Whats there for the BJP to crow about in Karnataka, and Mamta in WB? | Girish Nikam

Published on 12-11-2007 In National

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Whats there for the BJP to crow about in Karnataka, and Mamta in WB?

Two distinct and disparaging political developments involving political forces from the right to the left, mark this week in the country. One, in the East and the other in the southern part of the country. What is happening in Nandigram in Bengal is shaking the foundations of the 30 year old left front government like never before. While a false sense of celebration is being witnessed in Karnataka, over the formation of the first BJP-led government south of the Vindhyas.

These two events or happenings are part of the serious political malaise which have afflicted the Indian political system and will need some curing. Both can be traced to the human greed, opportunism and complete lack of any political or moral ethics. It also is a sad commentary on the "chalta hai" attitude which prevails among the ordinary citizens who tend to take these things as part of "dirty politics" and move on with their daily chores, closing their eyes and minds to these malaises.

First to the celebration in the Sangh Parivar camp over the first saffron-led government in the south of India. Surely there are any number of people in the extended Parivar who are forcing themselves to join the celebrations. Is this the kind of Government and is this the kind of circumstances in which they would have liked to see their ascendancy in the South? Surely not. Even a day before the Union Cabinet decided to lift the President's rule ( the right decision) there were leaders within the BJP hoping against hope that the UPA Government would not do it.

The Sangh Parivar knows that this is one of the most unethical Governments they have ever formed in their existence. They also know that it reeks of political greed and opportunism of the most awful variety. For a party which a few years ago used to take great pride about its ethics and morals, is now virtually left with not even a fig leaf to hide its embarrassment at having abandoned all such lofty ideals. The leaders of the BJP may give any number of justifications for having come together again with the same people (Janata Dal-S) it accused only a few weeks back of heinous governance and corruption.

But that did not faze the BJP leadership both at the Centre and the State to accept the support of the Janata Dal(S) once again, after it had vociferously abused its erstwhile ally and also demanded fresh elections in the State.

Much has been said also about its ally-turned-foe-turned ally again, Janata Dal(S), whose President H.D.Deve Gowda will now make it his mission to make governance a virtual impossibility for the new Chief Minister. He cannot change overnight as he is sulking that his game plan did not work. He was fervently hoping that the offer of support to BJP, would be a short term gamble, which would be rejected by the Governor and the Centre and the Assembly would be dissolved. But it was not to be, and he now finds himself saddled with the task of supporting a Government he does not want, backing a party which he knows will spell his political doom and a Chief Minister whose sight he cannot stand.

This is one alliance therefore, which is doomed to end in a fratricidal warfare, and it is the misfortune of the people of Karnataka that they will have to endure it as long as it lasts. One can only hope that the misery of the people will be as short-lived as possible.

If Karnataka is witnessing the coming together of two parties who love to hate each other, only for the sake of prolonging their hold over power, what is happening in Bengal is equally unfortunate, and more so dangerous.
Nandigram has become the symbol of an equally opportunistic alliance between two disparate political elements, which have come together without any ideological affinity, just like in Karnataka. The alliance between the Trinamool Congress, whose only ideology can be termed as "anti-CPI(M)" and the Maoists and Naxalites, is rather baffling. In this alliance is also found a rather fundamentalist muslim outfit, and amazingly all these four disparate elements are making a common cause.

What initially started as an opposition to the proposed Special Economic Zone in Nandigram, has taken a vicious turn, even after it was clearly announced that the SEZ is no more on the cards.

With the raison d' etre for the movement having been knocked out with the left front government deciding to give up the SEZ proposal, what are these disparate elements now fighting for? Unfortunately this fundamental question is not being asked by even people like Medha Patkar who recently wanted to go to Nandigram and was allegedly manhandled by CPI(M) workers.

Now how long are people of the dozens of villages around Nandigram, who have affinity to the CPI(M) going to sit and wait for the virtual siege on their villages by the Bhumi Ucchod samithi, to be lifted. The left front government which committed a major blunder in March this year by ordering police firing and killing many people, find themselves in a bind. Should they allow this state within a state situation to continue, or should they move in and restore their homes to the villagers who have been living in camps for months now?

Having tasted blood the Trinamool-Maoists-Naxals-muslim fundamentalists combine is unwilling to let go, and want to continue to fight for a cause which does not exist. The rebel-without-a cause, Mamta Banerjee has now resigned from the Parliament, once again. The Governor GopalKrishna Gandhi unfortunately has added to the confusion by coming out harshly against the Government, without taking into account the other side of the picture.
The left front government has committed many blunders in its initial handling of the Nandigram. But it is now in a rather unenviable situation where it finds itself facing an unholy alliance on the one hand and suffering villagers on the other, and its hands tied.

In both Karnataka and Bengal it is the people who are victims of such unholy alliances. How long will ordinary people be silent to these atrocities being committed on them?

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