People's Democracy

30 Years Of Bengal Left Front Government Commemorated

Prakash Karat addressing the meeting at Mavalankar Hall in New Delhi on June 21, 2007. Central leaders of CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP also spoke in the jam-packed commemorative meeting.

B Prasant

A PACKED Indoor Stadium in downtown Kolkata listened to addresses by senior CPI(M) and Left Front leaders as they looked back on the 30 years of pro-people development of the Left Front government. The meeting was presided over by state sectary of the CPI(M) and Left Front chairman Biman Basu.

In his brief address, Biman Basu pointed out that the Left Front government had promised to go by the letter of the election manifesto of the 1977 Left Front. It is determined to fulfil the promises it had placed before the people of Bengal. Highlighting the various aspects of the achievements of the LF government, Biman Basu especially stressed the redistributive land reforms and the panchayat system plus Operation Barga. These had prepared a strong agricultural base, on which an industrial structure was now being carefully built with the interests of the people in view. While not fulfilling 100 per cent of the people’s expectations from it, no one can say that the LF government had not achieved anything.

Biman Basu continued to say that the Left Front had an important role to play especially when one had entered the era of coalition politics. Everywhere in Bengal, the enemies were engaged in killing LF workers. Unlike the United Front, the Left Front was not an election coalition only. Six parties were united together earlier to the election of 1977 and then fought the election as the Left Front. Later, three more parties joined the Left Front. The Left Front has moved forward with the sacrifices of myriads of people. The Left unity must be strengthened further. The task was synonymous with strengthening of the existing ties with the people. On the 30th anniversary of the Left Front government, pledge must be taken to augment the base of the Left Front further, said Biman Basu.

Veteran communist leader and the first chief minister of the Bengal LF government Jyoti Basu mounted the dais and the podium amidst cheers and slogans. He placed the entire claim to fame of the pro-people and pro-poor Left Front government on the people of the state. He appealed to the people to protect the tradition of Bengal and never to allow any attack on the Red Bastion called Bengal. Exhorting upon the Left Front workers to remain with the people, Jyoti Basu said that the more work the LF did, the bigger the responsibility became. There was no concern before the LF government other than the concern for securing the rights of the people. The important task was to honour the regard the people had reposited in the LF government.

When the CPI(M) and the Left were in the opposition, said Jyoti Basu, they had behaved with responsibility. The Left had remained steadfast organising the people through struggles and movements. The LF government has worked steadily for the people in a steadfast manner. That was the reason the electorate had ensured that the LF continued in office ever since coming to power. Jyoti Basu called upon Left Front workers to approach the people who had not voted for the Left Front and convince them about right and wrong, good and bad. Drawing upon examples from history, Jyoti Basu lambasted the irresponsible behaviour of the present opposition, and recalled that the Left had cooperated with the Congress regime when they had set up industries and towns. Jyoti Basu emphasised the need to unify further the Left Front and to hold meetings more regularly at the district level as ell.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Bengal chief minister highlighted the achievements of the LF government especially at the all-India level. He said that when the rate of agricultural production was going down at the national level, it was on the rise in Bengal. However, Bengal must not be confined to cottage and small-scale industries alone. Bengal must occupy the prime place in both agriculture and industry. The young generation of Bengal looked to industrial development and generation of jobs, more jobs. Calling upon the opposition for cooperation in the task of development, the chief minister noted that the issue was never one of political one-upmanship.

Buddhadeb said that a Left alternative was taking shape in Asia as well as Latin America. In Bengal the Left alternative meant land reforms, Operation Barga, land to the rural poor, attempts at opening closed factories, helping the workers of closed production units, provide social security as much as possible to unorganised workers, building up self-help groups for women, spread of primary education, and further widening the state-run health system. The way was forward said Buddhadeb.

All the senior leader of the other constituents of the Left Front also spoke on the occasion.