against him by the board.

Ahead of Nusli Wadia's removal in the December 22 "extraordinary" general meeting, the independent director of Tata Motors Ltd (TML) said that the Nano small car has proved to be "a serious drain on the financial resources" of the company.

In a presentation to shareholders, he said that the company was burdened with "heavy debt" and has a "substantial funding requirement for its future strategy".

This is the second time that Wadia is writing such a letter, after having shared similar views with shareholders of Tata Steel.

Here is the full text of Wadia's letter:

Tata Motors Ltd. Esteemed Shareholders, I come before you today in the most unique of circumstances. The notice that has been sent by Tata Sons for my removal as Independent Director has been with you for some time.

I. MY ASSOCIATION WITH YOUR COMPANY

I was invited to join your Company as a Director almost two decades ago based on my association with the late JRD Tata, my mentor and godfather. Whatever little I have learnt, and the values that I have tried to imbibe, are those that he gave me. The most important value that he taught me was that when one enters a Board Room, you leave your shares at the door, irrespective of whom you represent. He encouraged the freedom of thought and expression. If any member of the Board disagreed with JRD he not only respected it but appreciated it. He never expected anyone to toe his or "the Tata line". He never admonished anyone for being independent. This is what Mr. JRD Tata practised. It is both sad and unfortunate that Tata Sons and its interim Chairman Ratan Tata are not only not practising this great tradition but effectively destroying it. I have always acted as an Independent Director, long before it became a requirement to do so under any law. In July 2014, I was once again appointed as an Independent Director upto 14th February, 2019. My appointment in 2014 was with an overwhelming majority of more than 92% of the votes cast (including those of Tata Sons). I have served your Company independently for 18 years and I now stand accused of having lost my independence over events that transpired in less than 1 7 days. Read more.

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Mistry was removed as director of Tata Industries on Monday, this week

Cyrus Mistry was today removed as director of Tata Industries following shareholders' vote, the first such instance of the embattled executive being ousted from the board since his removal as Tata Group chairman.

Mistry also ceases to be the chairman of the company following his removal as director, Tata Industries said.

"Tata Industries, at its extraordinary general meeting on December 12, 2016, removed Cyrus P Mistry, as a director of the company. Hence, he also has ceased to be the chairman of the company," it said.

Mistry was abruptly ousted as chairman of Tata Sons -- the holding company of the USD 103 billion salt-to-software conglomerate -- on October 24. Since then, interim Chairman Ratan Tata has moved to consolidate his position by seeking to remove Mistry from boards of key listed firms.

Even with the latest development, the Tata vs Mistry battle has been raging unabated, with both sides taking shots at each other over the past week.

Here's what you've missed of the boardroom battle that has India Inc, and the country's, attention.

Mistry refutes Tata's allegations

Refuting allegations that he misled the selection committee set up in 2011 to find new Tata Sons Chairman, Mistry on Sunday hit out at Tata Sons Interim Chairman Ratan Tata saying his predecessor's "conduct has eroded the Tata brand and values materially".

On a series of allegations leveled against him by Tata Sons in a letter to stakeholders of Tata firms, Mistry said, "Repeat a lie a thousand times and hope it becomes a truth, seems to be Ratan Tata's last-ditch effort to overcome a monumental disaster his actions have unleashed." ( Read more here)

Tatas accuse Mistry of misleading selection committee to get selected as chairman

Mistry's rebuttal came after Tata Sons said that Mistry had misled the selection committee set up in 2011 for selecting a chairman to succeed Ratan Tata.

"Mistry made lofty statements about plans for Tata Group, but didn't give into effect management structures and plans he promised," stated Tata Sons. Mistry did not distance himself from his family enterprise Shapoorji Pallonji & Co as promised, Tata Sons further stated in a press release. ( Read the details here)

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Full text: Why Tata Sons lost confidence in Cyrus Mistry

Even as both camps in the Tata vs Mistry boardroombattle get ready for the impending extraordinary general meetings of various Tata group companies to oust former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus as director, the war of words through statements and counter-statements do not seem to end. On Sunday, while the Ratan Tata camp alleged that Mistry misled the selection committee to become the chairman of Tata Sons, Mistry’s office stated that Ratan Tata had been repeating the same lie a thousand times and hoping it to become a truth.

ALSO READ: Mistry misled to become chairman, says Tata Sons

Here is the full text of the Tata group’s letter to stakeholders explaining why the group lost its confidence in Cyrus Mistry:

AN APPEAL FROM THE TATA GROUP TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS OF TATA COMPANIES

Extraordinary General Meetings of various Tata Companies are coming up over the next few weeks. We, at Tata Sons Ltd., the principal shareholder and promoters of the various Tata Companies, would like to thank you for your continued support. In order to assist you to exercise your shareholder rights in an informed manner, it would be appropriate to bring to your attention some key facts which resulted in the loss of confidence in Mr. Cyrus P. Mistry by Tata Sons.

1. Mr. Cyrus Mistry misled the Selection Committee set up in 2011 for selecting a Chairman of Tata Sons to succeed Mr. Ratan Tata, by making lofty statements about his plans for the Tata Group and more importantly indicated an elaborate management structure for managing the Tata Group, given its diversity of business, by suggesting a management structure aimed at dispersal of authority and responsibility. These statements and commitments from Mr. Cyrus Mistry played an important role in the Selection Committee’s final selection of Mr. Mistry as Chairman. After waiting for a period of four years, almost none of these management structures and plans have been given effect to. Clearly, in our opinion, the Selection Committee was misled in its choice of Mr. Mistry. Read more

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