It all began with the Congress-rule in India in the early post- independence time. Nehru set the direction for the new government towards ridiculing Bharatiya creed and culture, rewriting history suiting the invaders and the colonisers’ interests and perspectives, appeasement of minorities for vote bank purpose and encouraging misuse of power for perpetuating dynasty rule. One glaring instance is the fact of the non-enforcement of family planning regulations on the Muslims.
These tricks were learnt by most other party leaders including the CPM’s and used subsequently in the current opposition ruled states for expanding their own party’s hold.
West Bengal is a classic example. The leftists, after coming to power, started working in the same direction. They campaigned against Hindu dharma and traditions, started vote bank politics and illegal immigration from neighbouring country and misuse of police and administration to crush opposition, interfered in and captured administration in universities, colleges and schools facilitating the maligning of Hinduism and propagation of pseudo-secular philosophy.
It is because of this that incidents like Marichjhapi massacre happened and all jobs and appointments became the prerogative of party loyalists. Party became all pervasive and to an extent that all supply contracts had to have their approval.
People now see that the TMC has further expanded and perfected this array of misrule tricks. The misrule issues like political violence, tolabaji, syndicate, and excessive appeasement are real and undoubted and have gained unprecedented visibility across the state. These issues are the main impediments to flow of investments to West Bengal and consequent job creation. The party still carries the baggage of Sharada, Narada, and Rose-Valleyscams. The victims of the Amphan cyclone not getting the relief fund are obvious now. They were diverted to party workers. The brazen rigging and unprecedented violence in the Panchayat elections prove that the law & order has completely broken down.
CM Mamata’s politics of senseless appeasement like opposing the CAA and appointing a Muslim cleric on Tarkeshwar Temple Board have created much discontent and disillusionment. Further, her controversial and blatantly communal moves like the stipends to Imams and curtailing the time permitted for Durga idol immersion to make way for Moharram procession were ruled unconstitutional by Kolkata High Court. Religious leaders like Sididiqullah Chowdhury and Toha Siddiqui were roped in for luring Muslim votes. Her Muslim appeasement efforts are now underlined and crystal clear to the voters. This sort of misrule cannot be allowed to continue.
She is not able to hold her flock together and desertions, happening all too often. This puts a question mark on her ability as a persuasive leader. She cannot therefore be depended upon to fulfill her poll promises. On the other hand, PM Modi is carrying the administration and the party very persuasively and therefore able to do tremendous developmental work and at the same time provide a glitteringly clean administration. Time is ripe to bring in the real Parivartan. In electoral democracy, the way out is voting. Vote the guilty out and vote in the party/people/leader with clean image and track record.
By Sudip Bhattacharyya- The writer is a long-standing commentator on contemporary issues.
