While I do agree with you entirely that SEZ's are here to stay and Govt. should let the private sector do its own land acquistion.
What your article has missed out is that what happened is Nandigram is a repeat of the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacare in Punjab by the British in 1911.
One wonders why no party or police force is being charged with murder - because that is what happened in Nandigram on 14 March 2007. The Key players being two men - Lakshman Seth (MP) and Arun Gupta (IG).
Strangely - even Court has asked the CBI to STOP investigation. The Governor has been told to keep mum.
So do we conclude that Indian political parties can GRAB land and if you don't agree with them - they will use all the organs of the state and the muscle power of the party to KILL and MURDER the Indian citize.
And no amount of Court or police or centre or Indian constitution or army will come to the defence of the citizen??
Do we conclude that India is ruled by Tyrants worse than the British raj?? Or worse than the dictators of Pakistan and Uganda?? Of course under the guise of Indian "Democracy."
Your article is incomplete by glossing over these facts.
I fear that injustice in Nadnigram or delay in justice in Nadigram. Justice to correct "STATE TERRORISM" in Nandigram - is creating a HUGE gap between the haves and the have nots. Politicians now are increasingly being viewed as "EVIL" rather than as good.
This lack of justice will increase the grounds-well of support for maoism and naxalism. They will now be viewed as boys "delivering justice". Police and politicans are the new EVIL. The courts take too long and are too tied down by process to deliver justice effectively and speedily. This is exactly what happened in Nepal and led to the downfall of the Monarchy.
And this is where the entire India growth story and SEZ story will come to a great and speedy end.
It is a historical irony that the Congress which owes its rise to the Jalianwalla bagh firing refrains justice to the victims of "Jalianwala bagh in Nandigram". Neither Manmohan Singh now Sonia Gandhi has bothered to visit Bengal.
Even the great & pompus President who talks of education and emancipation has not bothered to visit Nandigram.
Even a Supreme court justice or the Governor could have taken an army escort and gone to nandigram on the 14th or even the 15th. They did not. Sitting and twiddling their thumbs under a 'democracy' and 'protectors of the constitution'.
I wonder how future history of India is going be written after Nandigram. Will it be written as a victory of the Communists party who could contain it and conquer India??
Or will Nandigram 2007 be the trigger which gives the maoists a massive support base with the common India. As Nandigram reveals to the common Indian how the politicans had become a land grabbers. How the state had become a terrorist-land grabbing mafia.
And as there was no justice in India. So the common man began supporting the maoists against the entrenched politican-bureaucratic-justice system.
It was in 2004 when I was traveling in a bus in New Delhi, I overheard a few passengers talking derisively about the political class and their corrupt ways. Post Nandigram - this perception will increase.
Does the future hold SEZ's or maoism??
Is India a democracy with an established justice suystem or are we a sham democracy with an ineffective system of justice, where police and politicians get away with murder.
Maoists are used by political class in India to retain/grab power.
CPIM invited maoists to Medinipore district few years back, when they were loosing space to TMC/Congress/BJP in certain pockets. However Maoists didn't leave those pockets after those places were liberated.
Congress uses Maoists to retain/grab power in Andhra/parts of Madhya Pradesh/Chattisgarh.
EVEN LALU PRASAD USES MAOISTS TO RETAIN POWER IN BIHAR FOR 15 YEARS! No less than Dipankar Bhattacharya said that in an interview with the Outloook few months back.
RE:Land Grab by State of Jallianwala in Bengal???
by ABC XYZ on Mar 29, 2007 09:11 AM Permalink
Jaiswal Bhai,
Don't be so emotional yaar. Maoists will exist whether or not Laxman Seth or likes are there or not. You are mistaken to think Maoists are a product of negligence. It's like Kashmir militants. They are going to do whatever they want to do that is destabilise India by creating propaganda. I agree State Govt should have handled the situation in a more mature way. But when I see posts which says "Buddha shoudl resign, etc," that's ridiculous. This is the guy who has been trying to hard to convert Unionzied Cadre based hardcore CPM into a sober party with some meaning. He has the best intention to turn Bengal into a better place to live. Even his fiercest critic wouldn't say the guys is corrupt and taking bribe from industrialists. He leads the most simple lifestyle compared to the up class lifestyle lead by his predecessor Basu. SEZ needs to exist to promote rapid industrialization. It holds key to future growth.
RE:Land Grab by State of Jallianwala in Bengal???
by Vivek Jaiswal on Mar 29, 2007 09:40 AM Permalink
No questions SEZ & the economics are here to stay.
What I'm pointing out is that the Govt. is acting like a mafia and creating conditions which will make ordinary people view maoisim as a solution. That is what happened in Nepal. The king grabbed absoloute power with bad deliverty of service. The people began to believe that the Maoists were saviours.
What we need is efficient delivery of services by the Govt. - a la singapore. Having lived overseas I can vouch for the fact that things work there and are much more efficient than in India. Indeed - SEZ's will TRANSFORM India. In fact - if even one State in India makes an entire district (preferably a coastal district with a port) an SEZ; with good law and order and excellent administration - I GUARANTEE you that in 25 years - that district will beat Delhi & Bombay COMBINED. Why?? Beause it will have created conditions for enterprise to flourish.
Instead - we are now ruled by robber barrons in the guise of politicians; who are getting away with murder.
In the 60th Anniversary of India's Independence - we need to reflect if Nandigram and all that is represents is what the freedom struggle from the Raj was all about.
Are we creating the conditions for building a Singapore?? Or are we creating conditions which will end up like Nepal - (with active support from China, Pakistan and Bangaldesh!!)
Do reflect. My fellow country man. You have as much stake in this county as I have.
RE:Land Grab by State of Jallianwala in Bengal???
by ABC XYZ on Mar 29, 2007 11:47 AM Permalink
I have stayed in Singapore previously. The reason they succeeded because of several reasons: a) You cannot compare Sinagpore, size of Kolkata at the most and a big state like West Bengal by sheer size itself. e.g. you can control crimes in much efficient manner in Sinagpore than any upscale city in US. b) Singapore although claims to be a democracy is really ruled by ruling party found by Lee Kuan Yu. It's much easy to implement policies. c) West Bengal has been marred by years of neglect courtesy Jyoti Basus's horrific management style. In some ways he resembles Lalu who was good at winning election but zero at state improvement. He was responsible for the uprise of what you term CPM goondas. Also, we had a horrible opposition TMC, Congress. So, things became worse. d) In comes Buddhadeb who is honest, has a literary side and has sincere interest in doing some good for the state. He is disliked by Party Hardliners like Subhash, Amitava Nandi, Laxman Seth alike. He single handedly reforms a lot within the party and regains industry confidence. Basu and his followers are now in deep trouble, they are cornered. Time and again Buddhadeb has been strongly against Party hardliners. e) Nandigram was a culmination of several factors. It was not as simple as Budhhdadeb asking Police to open fire on the villagers. There were some intelligence failures definitely. Also, was constant provocation from Mamata, and Jamaet E Islam. This being a muslime dominated area, it was easy to play religion card too. CPM supporters were kicked out from village for over two months. Everything collided together causing this horrible situation. It was a PR failure from CPM side to control the situation. f) Govt needs to step cautiously and corner Mamata and her pals systematically. g) I get furious when I see some guys who utters rhetorics Buddha the murderer, he needs to go, etc. These guys have no constructive idea in mind but can only bark like a dog.
RE:Land Grab by State of Jallianwala in Bengal???
by Suresh Babu on Mar 29, 2007 03:59 PM Permalink
One a Ex-M.P.and more than one lakh muslim minorities burnt alive in Gujarat, you, Vivek Jaiswal was not alive in India and now you came from where, whether from India or abroad.
RE:Land Grab by State of Jallianwala in Bengal???
by Vivek Jaiswal on Mar 30, 2007 10:21 PM Permalink
Dear Suresh
Gujrat and Nandigram are two different issues. In Gujrat - it is a backlash against the burning of a trainload of hindus. Just as the 984 riots was aginst the murder of Indira Gandhi. Done by people after a murderous event.
In Nandigram - it is a pre-planned attack on common citizens by the state and a political party to grab their land.
