‘Industrialisation' is the bogeyman
The opposition's portrayal of the unfortunate violence at Nandigram is a futile attempt to wrongly politicise the issue as anti-farmer.
Incendiary violence has erupted in Nandigram in West Bengal. Eleven deaths have been reported so far. Eighteen policemen with severe injuries are hospitalised, alongwith 24 others, some critical.
The blockade of five gram panchayats started by the Trinamul Congress, the Naxalites, Maoists and others in an unholy nexus on January 3 under the pretext of not permitting any land acquisition has now taken this condemnable turn.
In the first place, the issue that land was being acquired was based on fabricated rumours. Since then, the state government and the ruling Left Front in West Bengal has categorically stated that no land would be acquired for any industrialisation purposes or for establishing Special Economic Zones in Nandigram. Despite this declaration being made public many weeks ago, the blockade of the area continued. The blockade was enforced by disrupting communications, cutting off roads and bridges—this has been the source of immense hardship for the local populace. During these two-and-a-half months, those who refused to cooperate with the so-called agitators were subjected to merciless terror. Over 2,500 people have been driven out of their homes and forced to eke out a miserable livelihood elsewhere. More than 1,000 people continue to live today in relief camps.
At an all-party meeting, boycotted by the Trinamul Congress, held a few days ago, it was unanimously decided that civic rule must be restored in that area. On the basis of this decision, the state government sent the police to assist others in repairing the roads and restoring communications.
The police was prevented from entering the area, and when they proceeded to implement the law of the land, they were fired upon. The so-called protestors were armed with countrymade bombs and other incendiary materials, including pipe guns. Consequently, a large number of policemen were critically injured and in the crossfire that ensued, as always, innocent people became victims. What is the meaning of provoking and instigating such senseless violence? It is such tactics that the Trinamul Congress and the Maoists elements have perfected over the years in West Bengal. Some years ago, in Keshpur in Midnapur district, these elements created similar mayhem and terror in order to establish their political presence.
Many lives were lost even then, but once peace and order was restored and elections held, the Left Front scored resounding victories. The Keshpur model is now being sought to be repeated in Nandigram. This, thus, constitutes a frontal political assault through the use of violence and terror by Trinamul Congress and company. Following the electoral drubbing they received in the state Assembly elections last year, these sections have embarked on such a diabolic strategy. Their desperation also arises from the fact that, for decades, they had been campaigning that no industrialisation was ever possible in West Bengal under Left Front rule. Now, if industrialisation were to progress under the Left Front rule in West Bengal, the very foundations of their political existence gets eroded. Therefore, these very sections who had opposed the land reforms undertaken by the Left Front government are today seeking to portray themselves as the protectors of the peasantry and their land. Such duplicity cannot and will not survive.
This is a political challenge that has been thrown at the CPI(M) and the government in West Bengal. It shall be met politically. The Left Front government in West Bengal is a product of many glorious movements advancing people's interests. Many valuable lives were lost, but the reactionaries were never allowed to succeed. |
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What Bengal thinks today...
Did Nandigram happen due to the CPI (M)'s overconfidence? Partly. The rest was about the bourgeois attitude that has crept into the leadership.
The Left Front's most recent record in ushering in capitalism in the state of West Bengal is shameful, but there isn't even a muted response to the Pakistan judiciary reeling under the boots of a military dictator.
However, let's stick to India alone. Even though the Left allows the UPA government to survive on its oxygen, it misses no opportunity to bare the Manmohan Singh government's capitalists tendencies. And in its own bastions of West Bengal and Kerala, it's not just rolling out red carpet to woo foreign investment but is shameless in suppressing popular revolt.
The contradictions are clear. Coming from the CPI(M), lofty ideas, talks of power to the people and human rights appear hollow. The emperor has no clothes. Scores of artists and intellectuals across the country have showed their resentment in no uncertain terms.
Also, West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi has hardly ever courted political controversy. He is known to be a man of scholarship, integrity and composure. When he criticises the government, it contains the credulity of honesty.
The state government thought it would get away this time, too. It thought that a nexus of party, police and a highly politicised establishment would again suppress opposition. It forgot, however, that communication technology and a vibrant media not only had gathered more strength in recent times but also spread the reach. Mamata Banerjee just fitted the bill.
The support of Jamiat-e-Ulema against the state government is again reflective of the withering away of its Muslim vote bank. So, did Nandigram happen due to CPI (M)'s overconfidence? Partly. More so, due to the bourgeois attitude that has crept into the leadership.
Nandigram, quite naturally, generated much political heat in both the Houses. The NDA and the ruling almost came to blows. It was only expected. But the sheer ruffian behaviour of the Kolkattan Left forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to offer his resignation for the nth time. No, the Communists did not attack any member from the Opposition benches but a Cabinet minister belonging to DMK, a fellow ally in UPA.
Minister for Road Transport and Shipping T R Balu became the target of physical attack. Had the Minister of State for Railways Velu not come to his rescue and formed a human shield, anything was possible. As the Left MPs tried to snatch papers from Balu as he announced shifting of a maritime institute from Kolkata to Chennai, in the scuffle Velu almost lost his dhoti—much for the decency and dignity that they champion.
What many would have thought the minimum, the Left did not even offer an apology. Worse, the statement after the CPI(M) politburo meeting was written in cold blood.
So what does it all hold for the national politics? The Manmohan Singh government will be further weakened. The Left, to deviate attention from its deeds, will try to attack the government and prevent the CBI from bringing the real guilty to book.
But it will surely not sink the UPA boat as this is the best it has in having the best of both worlds. If the BJP comes to power at the Centre, it will only give the Communist government in the state more sleepless nights instead of the present situation where it can threaten to pull down the Congress-led UPA government.
It is only a mass movement that can keep the CPI(M) on tenterhooks. It is time the civil society, instead of being a mute spectator, should emerge not just as conscience keepers but should also keep alive genuine democracy instead of what Communists have been long indoctrinated with. It is also time the state live up to the dictum: what Bengal thinks today, the rest of India thinks tomorrow.
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