The communism all over the world is characterized by a sickle and a hammer against a blood red background characterizing that the sect works for the common people – the farmers (sickle) and the laborers (hammer). Hence, communism emphasizes a classless society in which the government controls the means of production, and creates a system of common ownership. Under communism, everything is publicly owned, including property and wealth. This was created to strengthen the working and the poor, which communist government calls the Proletarians. Redistribution of income therefore eliminates class struggle. Some of the self-declared communist governments are China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and North Korea.
Communism made its gateway to India through the formation of Communist Party of India in Tashkent, Turkestan on October 17th, 1920. The CPI (Marxist) was formed in 1964 due to a split from the CPI and henceforth CPI (M) proved to be the flag bearer for communism in India through its strong presence in West Bengal. The CPI (M) came to power in West Bengal in 1977 with the fall of Indian National Congress. Mr.Jyoti Basu assumed the lead role and had been in chair to serve as the longest reigning Chief Minister till 2000 and was succeeded by his junior colleague Mr.Budhdhadev Bhattacharya from 2000 to 2011. Hence in totality the CPI (M) with the coalition of other Left parties formed the Left Front in India and created their own so called citadel which was impenetrable for 34 years. In India’s history many dynasties have failed to surpass 34years of existence but the Red Bastion of the Left Front in India controlled West Bengal democratically for 34 years at a stretch and brought about diversification of the state in its tenure though it is debatable. The CPI (M) and other Left Parties reached its peak by supporting the 14th Government of India (2004 – 2009) from outside and thus helped the Governance of India reach stability when the people of India were plagued by inflation, corruption and other internal and external instabilities; here CPI (M) emerged to be the 2nd largest Party to be in the Lok Sabha.
The formation of the Left Front Government in West Bengal was a culmination of decades of struggles by various sections of the people — workers, peasants, teachers, refugees and students — under the leadership of the Left, and its biggest component the CPI (M). Faced with the rising tide of struggles and the growing influence of the CPI (M) and the Left, the Congress government, which was formed after it blatantly rigged the elections in 1972, resorted to a reign of semi-fascist terror in West Bengal. The CPI (M) and the mass organizations faced the brunt of this repression. 1,100 Party workers and close sympathizers were killed. The major responsibility of the Left Front while assuming office in 1977 in West Bengal was to provide pro-people policies though the majority of the funds was vested in the hands of the Central Union Government.
The major initiatives of the Left Front government were to carry out thoroughgoing land reforms and establishing a vibrant Panchayati Raj. These historic initiatives broke the back of landlordism in the rural areas and immensely empowered the poor peasantry and agricultural workers. Large sections of the rural poor, especially the dalits, adivasis and minorities, gravitated towards the Left and the CPI (M). This section continues to be the most stable mass base of the CPI (M) and the Left Front till date. Several other pro-people initiatives were also undertaken regarding workers’ rights and social sector development, which benefited different sections of the people: factory workers, unorganized workers, government employees, school and college teachers, students, youth, women and the refugees. Through their experience, the majority of the people of West Bengal came to recognize the Left Front government as a pro-people government, a custodian of their rights and a fighter for their cause.
The downfall on the Left Front in West Bengal came with the initiation of the Singur land for TATA Motors, where about fifty farmers’ land were taken with out there consent and it attracted the wrath of the local people along with the opposition of many political leaders, with Mamata Banerjee being the torch bearer of the agitation of the people. The land acquired for the TATA Motors plant was supposedly for the much hyped small car – “Nano”. This was the phase when Bengal was shedding its image as a non pro industrialist state to a pro industrialist state by acquiring land for the industrialists and luring many industries including Chemical plants by helping the industrialists to acquire the lands. The lands that were mainly targeted were single crop lands, the barren lands could not be used for industries as because it was not conducive for many reasons such as no proper approach, no near by railway track, no rivers near by,etc. The face of Bengal was changing and at a fast pace, the government was on a hostile acquisition of land. Though Singur land was acquired for the “Nano” plant and though there were reservations from a handful of farmers still it was being handled amicably but the political situation in Bengal went out the Government’s hand when land acquisition was at its very initial steps for the chemical hub at Nandigram. The people were determined not to give their lands to the government for the chemical hub of Salim Group of Indonesia, they were also backed by the opposition party of Bengal with Mamata Banerjee at helm giving full support to the ajitation.
The dreaded day of March 14th, 2007 was a day scripted in blood on the Bengal Government when the administration was directed to break the resistance at Nandigram and a massive operation with atleast 3000 policemen confronted a crowd of 2000 with women and children in the fore front, and in the police firing atleast 14people were killed. The reparations went out of proportion for even the 30 year old Left Front to have comprehended. This massacre was termed barbaric by all, the Bengal Governor openly criticized the Government’s act, the leading opposition leader Mamata Banerjee, went into fast and the agitation also spread to Singur and the subdued actions of Singur also took its shape and people all over Bengal stared opposing the TATA products, criticized the government’s immature actions. From henceforth the opposition looked that this was the only opportunity to dethrone the Left Front from the political helm and somehow Nandigram and Singur became the two most sought after places for the politicians, the violence never seemed to recede here and neither did the opposition allow the violence to recede, they were tightening the noose of the reigns around the Left Front’s neck for any small incident that happened or made to happen and kept these two places ever sensationalized. These two places were a regular sight on every days’ newspaper and the TV news channels. Somehow within a short time it was seen that even celebrities like movie stars, novelists, singers, and other prominent figures were making regular trips to these two places which otherwise they might not have ever heard of. Hence the incidents at Singur and Nandigram with its regular repercussions left the Bengal Government helpless and these two small localities became the most sought after spots on political grounds and it took international proportions, with the news about the massacre and the Government’s attitude to the farmers hitting world news and being shunned worldwide.
The Left Front began to lose ground soon, it was reflected in the recently held 2008 Panchayat Elections where the Red Bastion showed sights of turmoil for the first ever time as the elections were swept by the opposition –Trinamul Congress. There were even problems with the Naxalites springing up, this was mainly due to the Left Front’s attitude when it handled the Singur and Nandigram incidents. The 2009 Union elections were the preface to the story which was going to unfold in the West Bengal Assembly elections in 2011; the CPI (M) which helped the Union Government stay afloat in the 2004 Union elections emerging as the 2nd largest party in the Parliament, kissed the dust like never before in 2009 Union elections. Finally, the Red Bastion did fall with the Left Front standing only as spectators on their very own funeral. The 2011West Bengal Assembly elections were swept away by TMC, the people of Bengal had the image that they were not going to vote for the Left Front, hence it was mainly the negative voting which forced the downfall of the 34 years’ dynasty of the Left Front.
Thanx for bearing the brunt of reading this :-D
