Nidhu Bhusan Das :
That a significant and irreversible political change has occurred in West Bengal through the assembly polls of 2011 is a settled fact. The effect of the change is likely to be far reaching despite the fact that the ruling party shows certain tendencies typical of the three-and-a half-decade rule of the Marxists holding the umbrella of a Left Front. These disturbing tendencies will continue because of the moral degradation encouraged and accelerated during the Marxist dispensation for perpetuation of power. The new rulers have the toughest challenge ahead to reverse the process and bring back the moral strength and usher in an era of moral regeneration.
The statement that the change is irreversible is based on the facts of history. The French Revolution of the eighteenth century was followed by the infamous ‘Reign of Terror’ which caused disillusionment among many sympathizers but that could not take France back to the period that preceded and created the objective condition for the revolution to come about. Harold Bloom in his essay ‘Prometheus Rising’ written for a preface to his book ‘The Visionary Company’ observes:’in the semi-apocalyptic dawn of the French Revolution, it really did seem that a renovated universe was possible – that life could never again be what it had been. It is not very easy now for any of us to summon up the fervor of that moment, through whatever leap of historical imagination. We have no real analogue to it as a universal psychic shock that at first promised liberation from everything bad in the past. The Russian Revolution, even if it were not now almost as historically remote from us as the French, would not be the adequate analogue, for it took place in a world already suffering through a war. He French Revolution was, in its day, a new kind of ideological revolution – hence the terror it aroused in its opponents, and the hope in its sympathizers.’
Monarchy did not return to French despite the disillusionment that followed the Reign of Terror. The fruit of the Russian Revolution staled and yielded place to capitalism, an anathema to socialism which the revolution promised. Another country of socialist revolution China has opted for market economy.
Red rule of Stalinist hue that left skeletons of dissenters buried is unlikely to be reinstated in the state even if the present government fails to deliver and reverse the process of silencing dissent and allow terror-for-democracy to continue. Mamata Banerjee, who played the catalyst for change is faced with a Hobson’s choice- she has to toe the line of Congress, the senior partner in the ruling UPA at the centre in it’s economic policy which often goes counter to her views, or to have her own way of economic regeneration of the state with innovative measures difficult to find out and implement where degraded morality engendered corruptions of every kind and enlightened thinking appears to be a rarity.
The hangover of the monolithic rule of the Marxists is likely to continue for a considerable time given the fact that the bureaucracy and the political establishments, by and large, shorn of positive thinking and new ideas, tend to be regressive and talkative. Distortion of fact and lies appear to be their stock-in –trade. In such a desert it is not easy to lay out a meadow. Only a strong will and honest purpose coupled with an appropriate plan to rejuvenate the economy creating suitable infrastructure can help. The assiduous endeavour to implement the central schemes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREG) can help a lot to ameliorate the sufferings of the people in rural Bengal. The law and order situation is to be improved a lot to help people live in peace in rural areas where terror-for democracy is said to be more in place than in the urban centres. Skeletons were found in rural Bengal, not in urban West Bengal where media focus deters such methods of political subjugation. Mamata can win the battle against corruptions and overcome odds if she is able cobble up a dedicated and honest team of elected representatives and, side by side, a team of honest party workers and leaders at every level to watch and monitor the implementation of welfare and development projects. The momentous moment came when the people scripted for her a landslide victory in the assembly elections. Now it is her turn to deliver. She can inspire hope in the people if she keeps at bay sycophants, corrupt party men and cease to make comment when it is avoidable and advisable.
