I OFTEN compliment Kerala for not discovering their version of Mamata Banerjee.
The 'Didi' or aapa and also Pishi to Bhaipo Abhishek; Mamata Banerjee has contemporaries in Kerala politics like soft-spoken K V Thomas. Both came to Lok Sabha for the first time in 1984 – 8th Lok Sabha.
Prof Thomas, a committed Congress politician, often shared jokes with us on the intellectual demise of Marxism. But he would also say rightly, this does not entail the end of communism.
Sadly even if it does – West Bengal had produced its illustrious Didi – who will ensure that ‘the communist directive for political action’ as was enunciated by famous Jyoti Basu will continue to orient the political passion of the masses.
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| Bangla role models : Mamata and Jyoti Basu |
Between communists and TMC; West Bengal lived through 49 years - first 34 for the Left.
In 2011, Mamata Banerjee ousted the Leftists ending their 34-year-old monopoly on Bengal politics but with often harmful and yet contagious and menacing influence on Bengali mind. So much was Bengal pushed to an ideological bankruptcy that it did not mind embracing someone called Mamata Banerjee – a product of Congress backyards – as the alternative and perhaps their savior.
Nothing changed on ground. Nothing could have changed. It has turned worse, according to many.
I know of Trinamool Congress law-makers, who by 2015-16 would say privately, “I will win no doubt…that’s my good luck. But that is also the ill-luck of Bengal”.
“…..eitai Bangla-r dur bhagya,” he had said precisely and perhaps did not lament – I suppose.
Therefore the moral of the story is 'triumph' over Communism in 2011 though was Mamata’s ‘Her-story’, it did not mean a paradigm shift of Bengal politics and administration. Like all greatness about Bengalis, Bengal and Maxism under that illustrious Bhadralok Jyoti Basu – who easily threw up adjectives like ‘barbarous’ on BJP – the Trinamool dispensation under Didi also bequeathed a series of conflicts for the people.
Under her, women were advised not to go outdoors in night. Under her, Moharram was more sacred than Durga puja. Her MPs made unacceptable comments on Shiv-ling.
But for votes; there was Jagannath Dham. The indifference to ‘religious doctrines’ during the Left regime especially on oriental and Hindu values evaporated the faith and fear of value system.
This opened room for goondaism in gully politics, Puja pandals and in rural Bengal.
It also heralded appeasement of a community calling themselves ‘minority’ and yet their struggle towards a better life never found emancipation in the administrative rule book of Jyotism and later under Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Under Mamata, Muslims were just tools to garner votes.
Moreover; there was innate parochialism. Frogs in the pond.
This meant only Bengalis could criticise Bengal. L K Advani as India’s Home Minister could not make any comment on Kolkata traffic.
Khushwant Singh also was gheraoed – after he made some remarks on Rabindranath Tagore’s skills on writing fictions.
In other words, Bengal and Bengalis developed problems for themselves. Came in BJP - the rise of right wing pro-Hindutva politics has taken many in surprise. Now what happens to the people and their state after May 4-5 when votes will be counted is anyone's guess.
Arvind Kejriwal's anarchy
The Left and the Ultra Left have had a good student in Arvind Kejriwal. He came up the ladder of anti-corruption crusade wherein Anna Hazara's image and agitation in 2011 was used, exploited, dusted and then forgotten. Like the Leftist leaders who would use Shantiniketan bags or Mamata her bathroom sipper; Kejriwal had his muffler and trademark 'half shirt'.
The reality is Sheesh Mahal.
On April 27, 2026 - Kejriwal is using another anarchist model but giving it a facade of Gandhian Satyagraha. He says he will not appear before the Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. The legal system, the legal fraternity and Indian sickularism should not entertain this kind of 'protest'.
The AAP leadership has lost face after the split in its Rajya Sabha wing. The judge declined to bow out of the hearings. Hence, this drama from a man -- who took pride in saying "mein anarchist hoon'.
Now, he says -- "My hope of getting justice from Justice Swarana Kanta is shattered. Therefore, I have decided to follow Gandhiji's Satyagraha. I have made a decision based on the voice of my conscience. I will reserve the right to appeal Justice Swarn Kanta's decision in the Supreme Court."
On April 20, the Delhi High Court dismissed Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and others' plea seeking recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the excise policy case.
If Kejriwal's tantrum is entertained, tomorrow every terrorist and Naxal arrested will want a judge of their choice. This ought to be stopped and discouraged forthwith.
He should face the law.
BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva has countered former chief minister. He says,
"Arvind Kejriwal is invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s name, and I want to ask him, did Gandhi ever advocate promoting liquor, acting as a middleman in the liquor trade, or earning commissions through liquor shops?
Why is he taking Gandhi’s name? The values Gandhi upheld are opposite to what Arvind Kejriwal is doing...".
The influence of ultra-left anarchy is always far more dangerous than on the face value.
It is characterized by a violent rejection of all hierarchical structures, authority, and the state, aiming to immediately dismantle capitalism and social hierarchies.
The Left-wing anarchism has historically been linked to political violence, bombings, and assassination attempts.
ends
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