Author: Editorial
Publication: The Statesman
Date: September 30, 2001
What is militant trade unionism,
asks Jyoti Basu, I don't understand! We understand your purpose very well,
Mr former chief minister. You did the same thing at a meeting of bus and
minibus drivers and conductors convened by your protégé,
Subhas Chakraborty, which provoked our editorial - Dreams and Nightmares!
- on 12 September 2001. You repeat it at a meeting of Hindustan Steel Employees'
Union, just in case the simple-minded Buddhadev Bhattacharyya will not
understand to what lengths you are prepared to go to keep the limelight
focussed on you and at the same time to sabotage the efforts the chief
minister is making to improve the industrial climate in Kolkata. If in
the process you can keep the focus away from your wayward son Chandan,
so much the better. To give you the benefit of the doubt and accepting
that age may have dulled your memory the worst example of militant trade
unionism is what Subodh Banerjee advocated as Labour Minister in the ministry
presided over by the hapless Bangla Congress leader, Ajoy Mukherjee but
in which you called all the shots as Deputy Chief Minister. In a word Mr
Basu, it is the worst form of irresponsible behaviour, in the proportions
of a Greek tragedy of which the Greeks would be ashamed. Subodh Banerjee
with you egging him on drove industry and commerce from Kolkata and Bengal;
now because you were pushed off your perch as chief minister, by decision
of your own party, you are prepared to wreak vengeance. You want around
you men like Subhas Chakraborty and NN Gooptu and your son's great pals
the Todi father and son and your position seems to be that if you cannot
be top dog, no one else can be. It is a thousand pities that someone who
has been at the helm of affairs these past twenty-four years should be
so petty and mean. Fear of what might happen to Chandan if Noru Gooptu
is no longer Advocate-General and Subhas is not there to call out his stormtroopers
is writ large in all your moves, as usual they are premeditated and ruthless.
In calling for a new work culture
and telling workers that they must work for the salary they get Buddhadev
is making all the right noises. Those who run may see that he is supported
by the party as a whole - Alimuddin Street with Anil Biswas and Biman Bose
and others behind him. It is beyond understanding why they should be so
frightened of Jyoti Basu. Buddhadev should think things through. Supposing
he stands up to Basu and insists that NN Gooptu be replaced, that Subhas
be brought to account, what are they afraid of? Do they think that Jyoti
Basu will split the party and risk the certain defeat of the CPI-M led
Front in the process? There are two possible scenarios. One, the improbable.
Fresh elections are forced upon the state, in which case no one knows what
will happen. Buddha has said, and it does him credit that he is not averse
to sitting on the Opposition benches. Call Jyoti Basu's bluff, chief minister!
Basu has more to lose than anyone else in West Bengal politics. The skeletons
tumbling out of the cupboard will hurt him more than anyone else and he
is not going to risk it. Basu is cunning and cold but he is not a fool,
he will not risk it. The other option is much more plausible. Stand up
to him on any issue that he holds dear to himself, for his own selfish
ends - changing the Advocate-General, taking action against Subhas for
proven misdemeanours, not a dog will bark. Take the first step the others
will be easier.
The present situation is a war of
attrition that you cannot win, chief minister. It will become increasingly
apparent - by your own hesitation - that Basu's writ still runs. Disillusionment
will set in and then no one, certainly not Jyoti Basu can help you. Anybody
working for Mamata Banerjee would not dare hope for so much so soon.
The warning is plain. Inaction will
gel into paralysis. Then the disillusionment. And Basu's vengeance will
be complete. Bengal has the best government today in the circumstances.
If it does not function, prepare for chaos.
