New Delhi: The students of Hindu philosophy take a fancy for the doctrine of Karma. Sanjay Gandhi met an air crash. Such things happen to many others. Lalu Prasad lost Bihar assembly elections in 2005.
For Indira Gandhi's Emergency, it was the anguish of the electorate. Is the story being repeated now in West Bengal?
There was nothing wrong in being 'secular' and even emulating the communists and becoming more Left than the Leftists. The fault line lay in her doing of 'excessive minority appeasement'.
Mamata Banerjee also presumed that as communists ruled for 34 years, it was her turn for next three decades. There would be no alternative once the Left was pushed into the margins. She had swallowed Congress already.
Excess of everything is not good. In her arrogance of power and over confidence, she brought in her nephew in the power structure and made him 'more powerful' than the party!
The Combination of 'grievances' of faceless Hindu voters as the Mamata regime obstructed Durga idol immersion vis-a-vis Muharram procession and objections for words like Krishnakali (a flower) and Ramdhanu (for rainbow) and desertion of Trinamool leaders created ground for BJP's growth. And as Left parties were cornered, the anti-Didi voters turned to the BJP fold.
She is further complicating things for herself. What will it take to stop the downfall? Mamata has targeted 'outsiders' called BJP leaders and workers from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. She says even CRPF are to be blamed, and that she could be even 'murdered' ! This is not just the victim card!
The Trinamool leaders must realise that as the panic had gripped the party, still there is need to analyse how costly all these politicking could be?
And the voters in Bengal, the decades of easy money for some sections like 'unemployment stipend' and freebies have spoiled them. This malady is seen in Tamil Nadu and also in Delhi.
People have learnt to consume 'more' (free items) than they can afford. The helpless state government(s) - in Bengal or otherwise - make up these loses by borrowing. Even middle class has developed a liking for freebies and special concessions. West Bengal's state coffers were in dire strait in 2011 and Mamata Banerjee was demanding moratorium. Yet, no lesson was learnt.
Into another plane, New Delhi's muffler man gave women free bus ride and Metro travel ! Today's gain will definitely turn into pains in the long run. The sooner this plain economy is understood, it is better.
The economy has suffered in the past and is facing challenging times even now, with or without Covid19. To repeat an oft repeated statement, if there is a lesson everyone needs to learn is that there cannot be any free lunch. Welfarism is at the heart of every democratic polity, but the culture of 'concessions' must be discouraged. I say this in all my humility for media personnel also.
Today's economy makes one thing clear, if you need a service, be ready to pay for it. Cockroaches in Rajdhani train compartment or dirty toilet is any day a bad thing, not matter what is the concession percentage! Mamata as a populist believed in politics of freebies.
Thus even if she had spoken about 'debt trap' left by the communists in 2011 and she sought nearly Rs 40,000 crore, to be disbursed by the Centre mostly in the form of funding over two years, there have been reports of her putting pressure on her Finance Minister Amit Mitra to release funds. Comparatively, even Leftist FM Asim Dasgupta was better in managing things and would veto government spending at times.
Here is a concrete example, in 2011 after coming to power, to meet the widening revenue gap, the Mamata government borrowed approximately Rs 10,000 crore from the market, nearly half of which were spent within 60 days. Practically, her FM Mitra was with a narrow borrowing limit of Rs 7,000 crore for the rest of 2011-12.
Things hardly changed at the later stage. Now if she returns to power, there will be more pressure because of her tall election promises mostly revolving around the good old theory of 'freebies'. If she does not, the new incoming regime will have to deal with the 'near-collapse' of the state's financial system.
People of West Bengal could win the crucial battle against fear and show doors to the Trinamool regime, but they should be also prepared to face the 'wake-up' call.
Who knows - economically things could turn more challenging than it is now? We could well get into a time frame when it could be difficult to do what is manifestly obvious.
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| Glass can be half full, half empty |
EC serves notice to Mamata for attack on central forces
New Delhi: The Election Commission has pulled up Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, for what it said were her "false, provocative statements" that "vilify" the central forces and causing extreme demoralisation among the ranks and files of the forces.
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| Blogger and central forces |
"Far more discouraging is the fact that Ms Banerjee has been trying to make an emotional pitch for the women voters to go to the extent of inciting them to attack the personnel of central police forces".
The EC said it is "prima facie" convinced that her statements are in violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as sections 186, 189 and 505 of Indian Penal Code, 1860".The Commission therefore gave her an "opportunity" asking the Chief Minister to explain her stance by 11 am Saturday, April10. The fourth phase of polling would also take on Saturday.
The three-page letter from the Commission refers to Mamata Banerjee's remarks on March 28 when she said, "Who gave so much power to them that the central police are threatening the women without allowing them to cast their votes? I saw the same thing in 2019. I saw the same thing in 2016."
In fact, her such statements have been repeated in other poll rallies. This is the second EC notice issued to Mamata. The first one had referred to her 'appeal' to Muslim votersto stay united so that the minority vote is not split and she can muster 200 seats in the on-going assembly elections.
The BJP has termed her rhetoric as clear signs of frustration as the ground underneath seemed to have slipped in a big way. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda have been stating that the three phases of polling including at Nandigram have unnerved Mamata Banerjee from the fear of of losing the polls.
Mr Shah has claimed that his party would win at least 63 seats in the three phases of polling.
Former Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy tweeted: "Faced with imminent defeat,losing all sense, Mamata in her deranged rantings has abused and mimicked Modiji,has bad mouthed the Governor of the State,the Home Minister of India,the Election Commission,Central Forces,even her own police!
Now only President of India is left!".
Addressing a poll rally on Thursday, Ms Banerjee had said the Election Commission may serve her ten notices, but that would not change her stance. She also sought to know why no complaint was registered against Prime Minister Modi.
ends
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