An open letter to Sri Budhhadeb Bhattacharya, CM of West Bengal By Bandana Mitra, Patna, India
Respected Sri Bhattacharya,
This letter depicts the deepest grief, shame, embarrassment and pity that you forced upon us, all who hailed from Bengal and are proud about our roots, through your actions ( rather non-actions ) about what is happening at Nandigram.
Yes we all know how much our state requires industries, investments. How poor is our state, how much burden of population (both legitimate and illegitimate) she has to bear without a relief? Yes we all know you have to pay the price for getting anything in life - but the ultimate question that remains is - at what cost?
What is happening at Nandigram is no more a resistance of farmers to grab their land in name of industrialization. Had it been so, still you could take refuge under some textual economic theory and could prove that after all it is for their own good. No, this time it is a capturing and recapturing of area around Nandigram, seeing forthcoming panchyat election which became essential. The ruling party marched into the place, fully armed, backed by local administration. Police was confined into police station. They killed, raped, and wounded mercilessly the innocent villagers whose only fault was they are the supporter of opposition.
In a democratic country is it a crime to support the opposition? And the only punishment is to get wiped out from their own birth place? And so calmly, so arrogantly, so theoretically the senior party members are justifying their move. It is nothing but short of cold-blooded murder.
Your party condemned Godhra killing - what a big joke! Your senior Leader called BJP a barbaric party - how interesting!
I am more pained because we thought you are a CM with a difference. You are the modern face of
It is like being cheated.
The way people identify
I am sure, like me, a lot of people from
I do wish, today we got a Tagore among us who could disown his knighthood to protest against firing on armless, innocent people.
I know it will not reach anywhere beyond this website, still that is the only protest I can register.
The author of this letter has got it bang on ! It seems that the "Left" is always right !
I wholeheartedly support the author's views. I think this letter should be sent/forwarded to as many people as possible.
One final point, it seems that the "Left" believes in "might is right".
DR. KAUSHIK BOSE,
READER AND HEAD OF DEPARTMENT,
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY,
VIDYASAGAR UNIVERSITY,
MIDNAPORE - 721 102,
WEST BENGAL,
INDIA.
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The fact is communists have never had any respect for human rights or for property rights. Stalin butchered 15 million Russians, Mao killed about same number of Chinese and the West Bengal's communist regime thrives by inflicting atrocities.
Why is West Bengal so dirt poor after 30 years of communist rule? The communists are always proclaiming themselves friends of the poor, but their acts are completely at variance to their deeds.
In Singur they have handed over 1000 acres of fertile land to the Tata group at throwaway prices. But why does Ratan Tata need 1000 acres of land to build his car factory. Maruti has been building cars for the whole country in a plant that is located in mere 250 acres of land.
In the name of industrialization the communists and their industrialist cronies are indulging in land grab. People are being murdered and over their dead bodies new industrial and political empires are being erected.
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thanks for your comments. However, it is really not about the colour of politics, it is rather on abuse of power - as they say, "power corrupts a man, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
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Thats an important letter Bandana, and I hope Buddhadeb reads it somehow... I feel the same way about you, outraged, saddened and ashamed. I also feel let down by Buddha as one expected more accountability from this government. CPI(M) is once again proving that the ruling party can get away with murder... just as has happened in Delhi, Gujarat or Bengal...
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Thank you Irene, your comment counts a lot.
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Sorry about the typo... 'I feel the same way about you' should read as 'I feel the same way as you'.
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I applaud ur courage in speaking the right words! However, I would like to remind u that communists were never above the 'party line' even if Nandan was their hub! Residents of state had too much expectations from a person, and it is not unusual that he betrayed them in adopting his 'party line'.
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You're right in saying this. They put party before all, even before individual sanity... I have always been uncomfortable with this thing about communism.
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I too express my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the violence in Nandigram. Precious human lives should not be compromised for the sake of industrailisation. Besides, the horrible and inhuman conditions in which the people left in the relief camps are also matter of concern.
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Good Bandana, for bringing this out. It is really a shame as to what is going on in Nandigram. Nobody has any right to throw people out of their homes and houses. They must just try compensating a politician for giving his land and house for some development work. What use is this development if people have to give their lives for it. Women and girls are being abused day and night. And, its all politics. A mess has been created by all in Nandigram and the worst affected are the poor people who own the land ---their fault.
The government and the TATA group should make amendments before its too late. All the bloodshed and murders will not bring any development.
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i can just say one thing, i have lost all faith and hope on politicians... the nandigram pictures are enough to shake any human beings, but then politicians are hardly humans. they wud rather burn the bodies and bake cake on that!! sick.
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Bandana you have voiced the exact thoughts of many of us here. We will definitely take up from where you left--namely forward your protest to everyone known to us. Who knows it might just might be delivered to his mailbox too!
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Bandana,
That was a strong voice and I too condemn the Nandigram incidents whole heartedly.
In fact I was just listening to the CPM spokesman Sitaram Yechury commenting on the denial of permission by Somnath Chatterji to discuss Nandigarm in Parliament.
Yechuri says Nandigram is a state issue and need not be discussed in Parliament...I am speechless at this spineless excuse...what is the Parliament for if not discussing such issues? so only non-State issues should be discussed in Parliament? I hope he gets the time to look at the various issues his party has introduced in the past...were all of them non-State issues?
However my comment has another dissenting note...I object to your voice of protest of being that of Bengalis all over the globe...
Nandigram is a national shame...why should you adopt the tone of a Bengali there? I feel for it just as much as any human being...I, like any just person, would not close my eyes to land grabbing any where in the world...and I need not be a Bengali to say that...we should not adopt this polarised attitude when we are fighting injustice...we need every additional hand to strengthen the fight...Every normal human being hates injustice...not just groups
I once again salute the protest and join the voice that rises against injustice.
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Ah, Suneetha this is coined the "Bong connection" by media. We Bengalis like to take pride (and this case shame) when any Bengali does anything momentous, no matter who he is or where he is.
I do agree with you, Nandigram is a national shame, and deserves to be taken up in Parliament.
If I recall correctly (correct me if I wrong), this is the first instance since democracy that media & activists alike, have been denied access for a prolonged period, Bengali TV channels who did some hard-core reporting were threatened as well. Quoting from a thread on the discussion board, the W.B. Govt has installed an "Iron Curtain" over Nandigram, and this is shocking in a country that takes pride in its democracy.
Coming back to your objection about the "voice of protest of being that of Bengalis", this is the very reason why anything Bengal/i gets excluded from national attention, and invariably loses significance in the polarised perspective.
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I sincerely thank everyone for sharing my thoughts and raising the protest - that is what it counts. Regarding " Bengali issue" , I am afraid perhaps I could not express myself clearly. No doubt it is a national even international issue - arrogance of power vs resistance of common people. All i wanted to express, since it the people of Bengal who elected the present Cheif Minister and allowed the ruling party ro rule for umpteen number of years we are morally respeonsible for the action of present state government. Please do not bring any fragmentaion in my write up - then it will lose its entire purpose.
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Right you are !
I beg to difer though that the people of Bengal elect the Govt., rather it is a way of life here, the only system we know, the electoral process just happens. And who else would one vote to power anyway, there is no feasible "opposition". Actually becoz Mr Buddhadev was doing such a good work, people expected much more from him ...
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Congratulations Bandana for calling spade a spade. Left has been harping on theory of moral grounds without really having a moral. I was a die hard fan of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for his approach to various issues like Bandhs ,industrialisation etc. however his handling of Nandigram issue has really destroyed his image of being RIGHT among the LEFTS. Every Indian needs to condemn Nandigram issue the way we have condemned 1984 Sikh riots, Killing of innocent people in J&K and Godhra killings. Left is enjoying power of governments at state as well as center (of course owing any responsibility)but one really wonders what has been their contribution.
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It's a shame for Mr.Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to be a Chief Minister and distinguish between our people and their people. It's a shame for the Govt.not to administer law and order in a small place like Nandigram for 11 months. But these 11 months it was the supporters of the ruling party who were evicted from their houses, raped, and refuged in relief camps. Please see the documentary by noted film director Anindita Sarbadhikari 'Nandigram - In serach of an answer'. And please don't equate Nandigram with the State sponsored pogroms of Delhi and Gujarat.
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Very well written, Ms Mitra.
I run a Bengali Language Podcast on the internet, called Santiniketan Podcast. It is an audio boradcast almost daily, of some 30 odd minutes of talk, music and comments.
I wonder if there is a way I could perhaps call you and have your voice recorded.
Please contact me at tonu@mac.com if you are interested.
Santanu Mitra
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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