PORIBORTON IN WEST BENGAL

Published on Wednesday, 19 June 2013

There was a time when many Bengalees sincerely believed that Mamata Banerjee was the only hope against the perpetual tyranny of Commi parties in West Bengal state of India. She represented courage, sincerity, strength and determination to be with the people in their fight against the injustice of Commi parties. These Commi parties took the people for granted. They implemented Panchayati Raj as it could be used as a tool for social control in vote-based politics of India. The objective of their 'land reform' activities was also the same. They taught serving employees (both in public & private sector) how not to work and constantly agitate against senior officials or management. They brought politics in every sphere of social and administrative matter. They maintained a huge body of goons from village to state capital to bull dodge any discontent or opposition. Use of muscle power, harassing people and even killing political opponents was common place in 34 years of Commi rule in the state.

After winning the Assembly election a little more than two years back Mamata Banerjee came to power in West Bengal and claimed that 'poriborton' (change) had come in the state. As Chief Minister, she also kept Health Ministry with her. In the beginning, Mamata made a few theatrical visits to government hospitals with the hope that her mere presence and rhetoric in hospital campus would gear-up the failing health services of the state. But nothing changed and it is as bad as it was during Commi rule.

In last two years Mamata has been the antithesis of what she stood for. This is strange. She and her party have been behaving just like the devoted students of earlier Commi parties. Right from Park street rape case to current rape-cum-murder case of Barasat via cartoon incident, beating of college principal, custody death of student leader, hooliganism in Presidency University and Saradha scandal, Mamata has been the epitome of self-righteousness without a drop of empathy for people or regard for institutions. She finds Commi conspiracy in every unfortunate incident in the state or opposition against her. Her visible and rude intolerance towards anything against her perceived view shows the presence of an ominous dictator within her. She administers the state as her fiefdom. Her motorbike brigade is more ruthless than earlier Commi cadres.

Mamata cannot comprehend that she is the executive head of the all people of the state and not her party followers alone. By accusing everybody, who do not subscribe to her gospels, as Commi she will lose public support sooner than she can imagine. In multi-party democracy of India, Mamata cannot conceive that other parties should exist. She wants that all other parties, if exist, should not do politics but follow her only. What a pathetic mind set! Now she is crying hoarse that all other parties are trying to discredit her government. Mamata is possibly suffering from fear psychosis and anxiety neurosis.

Mamata Banerjee lives in a make belief world that her government's achievements have been spectacular and unparallel so far in the history of the Indian state of West Bengal. In all possibility, she will try old Commi methods to cling to power for some more time. She could not elevate herself to the stature of a statesman (as many people of West Bengal dreamt of) and became just another politician who thrives on politics (poly tricks) only.