What the (so called) Civil Society means to a commoner in WB ?

Question

Lighting candles on Park Street, marching for a rally to distrupt an "International Film Festival" where invited guests from the globle are present, marching on the streets of Calcutta (the High Court even banned rallies on the streets.. amazing) to protest against "villagers coming back " to their homes in Nandigram after eleven long months .. these drew huge curiocity in the minds of commers in WB. Propagators of these are 'elite' people living in the comfort of a city and its amenities, well in reach of the BIG print-tele-media-houses !! What this so called civil society means to the less prevelaged masses, the ever toiling peasants, the factory workers, the small-tea-vegetable vendors, the wo/men on the streets and the deprived ? Is it a camouflage to divert issues from deprivation and daily sufferins of the common man in WB when they have a people friendly-development-oriented Govt. handy for them ? Whose iterests are they surving, the poor or the prevelaged classes..???

Answer 1

WB was once a flourishing State in India, that is until some 50-55 years back. Then came the partition and migratory inflow enmass from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in lacs, which was a fatal blow to the once prosperous State. People of Bengal are generally educated (even in poverty the parents prefer to send their wards to schools unless they are in a hopeless situation), well-mannered, cultured, and filled with other ingredients that differentiate societies into civil or otherwise. For this, historical background is responsible. Since the imperialist forces saw in natives of Bengal, a sense of decency and loyalty, they chose Bengal as their Centrestage and brought education and development works to this region in order to further their agenda and partly suceeded in that. But they forgot that the Bengalis are self-respectful too, which inflamed the passion for freedom and more and more people from the region joined the national movements, one of which was initiated by Netaji.

Against this historical truth, one should analyse the present situation. It is not a question of any party-politics. The self-righteous people of Bengal are broad-minded enough to shed all differences and join hand as one to protest any evil or injustice.

Nandigram, or for that matter Singur are just a tip of the iceberg. WB leaders, from all informed sources appears to have been losing contact with the grass-root people who were once their source of strength and sustenance. Opposition leaders, who otherwise do not have any sound governing policy or strategy or credibility to rule the State at least briefly for even 5 years, are taking advantage of the communication-gap thus generated.

The ruling party under the able leadership of the present Chief Minister B. Bhattacharya, should take to task, their each and every leader, and see to it that in their personal life they do not fall to the lucre of cheap monetary gain. They must make whole hearted effort to boost the sagging image of the party in the rural areas by taking into their fold some professionally-educated, honest, hardworking, integrated in convinctions and ideology of socialism through human development; and allowing for greater freedom of expression and not fearing any criticism of their way of working from any quarter whatsoever.  Because every criticism brings an opportunity to refine and reform, and give better performance in future. Every good work brings with it the cynicism, suspicion and opposition. Only brave can sustain it against all odds. In a democratic set-up one has to digest the bitter pills of criticism, even if they are unwarranted or unreasonable.

I hope the present phase is temporary, and when the true colours of the oppositions and the media propoganda comes out, the people would give them a befitting reply.

Answer 2

I do not know about the (so called)Civil Society

or what it means to the commoner in WB.But

what I know about the people friendly,develop-ment oriented government is that the handling of the Nandigram issue leaves much to be

desired.The government is turning a Nelson's

eye on the terror and mayhem unleashed by the goons allegedly belonging to the CPI-M cadre.And this is supposed to be the government  that works for the welfare of the poor.Ironic,indeed.The political party running the government wants to block a debate on the

Nandigram affair both in the Parliament and the Rajya Sabha,whereas this same gang insisted on a debate on the Godhra issue.One rule for the rest of the country and another rule for the CPI-M.This party along with its allies is holding

the country to ransom with its recalcitrant attitude on the Nuclear Deal.It would appear

that they are repressing the oppressed class and regressing the country's glorious march into the next millennium.When the world has given up the ideals and ideas of Lenin and Mao

these guys are clinging to them and are loath to

let go.I wonder what sort of lifestyle the leaders of the Left parties enjoy.I am sure it will be a revelation to the commoner.