Kolkata (ANI): The CPI(M)’s climbdown over the Singur land acquisition issue following pressure from the NDA and the Centre, which has prompted Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee to revoke her “fast unto death,” indicates the latter’s successful exploitation of “Gandhigiri” as a political weapon.
Banerjee’s 25-day fast is a record of sorts in post-independence India, giving a new dimension to the conventional political scenario in the Marxists-ruled state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who initially resorted to a strong arm tactics to put down the Singur movement and pave the way for an early inauguration of the Tatas’ small car project, had expected Banerjee’s hunger-strike to fizzle out within a short period.
However, its growing dimensions and impact on national politics proved all his calculations wrong and ultimately forced him to soften his stand and go for a discussion on the demands of the affected peasants.
The latest developments indicate a major personal setback for the chief minister who seemed to have adopted a hawk-like stand over the acquisition of land from unwilling farmers following Ratan Tata’s announcement that he would not pull out of the project “even at gunpoint.”
However, fast deterioration in the Trinamul Congress leader’s condition and the subsequent intervention by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following an NDA deputation to the President almost forced Bhattacharjee to change his government’s stand vis-à-vis the contentious issue overnight.
The chief minister’s last letter to Banerjee said he was “ready to discuss all the matters concerning the Tata project.”
A major factor behind the CPI(M)’s climbdown was the growing voice of dissent among a number of left intellectuals and social workers on the Singur issue.
Persons like Medha Patkar and Gyanpith award winner Mahasweta Devi have severely condemned the CPI(M)-led government for its “inhuman and indifferent attitude” towards the peasants who are facing a bleak future due to the acquisition of multi-crop land at Singur. ven Justice Rajinder Sachar, whose report on the condition of the minority community, has been hailed by the Congress as well as the Left parties, yesterday joined Patkar in a protest demonstration against the West Bengal Government’s policy at Banga Bhavan in Delhi.
The outcome of Banerjee’s hunger-strike has also vindicated the stand adopted by major Left Front partners like the CPI, the RSP and the Forward Bloc.
These front partners have been urging the chief minister and state CPI(M) leadership not to go for “indiscriminate acquisition of farmland” in the name of industrialization and calling for a dialogue with the opposition parties, particularly Trinamul Congress, to resolve the Singur impasse.
However, Bhattacharjee as well as Industry Minister Nirupam Sen wanted to go ahead with the work on the Tatas’ project without caring for the opposition parties’ stirs.
A section of CPI(M) leaders, including Land and Land Reforms Minister Abdur Rezzak Molla, Housing Minister Gautam Deb and even former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu to some extent supported the Front constituents’ stand and exerted pressure on Bhattacharjee to go for a negotiated settlement.
As things stand, these leaders will now feel free to assert themselves within the party and the government, making things difficult for Bhattacharjee who personally is not in favour of “any kind of compromise” as far as land acquisition is concerned.
West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi played a major role in activating the power-centres in Delhi and Kolkata to put an end to the stalemate arising out of Banerjee’s fast. Gandhi not only repeatedly requested Banerjee to end her hunger-strike, but also continued to hold constant dialogues with President Kalam and Chief Minister Bhattacharjee to resolve the issue.
Politically Banerjee’s fast has strengthened her party’s link with the NDA as BJP president Rajnath Singh twice visited her at the dharna manch and took the initiative in organizing a deputation to the President.
The Singur movement has also widened the gulf between Trinamul Congress and Bengal Congress which refused to join her stir because of the “BJP’s presence.”
According to informed sources, Ms Banerjee may utilize the “Save Farmland committee” to resist the state government’s attempts to acquire multi-crop land in other districts and also use it as a common platform to fight the panchayat polls in 2008. (ANI)