The Party Problem

Bengal has a party problem. What do we mean? Read on....

Socialist wave swept India during Independence. Examples of a just society flamed imaginations. India is the only country in the world where we have democratically elected Communist governments. Of the two states where Communist ideology is strongly rooted - Kerala and Bengal - Bengal hold sway due to the size of the state and 34 years of unbroken rule.

 

But communism is based on a concept of monopoly politics rather than free thoughts. Therefore, though democratically elected  they had to maintain power through systematic destruction of the state and people till both are completely dependant on the common party. Decent was ruthlessly crushed, trade unions became militant and society lawless. Only fear can rule for ever.

 

It took all but 34 years of deplete the wealth of the state in more ways than one. On its knees and no where to go the people sought change. TMC rode the waves of change. It came to power. But what changed. Nothing! Monopoly is the only way people have learned to function.

 

So, once again, TMC set about repeating history. Why reinvent the wheel, after all? Old wisdom is better than new ideas. The old way of working is tried and tested and made essentially fail proof. But was there really ever a TMC? May be a few thinkers who believed in higher purpose and better way of working. But who are the majority of the workers and party members. They are all ex-CPI-M party members and politicians riding the bandwagon of TMC in hope of monetary and political rewards.

 

The people didn't change, the ideology didn't change, just the nametags changed. Bengal is not longer a hotbed of political thinking. There is no longer fiery discourses on issues. It is just a collection of migrant people moving from party to party in the hope of rewards.

 

Post the Lok Sabha elections and with the BJP coming to power with an overwhelming majority, the same history is repeating itself. The migration is now from TMC and CPI-M to the BJP.  What is the change? Has culture of violent politics have a change of heart? Has a better work culture set in? No!

 

After all is said and done, CPI-M may never come back to power, but their legacy of monopoly politics is here to stay for generations.

Mamata and Muslims

Muslim appeasement is a way of life in West Bengal more than just a political gimmick.

 

Pre Mamata Legacy:

The CPI-M government spend increasing on madrasa education and scholarships, allowances and hostel facilities for Muslim students. Most spectacularly, it raised the allocation to the state’s Minorities Development and Financial Corporation to INR 425 crore, up from INR 7 crore in 1998. That amounts to an increase of nearly 6,000 percent over a 12 year period.

 

Mamata Legacy:

 

 

 

Not to be out done by the previous government, Mamata promised sops galore. While she was Railway Minister from 2009 to 2011, Banerjee used the resources of that ministry to cater to the West Bengal electorate, and to Muslim aspirations in particular. Thus, over a seven months period in 2010 she inaugurated or laid foundation stones for no less than 120 railway projects in West Bengal, many of them in areas with a significant Muslim population.

 

Moreover, in 2012 her government would provide loans and stipends to 75,000 Muslim students, up from 52,000 in 2011. In all, the monetary support to the minorities department in the state budget had been increased by 76 percent in just one fiscal year. 

 

This is of course not the end, 760 Muslim girls were given bicycles for travelling to school and back. This was termed as "women empowerment"!  

 

She sanctioned 10000 madrasas in West Bengal, establishment of Aligarh Muslim University in WB and three Haj Towers in a row.  

 

She increased the number of scholarships given to Muslim students from 4 lakh students per year to 17 lakhs in 2011-12 to 22 lakhs the next year.

 

She has also declared forthcoming establishments of  56 Muslim marketing hubs, where 56000 Muslims will get employments in coming days.

   

Mamata Banerjee  topped the other appeasements by declaring Rs. 2500 per month as Imam Honorarium and Rs. 1000 for Muazzins with other facilities.

 

Though Mamata Banerjee is habituated beating her own drum of success, most of the fund has come to West Bengal from Central Govt., through  the multi-sectoral development project (MSDP) for poor Muslim women, launched under the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for minorities, which followed the Sachar report on so called Muslims’ plight.

 

As per the report available from Union minority affairs ministry, it is said that the state had received Rs 800 crore towards the scheme last year (20111-12) but will receive Rs 1,100 crore this year (2012-13).

 

She has described her government’s decision to bring the minorities under the ambit of reservation by including them in the list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) as a major achievement. For fulfilling her desire Mamata Banerjee’s  Govt has also included Sheikh/Shaik (Sk.) Muslim community in the State OBC list and declared the matter publicly.

 

Of the 144 different categories who will benefit from the 17 per cent OBC reservation, 87 categories (59 in class A and 28 in class B) are Muslim minority.

 

She also lists the achievement of her government in  the declaration of second language status to Urdu in areas where the Urdu-speaking population is more than 10 per cent as a major victory.  

 

Finally, Durga Puja is followed by Id-ul-Zuha and she allows  the illegal slaughter of cows around Durga Puja pandals.

 

As election are always around the corners in Bengal, wonder where the tall order of appeasement ends?

Basic Social Media Training

Social media is a way of life rather than a lifestyle. Many of our elders are not part of the social media highway. In order to address this challenge, we are holding Basic Social Media Training sessions through September'14.

 

Every Sunday at Gariahat main crossing the training session will be organized at a nominal cost. This is a great way to learn the basic of computers and the use of social media to become part of a better and constantly connected world.

 

 

For more details please contact :

Twitter contact: @Bunibroto, @ravi_saraogi

Mobile: +91 - 9088 624 624

 

Come join us in the social media revolution!!!

 

The Muslim Shift

Muslims in West Bengal are waking up. They have been expressing their anger and resentment towards Mamata Banerjee and TMC from the time of the Lok Sabha elections and the march has continued.  

 

Watch this news clip from NewsX on the anger of Muslims towards Mamata Banerjee and pre poll endorsements by Muslim leaders.

 



 



All is not well in Mamta-Muslim land. Politics of "sops" are coming home to roost!

Picture of the Day : Muslim March

Source : Unknown

 Change is the only constant after all...

Rape - what is that?

With the Tapas Pal case hanging over us, it is with a heavy heart that we publish this blog. It is crucial to remember how horrific rape actually is. This blog is dedicated to Nirbhaya (the brave one), to all women who have had to faced similar ordeals and women who face the threat of this ordeal.

 

"If you can't prevent rape, enjoy it", said Ranjit Sinha, head of Central Bureau of Investigation.

 

This is an account of Nirbhaya's ordeal:

 

The victims, a 23-year-old woman and her friend, were returning home on the night of 16 December 2012 after watching the film Life of Pi in Saket, South Delhi. They boarded an off-duty charter bus at Munirka for Dwarka that was being driven by joyriders at about 9:30 pm (IST). There were only six others on the bus, including the driver. One of the men, a minor, had called for passengers telling them that the bus was going towards their destination. The woman's friend became suspicious when the bus deviated from its normal route and its doors were shut. When he objected, the group of six men already on board, including the driver, taunted the couple, asking what they were doing alone at such a late hour.

 

When the woman's friend tried to intervene, he was beaten, gagged and knocked unconscious with an iron rod. The men then dragged the woman to the rear of the bus, beating her with the rod and raping her while the bus driver continued to drive. Medical reports later said that the woman suffered serious injuries to her abdomen, intestines and genitals due to the assault, and doctors said that the damage indicated that a blunt object (suspected to be the iron rod) may have been used for penetration. That rod was later described by police as being a rusted, L-shaped implement of the type used as a wheel jack handle.

 

According to police reports the woman attempted to fight off her assailants, biting three of the attackers and leaving bite marks on the accused men. After the beatings and rape ended, the attackers threw both victims from the moving bus. Then the bus driver allegedly tried to drive the bus over the woman, but she was pulled aside by her male friend. One of the perpetrators later cleaned the vehicle to remove evidence. Police impounded it the next day.

 

The partially clothed victims were found on the road by a passer-by at around 11 pm (IST). The passer-by phoned the Delhi Police, who took the couple to Safdarjung Hospital, where the female victim was given emergency treatment and placed on mechanical ventilation. She was found with injury marks, including numerous bite marks, all over her body. According to reports, one of the accused men admitted to having seen a rope-like object, assumed to be her intestines, being pulled out of the woman by the other assailants on the bus. Two blood-stained metal rods were retrieved from the bus and medical staff confirmed that "it was penetration by this that caused massive damage to her genitals, uterus and intestines".

 

Source: Wikipedia

Where are the jobs, Ma'm Chief Minister?

With almost 99 companies shutting down, the TMC claims that the GSDP in 2012-13 was 7.6% and Amit Mitra is aiming for a growth of 10% in the current year.

 

The picture of course not as promising as it sounds. Here is some data from the Planning commission.

 

The data suggests that the growth of industry (as a percentage of GSDP) fell from 6.90% in 2010-11 to 3.71% in 2011-12. In its presentation to the Planning Commission for the Annual Plan of 2013-14, West Bengal has stated that the industry grew by 6.24%, which is an improvement of 2.53 percentage points over the previous year.

 

In agriculture and allied services, West Bengal registered a growth of 2.56% in 2012-13, against a national average of 1.79%, according to the presentation. However, in 2011-12, the growth in the sector was 3.53%. In 2010-11, there was a decline in agriculture and allied services growth rate by 0.75%, after a spurt of 6.93% in 2009-10.

 

In the manufacturing sector too, the highest growth for West Bengal came in the year 2009-10 at 11.83%, followed by 8.86% in 2010-11. In 2011-12, the first year of Trinamool government in power, the growth in the sector fell to 2.18%.

 

In the services sector only, which accounts for nearly 60% of the state’s GSDP, West Bengal’s growth has been consistent. In 2012-13, it grew by 9.48%, against 8.37% in 2011-12, 9.97% in 2010-11 and 7.86% in 2009-10. 

 

With 100 deaths due to starvation in the tea gardens in North Bengal, we wonder...

 

Where is the growth?

 

Where are the jobs, Ma'm Chief Minister?

 

 

And the world stood silent...

"My forehead was covered in cold sweat. Still I told her that I could not believe that human beings could behave this way in our times; the world would certainly never tolerate such crimes...", said the daughter.

"The world? The world is not interested in us. Today, every thing is possible, even crusades of rape and slaughter..." Her voice broke. Her voice echoes in the voice of every mother.

The authorities know and remains silent.

One day a cartoonist in 21st century West Bengal dared to create a caricature of the Chief Minister and he was jailed.

Today a Member of Parliament threatened rape and slaughter to resounding applause! What happens?

Silence.

If we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices.

When men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, sex or political views, that place - at that moment - should become the centre of the universe. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. We must interfere.

When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.

 

Picture of the Day : Secularism

Source: Unknown

 

Any comments Ma'm Chief Minister?

Is TMC burning?

How many of you read a Bengali newspaper called EKDIN? Currently, the Managing Editor of this newspaper is one Ritabrata Bhattacharyya, a former SFI activist, TV anchor, film director and media advisor to Mamata Banerjee. This clone of Kunal Ghosh, appears to have fallen out with the TMC leadership. After its re-launching, office of EKDIN is located in Salt Lake, Sector 5, very close to the place where SAKAL BELA/BENGAL POST ( Saradha Media ) office was located. According to the grapevine, this newspaper is now financed by an important TMC MLA of 24 Paraganas North, who is Mukul Roy's bête noire.

 

This MLA is in touch with very senior BJP leaders in Delhi and we would not be surprised if his contacts in Delhi include Amit Shah! This MLA is all set to launch a pro-BJP Bengali news channel in January,2015 with Ritabrata at its helm of affairs. BJP in West Bengal is also tightening all the loose ends before Union Home Ministry intervenes in West Bengal to restore the rule of law and to preserve the sanctity of the Indian Constitution in West Bengal.

 

Remember, BJP is the only political party so far to demand Central intervention in West Bengal. Meanwhile, Lakshman Sheth sent feelers to BJP but the Central leadership of BJP said "no" to him as the Central leadership of BJP is already in talks with the likes of Subhendu Adhikary, Sisir Adhikary, Humayun Kabir and a few others. Hence, Lakshman Sheth & co. will be left with no choice but to align themselves with Mukul Roy. According to Central BJP sources, Amit Shah is adding fuel to Subhendu Adhikary's political ambition and is committed to projecting Subhendu as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2016.

 

Report also has it that the entire negotiation is being done by TMC MLA Arjun Singh, who had defected from Congress to become TMC MLA. Arjun Singh is on the war path with Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu. TMC has delayed municipal election in the light of increase in BJP vote share. They have passed a law that they will make mahanagarpalikas by joining 3-4 municipalities. TMC insiders feel Mamata is doing that to make Subhrangshu head of one such mahanagarpalikas in 24 Paraganas North. Subhrangshu sees Arjun Singh as his main enemy as the Singhs are in politics for 3 generations and have a huge base in one of the assembly segments of Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency. It is to be noted that in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections TMC won all assembly segments of Barrackpore but lost in Singh's constituency.

Election analysts say BJP could not have won the seat unless Singh directly helped. There was huge violence in Barrackpore before election and BJP worker Manoj Mali was brutally killed by TMC supporters. As usual no police action was initiated after that.

If one analyses election result of 2011 Assembly election, Arjun Singh got 66,938 votes against CPM who came in second with 22,553 votes and BJP, a distant 3rd with 2099 votes. The numbers dramatically changed in 2014 Lok Sabha election in Bhatpara assembly under Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency. From 2099 BJP beat the the TMC candidate Dinesh Trivedi. BJP got 39857 votes while Trivedy got only 37342 votes. CPM numbers were almost same as 2011 Assembly election.

Therefore it can be logically concluded that a BJP lead is only the result of long fights between Subhrangshu and Singh amid huge poll violence. A month back state police blocked Singh's car and misbehaved with Singh.

Arjun Singh's Toyota Fortuner stopped by police
Source: new.my.anadabazar.com 



He has been in the news for quite some time. He retaliated in the media after the incident.

Is he burning the TMC house silently?

One thing is for certain, 2016 election in West Bengal will not be held with Mamata Banerjee in power!

Source: Samvad Cell received the above report from an anonymous citizen reporter.