People's Democracy

THE Left Front government has been in power in West Bengal continuously for 25 years as the sixth successive Left Front government took oath on May 18, 2001. This time it formed the government by a two-third majority, having won 199 out of 294 seats. This was 4 seats less than the last occasion while the combined opposition of Trinamul Congress (TC) and Congress (I) won 86 seats TC 60, Congress (I) 26 seats) which is one more than last time when the Congress(I) had 85 MLAs. The BJP lost the only seat it had. Out of 59 scheduled caste MLAs, 44 belong to the Left Front and the rest to opposition. Out of the 17 scheduled tribe MLAs, 16 belong to the Left Front and one to the opposition. Amongst the 41 Muslim MLAs, 27 belong to the Left Front, 10 to Congress(I), 1 to TC and the rest 3 are independents. Two other small opposition parties have 5 MLAs.

This victory of Left Front is all the more significant because particularly four daily newspapers (2 English and 2 Bengali), instead of basing their criticisms against the Left Front government on facts and truth, have been spreading untruth and slander against it for years together. This time a greater offensive was mounted. The Left Front government with its limited powers, had to face opposition and discrimination from almost all the central governments. But it could surmount many obstacles with the support of the people; and has been implementing its programmes sincerely. We made it clear to the people that in such circumstances we cannot bring about fundamental changes but can give some relief to the people, establish democracy and bring about better governance.

On the eve of the assembly elections in 2001, an organised media propaganda was built up in which a section of the electronic media joined in predicting the downfall of the Left Front government. Day in and day out, calumny and character assassination against the LF government and its functionaries, particularly against the CPI(M), were let loose. Some political parties also resorted to terror tactics in a few areas of the state, which we could not effectively, counter in the beginning for lack of information. The opportunist combination of the TC and Congress (I) tried to mislead people by giving false promises and resorting to slanderous campaign against the Left Front government with the support of a section of the media. They even tried to build up alliances with divisive forces like Kamtapuri and Jharkhand agitations only to get temporary electoral gains. But the conscious people of our state reposed their faith in the Left Front and the successive governments’ successes in implementing their policies.

Various sections of the people including housewives, kisans, middle classes, youth, teachers etc had a bitter experience of the 27 years of Congress rule when we were in the opposition and stood by them in their struggles. They saw the desperate semi-fascist terror from 1972 to 1976 when 1100 of our members and supporters were killed by Congress goons and not a single arrest was made; but we never surrendered to the enemies of the people. They saw how the democratic rights of the people were curtailed during the Congress rule. The assembly elections in 1972 were totally rigged and even the army called out to patrol the streets. The CPI(M) received the people’s support when it announced to boycott the rigged assembly for five years. The people of West Bengal had been facing on undeclared emergency and terror from 1972, and faced the Emergency thereafter from 1975 onwards when all democratic rights including the right to life were obliterated. The people saw how thousands of people were arrested and put behind the bars without trial. But our activities for the people and for restoration of democratic rights continued despite severe constraints. In 1977 with the lifting of the Emergency the people all over India, including West Bengal, gave a befitting reply to the Congress party. In West Bengal, Left Front’s successes continued for which we are thankful to the people. But whilst rejoicing, we are pledged to implement our programme with our limited powers for a better Left Front government drawing lessons from our successes and from our failures also. We impressed upon the people to realise that they were acting not only for West Bengal but for all the democratic and secular people of India whose help we also need for our struggle against reactionary, communal, fundamentalist and anti-people forces, which are making India more and more subservient to particularly American imperialism and blindly accepting all the prescriptions of the World Bank and IMF.

We may briefly state some of the achievements of the Left Front government, which we have achieved by involving the people, in spite of limited powers.

A law for abolition of the zamindari system was enacted by the Congress government. But the party had no guts to implement this law and antagonise the landlord class which is its main support base in the villages. It was, therefore, left to the Left Front government to complete the unfulfilled task. Of course, a beginning was made by the United Front government in 1967-69, at our initiative. We have to date distributed 13 lakh acres of agricultural land vested in the government among the rural poor and landless. Till 1992-93, out of the total 70 lakh acres vested land in the whole country, only 45 lakh acres were re-distributed. But while West Bengal has only 3.5 per cent of the land, it accounted for more than 20 per cent of the distributed land of the country. This radical step benefited more than 20 lakh landless cultivators in West Bengal, of whom 37 per cent belong to the scheduled castes, 10 per cent to the scheduled tribes and a significant percentage to other backward classes.

Another important aspect of land reforms is the recording of the bargadari (sharecroppers) rights to prevent eviction of the bargadars from the lands they cultivate. Between 1947 and 1977 only 3 lakh 50 thousand bargadars could get their names recorded. Under the Left Front government, the figure exceeded 10 lakh 35 thousand, 30 per cent of whom belong to the scheduled castes and 12 per cent to the scheduled tribes. In 1977, only 20 per cent of the land enjoyed the benefit of irrigation. At present 62 per cent of the land has been brought under irrigation system. These steps have given tremendous boost to the agricultural production. Today West Bengal is one of the top states in agricultural production. It ranks first in rice and fish production and in afforestation. Diversification of agricultural production is making rapid strides. Horticulture, cash crops, fruits and agro-based industries are poised for big growth. This will usher in further improvement of rural economy. The daily remuneration of the agricultural labourers has been substantially increased under the Left Front government.

At the time of independence, West Bengal was the number one industrialised state. It gradually slided down. The discriminatory policy of freight equalization robbed West Bengal of its locational advantage of being close to mineral-rich areas. Other states in eastern India also suffered for the same reason. West Bengal was also discriminated against in the name of licence to set up big and medium industries here. Request for setting up of an electronic complex at Salt Lake was rejected by Indira Gandhi on ludicrous grounds. Also, licence for Haldia petro-chemical complex was delayed on one pretext or another.

However, our Left Front government did not lose heart and made vigorous efforts for industrialisation of the state. Small scale industry has recorded massive growth with liberal support from the state government. Through our own efforts, an electronic complex has come up at Salt Lake, which is brimming with activities, employing a good number of young boys and girls. The Rs 5000 crore Haldia petro-chemical has started production and with this a large number of downstream industries are coming up which will generate huge employment.

Meanwhile, with the advent of the new economic policy due to internal and external pressure, freight equalisation and licensing system have been relaxed. In the new scenario, big companies --- indigenous as well as foreign --- are now showing keen interest in setting up industries in the state. Projects worth Rs 19,775.20 crore have already commenced production. Also projects worth Rs 48,000 crore in various sectors of industry are in the process of implementation. We are indeed lagging behind some other states in the information technology sector. But Left Front government has taken initiative in this regard. We are hopeful that in the coming days West Bengal will occupy a leading position in the information technology sector also. In the background of an acute recession in the economy, this growth of investment in the industry is encouraging. West Bengal now ranks fourth among the states in industrial investment.

The state has also recorded splendid success in power generation. From an acutely power-deficit state during the Congress regime, West Bengal is now a power-surplus state. However, with the growing industrialisation, demand for power will also go up. The Left Front government is well aware of the situation and taking necessary steps in this regard and for rapid rural electrification.

The Left Front government is aware that big industries alone cannot provide adequate opportunities for the unemployed youth. Unemployment has become the biggest problem in our country today due to the wrong policies of the central government. While a lasting solution to the problem lies in the reversal of the central government’s policies, the Left Front government is laying emphasis on self-employment projects and self-help groups. The result so far has been encouraging.

The various measures taken by the Left Front government in the agricultural and industrial sector have drastically reduced poverty in the state. The World Bank, which is no admirer of ours, has pointed out in its report Poverty 2000 that the number of people living below the poverty line has come down to 26 per cent from 53 per cent in the eighties. It has further admitted that of all the states the rate of decline of poverty has been the fastest in West Bengal.

The Left Front government has guaranteed the democratic and trade union rights of workers, peasants and other sections of toiling masses. They have the full liberty to go on strike in defence of their rights. But this should be used as the ultimate weapon. The Left Front government also advocates that workers take interest in production, productivity and protection of the industry in the present situation.

During this period the central government and some state governments have tried to execute repressive acts and ordinances for destabilising the democratic and trade union movements. The Left Front government never implements such anti-democratic repressive measures and protects the right of the people.

When we took over in 1977, education system in the state was in a shambles. Holding of examinations at various levels in time was very rare. Our government took quick actions and set the system in order. The Left Front government has made education upto class 12, free. More than 10,000 new primary schools have come up; 109 colleges and 38 new engineering colleges have been set up. During the Left Front government 7 universities have been set up in West Bengal. A law university in the state has been established, which can be compared with the best in the country. Literacy rate in the state has gone up to 69 per cent today from 57 per cent in 1977. Improvement in the standard of education has always been of great importance to the state government. Efforts in this matter have yielded good results.

West Bengal has the rare distinction of having more than 70 per cent of hospital beds in the state sector. Treatment of 70 per cent patients takes place in government hospitals. The government health care system is the only avenue for the poor people of the state. However, the system needs to be improved. According to the latest central report, West Bengal has not only fulfilled but crossed the target level set up for year 2000 for controlling the birth rate (21/1000), death rate (9/1000), and infant mortality rate (60/1000).

During the Congress regime, democracy was the greatest casualty. We brought democracy to the grassroots level. The three-tier panchayat system has come up and struck deep roots in the minds of the people. Equipped with financial and legislative support, panchayat institutions have been playing a vital role to implement the rural development programmes of the state government successfully. 50 per cent of the budget allocations are spent through panchayats and municipalities. From planning to implementation, panchayat institutions play the leading role. This has set up an unique example of participatory democracy at the grassroots level before the whole country. Even late prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, who spared no opportunity to malign the Left Front government, had admired West Bengal’s panchayat system.

There were no panchayat elections earlier; there were no municipal elections for 17 years. An important dimension of democratisation by the Left Front government has been to implement rigorously right from the time it assumed office, to hold regular elections to the panchayats, municipalities and corporations. To the Left Front government, regular elections are part of the much larger struggle aimed at further enhancement of the political consciousness of the people for the bigger tasks ahead.

With 25 per cent of population belonging to the Muslim community, West Bengal has the brightest record of maintaining communal harmony throughout the Left Front rule. With a government led by a rabid communal outfit like BJP at the centre, attempts at fomenting riots here and there, even in our state, cannot be ruled out. To what extent this most uncivilised and barbaric party we have ever come across, can go has been witnessed in Gujarat after 53 years of independence. Prime minister Vajpayee and his government colleagues have shamelessly backed the Gujarat state government and its chief minister, Narendra Modi, who masterminded the massacre of Muslim minorities for months. We must be very vigilant against the communal outfits in the state and nip in the bud any attempt to divide our people.

This has always been a matter of concern to us. The central government enjoys the overwhelming authority for mobilisation of funds, a portion of which is passed on to the state governments at 12 per cent interest. We have demanded a review of the entire gamut of the issues and reduction of interest rate charged by the central government.

A few recommendations of the Sarkaria commission set up by Indira Gandhi under our pressure, may be of some help to the state governments but they have not been implemented. Happily, many State Governments have now joined us to demand a change in the centre-state relations in the interests of the states and peoples. This will also strengthen the centre.

We feel proud for what we have done during the last 25 years. Our success in various fields has been very impressive. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We have still to go a long way. Future is going to be very complex and difficult. Constitutional constraints, non-cooperative attitude of the central government and a media hostile to our cause are already there. The whole country is in the midst of a grave economic crisis, respite from which is still not yet in sight. The disastrous effects of policies prescribed by the IMF, World Bank and WTO on our national economy are becoming glaring. Our industry and agriculture are reeling under severe recession. We must build up mass opposition to these anti-national policies all over the country along with other patriotic forces. At the same time, we have to work out our ways and means in the most complex situation to continue the developmental work for the welfare of the people of the state.

Our strength is our people. So long as we remain with the people through thick and thin we are not afraid of tackling any situation that may confront us. We must learn from our successes as well as our failures. We must strive for establishing living links with the people. We must not shun self-criticism. That is the surest way of enhancing our credibility among the masses. After all, it is the people who have always seen the Left Front through many critical situations in the past. People have to act. People are the makers of history though sometimes they may be misled temporality. In India too, before and after independence, people have made history. They have formed alternative governments at the centre. But continuity has been absent. There have also been innumerable struggles of the common people. But weakness still persists in many areas. The past as well as the present rulers in Delhi, who heaped immorality, opportunism and insult on the people, will not go unchallenged. Ultimately, it is the people who will have the last word.