Singur To Rajbhaban: The War Cry Of Rural Bengal
Srijan Bhattacharyya
November has come. The dreamy November. Right from the Petrograd days, November has always fetched fond memories for him whose ardent love for the red flag never seems to die down, even in such uneasy times. November 2018 is no exception. “This flag is like home to me, what else can I possibly cling to in times of distress?” says Sushil Das, a small peasant and AIKS activist from Howrah, while chanting “Inquilab Zindabad” slogans on the way from Singur to Kolkata, participating in arguably one of the greatest of marches organised in recent times under the red flag.
Singur to Kolkata, a route that shows only 52 kms in map, but anyone who keeps track of Bengal politics will tell you that it is a longer road – one that led Mamata Banerjee to the helms of power after decades of destructive attempts. The story of 400 acres is a much discussed and debated one, lets not get into that. But what one must go through is, eleven years since the ‘legendary'(!) farmers’ movement that is now taught in eighth standard textbooks, what is Singur going through? Is it really convinced of the claim that no industrialisation is needed for a more prosperous society? Forget industries, is the peasantry of Bengal, at all happy and content under the rule of their self-declared Messiah, Mamata Banerjee? It is high time we answered these, and this, precisely was what the march was all about.
The reality is grim. In the last seven years of TMC-rule, no significant industry has grown in Bengal. Moreover, government jobs have become a rarity, characterised by intense corruption at all levels. Consequently, lack of job opportunities for the youth have increased manifold. Acute unemployment had been one of the most burning issues in Bengal for the last few years. Naturally, to establish industries and ensure employment in lands acquired for industrialisation was one of the prime demands of the long march. But not only jobs, it had a charter of strong demands voiced by the peasantry and agricultural workers – the rural poor whom Mamata Banerjee lied to about the so-called silver lining called ‘Paribartan’ (change). They demanded implementation of Swaminathan Committee recommendations regarding selling crops at prices one and a half times of production cost to the government. Their demands included concession of all agricultural debts, along with jobs for 200 days every year at wages worth Rs.350 per day under MNREGA schemes. They wanted pensions worth Rs.6000 for every poor citizen above the age of sixty. Their demands, one cannot say, were unrealistic.
Probably that is why, in spite of the unprecedented terror that Bengal is experiencing in Mamata rule, and in times of competitive communal polarisation encouraged by both TMC and BJP, still, thousands rally with great enthusiasm under the banner of AIKS and AIAWU. They know their class companions. They know, no matter how much you try to pull down the Red flag, it will eventually rise, not on mere force, but on sheer conviction – the conviction that resonates a sense of indignation, every time the ruling classes bring down some form of exploitation on the toiling lot. One can surely dream about such rosy times, but in reality, it will therefore not be easy to wipe out the Reds from Bengal, as long as there is injustice rendered to the masses. Their relevance, is everlasting. Ramkrishna Roychowdhury, a 55-yr old peasant from Pandua, Hooghly echos the same spirit when he says, “Tell me, who else is fighting for the poor?? One of the parties projected in the media is fighting for Sarada-Narada dacoits, another is fighting for Ram Mandir. In spite of all terror, it is still the Left that is consistently raising the demands of peasants and workers! Why should we side with some other force??” There, you know, where the true strength of November lies.
They halted in houses of fellow comrades during the two-day long march. Roti and sabji was prepared affectionately for them by unknown comrades. Our kisans and khet mazdoors, participating in the long march, now have an extended family they will never forget. This long march has provided them with the much-needed oxygen that rural Bengal was looking forward to. “Go back to the booth, go back to mohallas and localities, and establish barricades there!” Reminds SurjyaKanta Mishra, the CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary and veteran leader of the peasant movements. As a tsunami of red rallies flood Dharmatala, Surjya da, as he is fondly known among his comrades, says he cannot remember the last time he saw such a huge gathering in Rani Rashmoni Road. The spirit of struggle is reflected in the confident speeches of other leaders too. Enough is enough, they roar.
As the sun sets, the crowd slowly begins to disperse. The kisans head back to their villages. The determined faces tell you, it might be a long-drawn battle, but they are ready to fight it out. The long march from Singur to Rajbhaban, represents the war cry of rural Bengal – as they reassure their faith in the Red flag.
Srijan Bhattacharya is SFI’s State Secretary at West Bengal. He is based in Kolkata.
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