At the very outset,let me introduce myself to you. My name is K.R.Surendran,hailing from a village called Pulluvazhy near Perumbavoor.Five books in Malayalam are there to my credit now,and they are “Pooviriyumkunninte- Santhathikal”(Stories),Gloriyayude Dinarathrangal”(Stories), “Mumbai- Sketchukal”(Novelettes), and "Indiayude Bhoopadam" (Novel).A novel “Pulluvazhy” was published recently.
I am sitting here flabberghasted for the last one or two hours. Pondering over a puzzle I am sitting here flabberghasted with my fingers crossed. Could you help you?
Nowadays I think too much of West Bengal and the Left Front Government which is desperately fighting bitter battle against the Maoists. While writing this it has somewhat managed to rein in their “erstwhile comrades” now “comrades in arms” for about a fortnight shedding much bloodshed resulting in loss of lives. Innocent tribals who were in no way connected with any of the political outfits had to bear the brunt most.
First Nandigram, then comes Singur and the latest Lalgarh imbroglio – one after another the Government finds itself in a quandary and tries to wriggle out of this piquant situation.
Adding insult to injury, in the elections to the local self-governing institutions, the Trinamool-Congress combine have virtually swept 13 out of 16 which was the worst ever drubbing for the CPI(M) combine since it was badly mauled in the Loksabha elections of 2009.
Shock after shock in the form of Parliament elections, local-self governing institutions and political-turmoil. With Mamata Banerji set to cash in on each crises with much finesse.
The CPI(M) and its constituents seek us to believe that she is an imperialist pawn out to throw the Left Front government never can I believe such a nonsense though I have a leftist bent of mind. Mamata Banerji cannot be bracketed with the imperialist forces at any cost.
A politician who is known for her simple way of life unlike the present-day politicians, both right and left, who are after pomp and pageantry, worldly pleasures, plum seats in the corridors of power – among them how such a person be a tool in the hands of imperialist forces? Never .
Casting this aspersion on her will entail in the form of a rebound effect on her detractors whether it be CPI(M) or any other political party for that matter.
Her love for Bengal is well-known and her empathetic approach to the Bengalese especially the most deprived lot are there for everyone to see and appreciate The Most defining example is the Railway Budget she presented in Parliament two days back. It reflects her caring attitude and her determination to do her bit for the uplift of the down-trodden.Her special consideration for the unorganized workers in her budget comprising all over India is really heart-warming.
Similarly her intervention in Singur and Nandigram.
The Marxist government of West Bengal which always claim to be the champion of masses, when forcefully evacuated the peasants of Nandigram and Singur – for the construction of a chemical hub in Nandigram by a multinational group and similar approach to the farmers forcibly evicting them without providing them sufficient land to go on with their farming activities instead doling out to them peanuts to help the Tatas to manufacture Nano cars in the name of development, Mamata Banerji intervened with her supporters facing all sorts of intimidatory tactics of Left Front government demanding the return of the evicted land to the farmers.
Much blood spilt, both at Nandigram and Singur ranging from firing and lathi-charge resulting in the loss of innocent lives, remember that too perpetrated by a Marxist government in the name of development. Worthwhile to note here one more fact. In the fight for the restoration of agricultural land both at Nandigram and Singur, it was not Mamata Banerji alone, with her fought the intellectuals (including leftists) and the renowned environmentalists like Medha Patkar.
Nobody is against development. We can’t always continue to live in medieval times. But before proceeding along the path of development some salutary measures have to be taken by a government causing harm to nobody especially innocent farmers and such helpless souls.
If the CPI(M) led government had taken into account all the necessary steps to alleviate the harm to the minimum such a grim scenario would not have been enacted. Going hammer and tongs in the name of development without caring the consequences all such measures will prove futile.
The most baffling thing to me is nothing but Mamata Banerji’s pro-poor attitude and approach to the masses- I think she is more a Marxist in the true sense of the term than the run of the mill Marxist leaders at the regional as well as national level.
CPI(M) and its constituents could enjoy unbroken power in Bengal virtually with the whole-hearted support of the likes of toiling farmers of Singur and Nandigram and if they want to be in the saddle at Writers Building for another consecutive term in the assembly elections to be held in two years time, they will have to organize the Party at the grass-roots level.
Com. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Mamata is playing her cards well…and now it is your turn.
- Marxism is an ideology based on loving and caring attitude towards those living at the lowest rungs of the society and going by this teaching, I have come to the conclusion that Mamata is a true Marxist and those who preach Marxism need to follow her example by building the mass base of the party at the grass-roots level if they want to have a future in Indian political scenario.
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