The scene is set in a room in the headquarters of the Trinamool Congress, in Kolkata. Present are the leaders of the Trinamool Congress, Ms. Mamta Banerjee, other associates and a young man in his early 20's Tapan Mukherjee. Tapan is a student of the prestigious Presidency college of Kolkata, and is hugely influenced by Marxism and the creation of an egaliatarian society. His natural inclination towards Marxism is caught in a perpetual conflict with the growth of the 'Free Market Society' and the enormous opportunities it presents for the youth.
31 years of Communist rule in West Bengal with the resultant trappings of power have resulted in the ideology driven youth like Tapan shifting away from the Communist rule, although the yearning for an egalitarian society still remains strong. Communism in West Bengal, Tapan feels, is a deadly concoction of abhorrence of Democracy inherent in a Communist state, along with the spice of the unbridled greed of a capitalistic system. A Fatal combination.
With the dust of ideology clogging his eyes, Tapan and scores of youth like him, found in Mamta an ally who could take on the brute force of the Communist with the simplicity and integrity of a man like the Mahatma. The lady showed no trappings of power, and although whimsical, retained the ideology of Guru Rabindra Nath Tagore's ,"EKLA CHALO" (Walk alone).At times Mamta seemed more Marxist in her thought than perhaps Karl Marx himself. She was victimised, attacked, assassination attempts made against her, but she ploughed along. ALONE.........
Tapan worshipped her.
Then Singur happened!!
Here was a project which was the brainchild of perhaps India's most respected businessman Ratan Tata, and belonged to the most trusted brand the TATA's. The announcement of the Rs.One Lakh car, the NANO had set the business world ablaze. No Indian product had gained so much world wide publicity before its launch. The nondescript area of Singur came into prominence. Tapan was excited.
When you are 20-21, things like opportunity, employment, development, do carry a special buzz, Marxism notwithstanding.
But Singur changed everything..........
The meeting today had been convened by Mamta Banerjee in the aftermath of her 'success' at Singur. The Govt. of Buddhadeb Bhattachrya had yielded to her demands of compensating the farmers whose lands had been acquisitioned by the govt. for the NANO project. Apparently, as per the deal brokered by the Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi , the govt. of West Bengal had acceded to granting 400 acres of land to the aggrieved farmers, inside the project area. This after TATA had stopped work in the project area and shut down the factory due to the 'hostile' and 'intimidating' environment created due to Mamta Banerjee's dharna and protests.
Although insignificant in the party hierarchy, Tapan was able to wriggle his way into the meeting room. The mood was festive, with even Didi (Mamta Banerjee) sporting her Mona Lisa smile. Mona Lisa because just as in Da Vinci's painting, you could not make out whether Didi was smiling or scowling. But a smile it indeed was today.
Slogans like,"Ladai, ladai, ladai chai, ladai kore bachte chai" (We want a fight, we want to survive by fighting) rent the air. Slogans which meant the world to Tapan till some time back, sounded irritating today. Holi or the festival of colours had come early for the supporters of Didi, as colours were being thrown about in the air. But firecrackers were bursting inside Tapan’s head.
Close associates of Didi surrounded her, congratulating her all the while.
One of them spoke out,"Ae baar baam front shesh"(This time the left front is finished).
The other one laughed aloud, "Let us say TATA to TATA".
Everybody joined in the laughter show. Didi kept on her smile. Her resistance to exaggeration had endeared her to idealistic youth like Tapan.
Another one of the sycophants (What would politics be without them?) joined in, "Didi, your name will be etched in History, as having finished of the Communists from their last bastions."
The chamchas (sycophants) were having a field day, "Ki bhaab chilo, oi TATA , gaari chalabe?"(What did that TATA fellow think, he will drive his car?)
Tapan could not take it any more. But being an inherently sincere guy and in awe of the leader, he spoke meekly, "Didi, kintoo eta ki, bangaler jonye bhalo holo?"(But is it good for Bengal?).
Heads turned towards him, "Tumi ke bhai?" (Who are you brother?) Didi enquired.
At this moment, Tapan felt that the cat had got his tongue. His reply was not audible to anybody except himself.
Irritated at the limelight shifting from themselves, the sycophants started to roll their sleeves. Tapan remembered how these fellows had run at the sight of the Communist cadres and had not faced the assault of the Police. That was the responsibility of foot soldiers like him. He could still feel the baton assault of the Police on his back.
But this was their territory, and he was a mere encroacher. A trespasser, who needed to be prosecuted.
Fortunately,Didi intervened, "Oke bolte dao,suni ki bole!"(Let him speak, I want to hear what he has to say).
Tapan felt relieved. His reverence for Didi grew. After all how many political leaders of the day allowed any body to speak.
Emboldened at the turn of events, he found his confidence coming back .He introduced himself.
Didi seemed impressed. You do not get Intermediate and college toppers as your party workers everyday. This young man could have easily left the state or even the country for greener pastures. Didi remembered the case of one of her sycophants, who had got his son admitted to a foreign University .The son had then got a cushy job and had settled down there. That guy did not have even half the credentials of Tapan.
The slogan,"Ladai ladai,ladai chai,ladai kore bachte chai", continued outside.
Tapan was at fight with himself. How could he ask what he wanted to! But he continued, nevertheless!!
Praying to the Gods he worshipped, he mustered enough courage to ask, "Eta ki thik holo?" (Did the right thing happen?)
Didi could understand his predicament, but wanted him to continue. "Ki thik hoyni?"(What has not gone right?), she enquired.
"Ei Singur jinish ta!"(This Singur incident), Tapan said. He was amazed at his confidence. Maybe he belonged to this place, after all.
The sycophant intervened, "Everything has gone perfectly. Didi has pushed the Communists into a corner. When did the Communists last retreat into a corner? We are sure to cause a lot of damage to the Communists in the next election. We will win at least 20 seats in the Lok Sabha election, which is a phenomenal increase from the present one seat. Celebrate! for come the next Vidhan Sabha election and we will sweep into power. Didi will be the next Chief Minister. If I may so, Didi is bigger than Mikhail Gorbachev, who finished Communism in Russia."
Sycophants around the world have an inherent genetic disposition towards hyperbole. Add to that a proclivity towards theatrics, and there you have it, a perfect composition.
Didi maintained her perfect statuesque facial expression.
Tapan was quick to react, "Good that the party will win 20 seats, better still that Didi becomes the C.M. But my question is that, are the happenings in Singur good for Bengal?"
The sycophant had run out of ammunition pretty quickly. He already had delivered the statement about 20 seats, et al, countless number of times, before the news reporters and knew it by heart. Besides most of the statement was muffled by his supporters and their war cry of "Ladai, Ladai, Ladai chai, Ladai kore bachte chai". No media person could dare to proceed to further questions after this.
But this was different. No supporters shouting slogans in the room ........and a Question, which every body knew would haunt them.
But not for nothing are sycophants so successful in life. The sycophant changed track, as a chameleon changes its colours.
" You mean to say that Didi does not know what is good for Bengal!", the sycophant raised his voice, trying to browbeat Tapan.
Tapan was perplexed for a moment, but recovered quickly," I did not say that. What I meant to say that we might have scored a few brownie points against the Communists, but I feel that with the incidents in Singur, Bengal has lost out. I mean have we ever given a thought to the reasons as to why Bengal which was the most industrialised state in 1947, at the time of Independence, is amongst the least industrialised states in the country today. Admitted that 30 years of the Communist rule did derail the development of the state, but when efforts are being made to put back the development of the state on rails, are we not acting like these Communists and putting a spanner in the works?". It appeared that the spirit of the nationalists of yore had gotten into Tapan. Nationalists like C.R.Das, Netaji Subhash, Aurobindo; during a time when it was famously said, "What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow." Now it was the other way round.
Tapan could sense the frown on Didi's head, "You mean to say that we sell out the farmers for the sake of industrialisation?" she queried pensively.
"No Didi, I know that the farmers are the back bone of our society, and their rights need to be protected", Tapan continued "but we must realise that a developing economy cannot survive on agriculture only. We need to have a balance between the two. Any skewed approach will result in a lop sided development, besides the TATA group is the most rural friendly business group in the country. The development of Jamshedpur and its surroundings is a case in point."
"But our confrontation was not with the TATA's, but with the West Bengal govt. The deal which has been arrived at only involves the transfer of land back to certain farmers, inside the project area. The project is still functional, my son," Didi tried to reason with Tapan.
The sycophant had in the meanwhile recovered his wits. Trying to impress Didi, he also added his two bit, "Arrey! ektu jomin dile, TATA chotto hoye jabe na."(TATA will not become small by giving a bit of land).
Tapan was amazed at this lack of any insight. The rhetoric was good, but the content hollow. "That land which they are supposed to hand over was to be given to the vendors, to set up ancillary units. And we all know that industries are dependent on ancillaries for supply of various parts, don't we? If the ancillaries go, the entire viability of the project goes. Besides the supply of parts, ancillaries are a very good source of employment since they do not require the input of high skills. Local populace in general is employed. This again has a indirect fall back effect, as prosperity is contained in the area of the project. And this through the Domino effect spreads out to the surrounding areas," Tapan looked and sounded like Amartya Sen revisited.
Tapan was in no mood to hold back, "After decades of gheraos, meaningless bandhs, political violence, somebody had dared to venture into the state. Things were finally beginning to look up. Our state does not comply with the High Court ruling on Bandhs, be it the Communists or any other party. Bandhs are ostensibly called for protection of the rights of the poor man, but pardon me for saying this, who goes to the bed hungry that night? Not us, not the salaried class who gets a paid holiday, but the poor rickshaw wallah, the daily wager who cannot venture out that day! Where are we heading?"
There was a shocked silence in the room. The sycophants did not know how to react, but they could not let this young man go on like this. He was DANGEROUS!!
"This fellow is a turn coat", some body shouted.
"O bam fronter log" (He is a communist), shouted another, trying to open a new front. After all unsubstantiated allegations are the best way to discredit an upright man - as per the policy of the Indian polity.
"I am neither. I believe in an egalitarian society, which I believe can only come through a balanced development of industry and agriculture. After all, agriculture alone can sustain the livelihood of so many people and no more. You need industry, albeit an unbridled commercial development needs to be avoided. We need manufacturing units more than we need malls. Will some body tell me as to why the massive construction of shopping malls in Kolkata is not opposed, but when it comes to factories either the Communists or we are up in arms? Why this hypocrisy, in the name of the people," Tapan was into an overdrive.
"Tor sahos ki kore holo?"(How dare you?), the original sycophant intervened." You mean to say that you are the only one who knows politics and development. All of us are fools!"
"If politics means intrigue, skulduggery, one upsmanship, deceit, I know nothing of it," Tapan countered. "But I want to know, has any one given a thought to the exodus of educated youth from West Bengal. Tell me how many young men find a living in the state. Even the HR Head of Infosys has warned that with the development in Singur, they have put their expansion plans in Kolkata on hold. Rest assured Hyderabad or Pune would surely gain from that. No body wants to put in money when employees are stopped from attending offices on 'bandh days', and a general atmosphere built to the effect that any political party can hold you to ransom, with the Administration standing by as a mute spectator."
"Let them go anywhere they want to, we cannot be held to ransom by anybody!" the sycophant was keen to impress Didi. After all, he was in the running for a ticket to the parliamentary election.
Tapan retorted "the TATA's might wait for some time, but rest assured they must seriously be contemplating a pull out. For after this mayhem, they must be wary of the CITU(Communist trade union). If the opposition party can create this chaos, the opportunity for the ruling disposition is enormous."
"Tui ki TATA'r chamcha?"(Are you a stooge of the TATA's?) Somebody contributed.
"Ami ekta sadharan lok"( I am a common man), Tapan was speaking calmy, but sternly, "I too want job opportunities in the state, so that the youth does not have to go far off in search of job, out of compulsion. I want people from other states to come to West Bengal. Have we ever thought that the development of a state results in people paying taxes to the state, which the state can then plough back into building roads, schools, hospitals etc? In fact it results in better facilities for the poor man we talk about. Even the situation on the agricultural front improves, since more jobs mean less pressure on the land, with people having other sources of employment too. Why do all parties refuse to see this glaring truth ?"
The sycophants had had enough. If this man started speaking in public their career was over, they thought! "Eke tarao, beta ta samrajyawadi, bamfronter lok",(throw him out, he is an imperialist, he is a man from the Left front), the sycophants were getting incoherent and irrational.
Didi was nonplussed. Somewhwere down the line she knew that Tapan was speaking the truth, and nothing but the truth. But as usual, events bypass you, and all you can do is watch with a feeling of what could have been.
The sycophants and their cohorts were on the verge of assaulting Tapan, who stood fearlessly. Suddenly somebody’s cell phone rang, which played the song from the movie “Netaji” by Shyam Benegal:
"JODI TOR DAAK SUNE KEU NAA AASHE, TOBE EKLA CHOLO RE.
TANHA RAHI APNI RAAH CHALTA JAAYEGA, AB TO JO BHI HOGA DEKHA JAAYEGA."
(If nobody pays heed to your call, walk alone).
DISCLAIMER: With sincere apologies to any sentiments hurt unintentionally. This is a work of fiction, but being played out throughout the country in various forms. Let us all search for the Tapan amongst us.
Wish to avail this opportunity to thank my friend Shankar, who has redesigned the blog, to make it more reader friendly.
