Nandigram: Stained Red

Comrade! Where do you stand?

Reyaz-ul-haque/ Sunil

How easily the people are slaughtered!
Even though their cry is heaved, heard and vibrated far and wide. Unofficial sources reveal that more than 50 people have been killed. Dead bodies were dumped in the river, 200 are missing, women were raped, and journalists were not allowed to go there even after 48 hours of the massacre. Soumitra Ghosh, the editor of “Anyaswar” has written that on the evening of 15th march a 12 hour bandh was called by the CPM in this deserted place: which is perhaps the first instance, when the band was called in the evening. He added, that, the people who were found, were dragged from their houses and were shot dead. It reminds us of those black days of 1970’s when the youth were dragged from their houses and were being shot dead .it is evident from the available facts, that, amongst the five people who were carried to Kolkata for medical treatment only one was injured by the bullet of police. Then who had fired at other four. Does it not raise doubts in our minds that CPM workers were with the police?

So are we living in democracy? Perhaps it is the single big event after 1947 in which an entire village has been encircled and suppressed. And who is doing this? The same CPM government, who presumes to uphold the cause of poor peasants, Just look at the faces of their leaders, they have gone pale. But still they justify the killings saying that Maoists were involved in Nandigram. The people of Nandigram did not allow the administration to enter the area for two months. The villagers were challenging the state power, but were they not compelled to do so? In other words, the entire masses have put the CPM government in a dunghill. The lands of the people of Nandigram was usurped to be gifted to the ‘Salim Group’.The salim group intended to convert this land into its own empire under the facilities bestowed upon them under SEZ, where he would have implemented its own rules and order. Indian government would not interfere in this empire or would have limited interference. If how ever, the Salim group, a foreign company could be allowed to create its own territory free from government’s interference, how could the government unjustify the farmer’s actions that prevented the foreign company to establish an empire on their land? if the parallel power of the salim groupn is justified then why not the power of people of Nandigram? Instead also the fight of Nandigram people is a fight to save their motherland from the clutches of foreign company, who intended to establish an empire on their motherland. All these questions have to be answered by the CPM. Does not the Budhadeb government intent to say that it can cease all the rights of the common people if they demand for their freedom to live?
One recollects the remarks given by an American official, who, a few days ago had declared on BBC about the CPM, a party, which better understand the necessity of development as well as American interest. It is quite clear that, the interests of the CPM government are mingled with the American imperialism, and from where the notion of development shown by the CPM has been formulated. But to understand all these things, the people of Nandigram and Singur do not need the statement of any American official. In fact, they are facing the terror let loose by the government on them. The people of Nandigram are paying the price for disallowing the Indonesian company of Salim group. This is the same Salim group which was nourished and developed under the patronage of American imperialism after the massacre of communists in 1965 in Indonesia. The corrupt Suharto regime helped in its development. Now in India it has found a strong and powerful accomplice in Budhadeb .
If we have a look into the process of the so called development in west Bengal, we find the expansions of the cities were at the expense of common peasants, landless and workers very tactfully shopping malls and multiplexes are being erected. In the view of comrade Buddha, this is development. But the dream of development which they show is nothing but hoodwinking the people. They say that they are transforming the state’s economy from agrarian to industrial state. They are of the opinion that this very process leads to development. But the process of development is a natural one where agriculture plays dominating role in the economy. Later it shifts towards the industry and service sector in a systematic way. But to view it in such a mechanical way, is nothing except hoodwinking in the name of development. The essence of this notion is that, firstly, there is development in the agricultural sector and it reaches a level where the ratio of output falls comparatively to the input that is the cost of the investment supercedes the production as well as it involves surplus labour. This development in agriculture not only creates capital for the industry, but also creates the demand of industrial produce. The industry absorbs the surplus labour of the agriculture. This natural process of development leads it to the next stage.
But, we should not forget, that, these are the examples of a certain stage, when the stage of monopoly capitalism had not emerged. In the age of 20th century the development of imperialism had created such a situation where production increases without increase in employment. In this way despite industrial development there is no specific change in labour engaged in agriculture. So it is not necessary, that, the influence of industry upon the economy is an indication of real development of the economy. If we look into the Buddhadeb model, it does not even satisfy that model of growth. Rather it has been adopted in accordance with the interests of imperialism, in which the industry is erected after the strangulation of agriculture with foreign capital, while there is neither any change in the labour involved in agriculture nor it helps in raising the level of basic condition of that area. But on the other hand, it fulfills the coffers of the imperialists after ruining the poor peasants. We can see the process of development in the entire country, where there is no change in the labour engaged in agriculture despite the progress in the industry and service sector, but, it has created a jobless growth. Besides, it deepens the agricultural crises. So, today the unbridled development of industry means to ruin the peasantry. The peasants of Nandigram are struggling to save themselves of such destruct ire. The atrocity and oppression in Nandigram reveals that, this government has crossed all limits to go against the people. Mahashweta Devi says. “This is the face of CPM” Its real character. During last 30 years the CPM has prepared a base of upper class, which is progressive in theory, but, in reality its class interests have been tied with the imperialists and big capitalists. So to save its class interests it can cross all the limits. Moreover, west Bengal has been an ugliest workshop or laboratory of the most powerful faction of the parliamentary leftism. A few years ago the CPM goons had confined a full squad of Maoists in house in Garbeta and burnt all of them alive. Not only the Maoists, but the CPM wields strong armed repression against its political opponent also. The Maoists are given top priority in its agenda, as they resist the armed attacks of the C.P.M.
Now in Nandigram the ugly face of the C.P.M. has been exposed. Though, Buddhadeb is saying, that, he did whatever was directed to him by his party, the CPM. It is clearly evident, that, it is not only the problem of Budddha deb, but it is the character of entire party also. A question has started to emerge in a large section of the country, where the parliamentary leftism has reached?
This massacre has shaken the entire country. On Thursday following the event the furious students of Jadavpur University Kolkata have chased away the police force form their campus. Protests and demonstrations were held at many places all over the country. A large number of youths have revealed their anger against the parliamentary leftism and unmasked its ugly face on the Internet.
At last, why should not this question be asked, why a force of 5000 Jawans was deployed in the village? Whether it was expected, that there would be no violence after the deployment of such a large force? In what sort of society we dwell where the state slaughters the people openly, dead bodies are disappeared and it justifies these murders! Whether violence is the monopoly right of the state only and the people (we can say, that, the poor people who are angry against such powerful state power have no right to resist or protest) have no right even to wave a sickle. Whether they can not cry? If the right of the violence lies only with the state, does it not conclude that, if you fight unarmed you will die? Whether all these activities and operations do not justify the logic of armed struggle of the Maoists?
People and only the people create history and Buddhadeb and his party is no exception of the event of the history.
Nandigram has sent two messages to the entire country -
First, to what extent the Indian parliamentary parties can go to serve the interests of the American imperialists, and second, how the people should rise against such unbridled atrocity.
Bengali artist, Arpita Ghosh agrees to it, that, this struggle, is a beacon’s light. She adds that, if we don’t ally with it, we will not survive.