Jyoti Babu is no more. An era comes to an End.

Jyoti Basu is gone! Forever! The last stalwart of communism has vanished. The person who was so much for the party, of the party and by the party. So how will history remember him? Most of us who are below thirty, the young brigade will pinpoint the downfall of Bengal on him. Why? Because when we entered the job market there were very few jobs in Bengal. Most of us have to move out of Bengal for sustenance and better opportunities. But at the same time ask anybody above 55 working in a state government, central government or other big private factories (specially the senior guys)…majority will say he was a hero, a real leader. Why this dichotomy? In his time the power of trade union flourished…the bandh culture threatened management big time. So people who are on the verge of retirement will pay their ‘Lal Salam’ to him. Virtually no work…and getting paid for that. Who doesn’t love it? So majority of people who have worked their prime during his 23 years of rule in Bengal have enjoyed the Trade Unionism, the frequent holidays due to Bandhs, the power of strike, chakka jam, rail roko and what not. With due respect to all the elders, I want to say that Basu has done nothing for the people of Bengal. The lucky people who had jobs in government and other areas during his time will have a different story but the struggling middle class left Bengal completely during his tenure- I am one of them.

Basu and his party categorically killed Education in Bengal by banning English from primary schools. Thanks to my parents- I was lucky to be studying in a convent…but everybody didn’t have the same opportunity! Why did he do it? Basu came from an Aristrocatic family, was educated in London, sent his son to London for Education…he very well knew the value of English but why did he want the Bengali sons and daughters to stay away from English? History will demand an answer from him. I have read quite a few newspaper editorials especially by Mr Ram of Hindu and Mr Ashok Dasgupta of the Bengali newspaper ‘Aajkaal’. I have one thing to say – Basu is generally praised for his Land reforms, i.e. sharecroppers got the right to land. Well Mr Ram and Mr Dasgupta..if you go back to history you will find that it was not Basu who did this…the seed was sowed well before his tenure..But he was given all the credit. Ok, even if we for argument’s sake accept that he did that…after that what? All those poor people who got land were converted into CPM cadres (most of them became rich by dubious means) and we know how the cadre strength worked for three decades for the benefit of the communists. And it in turn unfortunately created one more divide. The haves and the have-nots. CPM had everything while people not following their party line didn’t have anything. Trinamool was born driven by this factor only…and thanks to the communists now we have two monsters pitched in a deadly battle in Bengal. Mamta gang vs Buddha gang!

And in Basu’s tenure what was the growth of the state? Negative. What about healthcare? What about Education? Why did Calcutta turn from an intellectual city to a lifeless city? Mr Dasgupta you know it better so why just you cant write the truth. Yes Basu was free from corruption (his wife owned huge properties though) but the case rests there. As a CM people judge you by the growth parameters in the state…not by some red idealism however excellent it might be.
Mr Dasgupta you have lived your prime…Mr Ram same for you. But right now what you say doesn’t matter…it’s the young generation who will decide not you guys.

Mr Basu at the best can be called as the victim of his own system..the politburo machinery. But he was one of the founding members…and in lot of circumstances he took the moderate path but had to tow the party line because he was a complete party guy! He was a moderate but without the willpower to apply his moderate thoughts. Buddha inherited a bad legacy.

Right now the future of Bengal looks extremely bleak. The lady who is waiting for the CM chair has very little to offer except her big talks and ‘Ma Mati and Manush’ funda. She has taken all those things which the communists under Buddha tried to abandon – The Bandh Culture and street politics. And the communists seem to be hell bent in tackling her in their old ways…an eye for an eye! And look who is gaining – the Maoists! God bless the Bengalis. We have breathed the air of Bengal. It still remains a Golden state only if people had the eyes to see it and appreciate it.