Cruelty thy Name is Stupidity
Nidhu Bhusan Das
West Bengal Assembly Election 2016 is
over. The results are on 19 May. Right now we don’t know who will win. Whatever be the
result, Ms Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, will be remembered as
a victim of cruelty meted out to her by the opposition. Etiquette and niceties
of democratic practice were thrown to the wind. She was subjected to a
witch-hunt by the coalition of the Left Front and Congress soon after the
campaign for the last phase of the election was over. 
In the last leg of her
campaign, Mamata was in Cooch-Behar.She left the district in the evening for
Chalsa in the neighbouring district for rest after a grueling campaign trail
that covered all the 294 constituencies.Mamata did not choose to be in a Government bungalow.She stayed in a private lodge. She was the lone campaigner for her party.
They raised the hue and cry that the Chief Minister chose to stay at Chalsa to
manipulate and vitiate the election process. A team of senior congress leaders rushed
to Siliguri to checkmate her. A senior CPI (M) leader from Siliguri rushed to
Falakata to monitor the electioneering by his comrades and instruct them as well as to file
complaints to the Election Commission online and by phone. Media reports
suggest he accomplished his mission.
This eloquently speaks of the stupidity
of a section of our politicians. If one can communicate with the Election
Commission back in Kolkata or New Delhi India
But, unfortunately, it happened. We
generally see once a person becomes an MLA, MP or a minister, his/her health
improves because of a regulated way of daily life and strict recipe. In case
of Mamata, it is just the reverse. Not that she is ill, but it is because she
overworks as Chief Minister and party supremo.We also see a section of the
Bengali Elite,at the drop of a hat, is critical of Mamata who does not belong, by birth, to the elite
class. Such conscience keepers of West Bengal have been unable to see and understand the witch-hunting.
It is strange but true.
