Three Cheers!

(in chronological order)

Cheer 1 : Team India lifting the Cricket World Cup. It was a picture perfect portrayal of a gutsy team that demolished demons of its past and knocked down the best of opponents to rightfully claim the world cup.

Cheer 2 : Dada (Saurav Ganguly) showing his mettle and proving everybody wrong. The man, who rebuilt team India from ashes, surprisingly was meted out some harsh treatment by political backbiting and was dumped to dishonor. But the destiny’s child proved his worth when everybody wrote him off. The man does like to comeback after each setback.

Cheer 3 : Didi (Mamata Bannerjee) for her indomitable spirit, perseverance and 13 long years of struggle to free the people of Bengal.

13^th May 2011, will be remembered as the day when people of Bengal got their second independence from the tyranny of an “outdated ideology”.

“When the EVMs will be opened tomorrow, it will be found that the Left Front has won by a very good margin” – Biman Bose, CPM State Secretary, on the eve of counting

The poor man had no idea, not even a fraction of it when he uttered those (un)prophetic words. But to be fair to the man, one has to admit that he was not the only one hallucinating, it was his whole party and its mechanism that was in self-induced state of denial. The pity is that after the EVMs have been opened and counted the man not only lost his seat but will not be able to close his eyes for a good night sleep for some time to come . Once in a while, fact is stranger than fiction and 13^th May 2011 was a testimony to it.

This inability to read peoples mind led the Left Front to coin the slogan “ashtam bam front sorkar” (8^th Left Front government) as a last resort to create a dream world where they could relive their organized glory days. It didn’t matter to them what the whole world was telling them because like an ostrich they had buried their heads a long time ago. Therefore it was just a matter of time before they were dumped.

The proof that people have unambiguously rejected Left Fronts (LF) from the canvas of Bengal can be found in following facts:-

In 2008 (Panchayat polls) – left front rejected.

In 2009 (Loksabha polls) - left front rejected.

In 2011 (civic polls) - left front rejected.

In 2011 (Assembly polls) - left front rejected.

The defeat could not have been more shameful. 28 of LF bigwigs (all of them holding ministerial position in the government and considered infallible by many) were grounded by the winds of change and the fatalities included the Chief Minister (Budhadeb Bhattacharya) and considered-next-in-waiting-chief-minister (Gautam Deb). The man who popularized the term “pratyabartan” (turnaround), in all its irony couldn’t save himself from the public trashing.

The verdict of 13^th May is significant not only because of the demise of Left Front but also because it is rejection of an ideology that lived beyond its expiry date. India is a democratic country but the Left never believed in that, they always hallucinated in some alien ideology. Their success was based on two principles – Propaganda and Censorship. The Propaganda machinery to mislead and control the masses. The Censorship machinery to avoid and crush any dissent.

The “only one good genuine thing” that the Left Front did in its early days was to do land reforms that gave it an unquestioning loyal voter base. It was a long range tactical move that was done by some well intentioned leaders for the genuine good of the people. But sadly it was also the last good thing that they ever did to Bengal.

Left’s rule is full of wrong moves, policies and aimless arrogance that pushed Bengal to the brink. Systematically one after another they destroyed the education system, industry through militant trade unions, healthcare, civil administration, police control, cultural freedom. This was the only government in whole of India that in its great wisdom stopped English education in schools, opposed Information technology, Investments, and created an environment where industries couldn’t survive. Honestly that was the picture from 1977 to 2000 under the Left Front’s “regime”. Post 2000 when they opened their eyes to the realities it was too late. The party was in self-conflict since 2001. They could not figure out what to do exactly to clear the mess they had created.

In other states Governments are referred as “Government”, but in Bengal the state government was referred as Left’s Regime and there, in that very name lies the sparks of downfall that burned them. The Regime was very scientific in its approach by creating some extra-constitutional bodies that would ensure their hold on power. They created a parallel government of sorts that superseded the actual elected government. They created a special cadre force that superseded the police force. They created a system where party supporters would get paid in cash or kind. They successfully created a “Façade of the Party” that common man could not escape. A common man was compelled go to the “Party office” instead of Police because people were aware of the real “boss”. It is not surprising that Bengal has 80 police personal per 100000 citizens while Punjab has 255, more surprising Bengal’s population is much higher than Punjab! It’s no wonder who policed the state.

It’s a matter of shame and concern that because of 34 years long wrong governance through misguided and whimsical policies that state of Bengal is in utter misery. The state has 2 Lakh crore of debt. I wonder what the so called Left’s supporters have been supporting for. The state of Bengal after independence was the state with highest per capita income, had one of the largest concentration of industries, had best of the premier educational institutes, the people of Bengal were envied by other states because of its opulence. And what has happened to it in 34 years of Left’s regime?

Now Bengal has become synonymous with graveyard, wasteland, and hollow intellectual skeleton. The “sonar bangla” (golden bengal) seems to be the epithet of yore. It has become “kangal bangla” (bankrupt bengal).

It is my belief that people have voted for “Change” but it is more important to realize what kind of change. The people want a change in the attitude of governance; they want change in the policy of education, healthcare, industry and land reforms. They want the change that will have meaningful effects on the lives of common man. They want the change in the “ora-amra” (they and us) divisive rule.

It is hoped and expected that the Left Front, at least after getting a loud and clear message will pack its bag and go back to the meeting room and start the process of “shuddhikaran” (purification) in an earnest and sincere manner. It is advisable if they want to form their 8^th Left Front government they should wait till 2021 and allow the new government to work properly for the whole of Bengal. People had given them chance and surely people will give them another chance but for that they must wait and earn it themselves.

People want “paribartan” (change) and they have opted for it, should the desired change doesn’t come, people will bring another change no doubt about it, but never underestimate people’s power, never undermine their aspirations, and never ignore the winds of change. Bengal should and must become the best by regaining its lost glory. Amen!

Finally, three cheers for the people of Bengal.