A news item in The Hindushan Times has Vara Vara Rao, the revolutionary writer, saying that Lalgarh is the last hope amid the disaster in Sri Lanka and the disappointing developments of Nepal revolution.
He says,"I support the Maoists because of my conviction and no government can bar me from adopting any belief."
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The July 21 Big Rally
It’s the biggest rally ever, in recent memory. People poured in spontaneously from every corner of the state. I was scanning the morning papers for an estimate of size of the mass. Most papers described it just as "lakhs of people”. Actually, it was kind of inestimable. However, it could be anything between seven to ten lakhs.
The sea of mass was enough to evoke a flutter in the heart of present rulers. The police took a detour to make Buddhadeb reach his home – late by half an hour flat.
Mamata Banerjee has really made it after a long time. I liked her call of restraint to her supporters. I was also impressed by her gesture towards Mahasweta Devi, one of our geart living Bengali authors.
Mamata, it seems, has gone past all her vices and antics to become herself. She gets to be credible day by day. I don’t buy her all her promises, but for now she’s a better choice than any other Bengal politician.
The sea of mass was enough to evoke a flutter in the heart of present rulers. The police took a detour to make Buddhadeb reach his home – late by half an hour flat.
Mamata Banerjee has really made it after a long time. I liked her call of restraint to her supporters. I was also impressed by her gesture towards Mahasweta Devi, one of our geart living Bengali authors.
Mamata, it seems, has gone past all her vices and antics to become herself. She gets to be credible day by day. I don’t buy her all her promises, but for now she’s a better choice than any other Bengal politician.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Bengal burns
Bengal is burning.
Violence, and more violence, grips the state, thanks to Buddhadeb's inefficient and callous administration.
The state observed a 12-hour bandh today to protest against the ghastly attack of eight legistators by CPM thugs when the legislators went to visit Mangalkote in Burdwan district with relief material for the violence victims.
A TV footage of chased Congress legislators running across fields throgh sleaze and water without any slipper on their foot was enough for Congress supporters to take to the streets and indulge in vandalism. Many govt buses were burnt to ashes, blockades were everywhere, and the admistaion failed to rise up to the occasion.
Thursday's wanton vandalism was followed by Friday's bandh.
The attack on Congress was of course ghastly, and a shame for any democracy.
The left has now been pushed to the wall, and is desperately trying to hid its atrocities in Mangalkote.
But there is no way it can turn around.
Buddhadeb government is sitting on a keg of serial blunders to be blown away any day.
Violence, and more violence, grips the state, thanks to Buddhadeb's inefficient and callous administration.
The state observed a 12-hour bandh today to protest against the ghastly attack of eight legistators by CPM thugs when the legislators went to visit Mangalkote in Burdwan district with relief material for the violence victims.
A TV footage of chased Congress legislators running across fields throgh sleaze and water without any slipper on their foot was enough for Congress supporters to take to the streets and indulge in vandalism. Many govt buses were burnt to ashes, blockades were everywhere, and the admistaion failed to rise up to the occasion.
Thursday's wanton vandalism was followed by Friday's bandh.
The attack on Congress was of course ghastly, and a shame for any democracy.
The left has now been pushed to the wall, and is desperately trying to hid its atrocities in Mangalkote.
But there is no way it can turn around.
Buddhadeb government is sitting on a keg of serial blunders to be blown away any day.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Lalgarh: People, Maoists, Government
I have wanted to write about Lalgarh long since, but I was kind of dumb seeing what were happening in there: companies of security forces were pouring in everyday, the Maosists on the run, and people leaving their homes in panic. All this gave me a writer's block, and I could not figure out what to write about Lalgarh, which had a tiny population of 3,70,000 - mostly tribal people, arguably the poorest of Indians, who scarcely can manage one square meal a day.
Lalgarh is Buddhadeb's last show of power. He forcibly acquired farm land in Singur for Tata's automobile project. The farmers fought it out with all of their might and resources. And finally Ratan Tata, the owner of Nano projct, backed out. Buddhadeb tried to take farm land in Nandigram for a chemical hub. There too farmers resisted hard and for a long time, and sent the Government back with an empty hand.
Now it's Lalgarh long known to be Maoists' stronghold. An industrialist had booked it for its steel project. Since the Maoists took over the tribal belt amidst the govt's apalling indifference and callousness about the conditions of people here, Buddhadeb played his Maoist card here very well. The UPA government at the centre, who considers the Maoists the greatest security threat to India, swallowed the bait, and helped Bengal's pathetic ruler with paramilitary forces - companies after companies, just for the asking.
Today is the eighteenth day of Lalgarh operation. The security forces have not been able to nab a single confirmed Maoist. Where were they gone? If they escaped, how could the forces allow them to? Now on TV screen, you see uniformed men marching along roads, the tiny huts on each side without any men amd women, and the huge land looks deserted and gloomy. And where were all those people gone?
People of Lalgarh could not fight back. How can they against such a sophisticated paramilitary force with copters guiding them?
Chhtradhar Mahato, the flambuoyant leader of the Adivasis, is no where to be seen.
So, has the Government won?
I'm not sure.
Lalgarh is Buddhadeb's last show of power. He forcibly acquired farm land in Singur for Tata's automobile project. The farmers fought it out with all of their might and resources. And finally Ratan Tata, the owner of Nano projct, backed out. Buddhadeb tried to take farm land in Nandigram for a chemical hub. There too farmers resisted hard and for a long time, and sent the Government back with an empty hand.
Now it's Lalgarh long known to be Maoists' stronghold. An industrialist had booked it for its steel project. Since the Maoists took over the tribal belt amidst the govt's apalling indifference and callousness about the conditions of people here, Buddhadeb played his Maoist card here very well. The UPA government at the centre, who considers the Maoists the greatest security threat to India, swallowed the bait, and helped Bengal's pathetic ruler with paramilitary forces - companies after companies, just for the asking.
Today is the eighteenth day of Lalgarh operation. The security forces have not been able to nab a single confirmed Maoist. Where were they gone? If they escaped, how could the forces allow them to? Now on TV screen, you see uniformed men marching along roads, the tiny huts on each side without any men amd women, and the huge land looks deserted and gloomy. And where were all those people gone?
People of Lalgarh could not fight back. How can they against such a sophisticated paramilitary force with copters guiding them?
Chhtradhar Mahato, the flambuoyant leader of the Adivasis, is no where to be seen.
So, has the Government won?
I'm not sure.
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