Our team travelled through 11 out of 19 districts of West Bengal
in past week. What we witnessed was not totally surprising but still shocking.
It seemed like a different world altogether. Most of the 90mn population lives
in abysmal poverty. Persistent exploitation appears to have turned rural Bengal
into a deeply disturbed society. The internal disturbance manifests itself in
profound rebellion against authority
and system.
We found the state completely cut off from the rest of country
in terms of socio-economic development.
The key highlights of our West Bengal tour are as follows:
(a)
Over three decades of communist rule has little ideological
impact on the peoples’ life. The only thing they seem to have imbibed from
communist rule is rebelling against authority and system. The society is still
divided on caste and religion lines. Economic disparities are as high as ever.
There is little sense of “commune” or “community” insofar as economic
activities are concerned. Moreover, the state mostly retains its colonial
socio-economic structure – exporting raw material and labor and importing food.
(b)
The much acclaimed land reforms have apparently
led to fragmentation of land holdings, making the primary economic activity of
the state most uneconomical. There are virtually no signs of cooperation
movement in agriculture or industry. The farming techniques are primitive.
(c)
The rebellion mostly manifests against authority on economic and political
issues. The social inequality is not only accepted but to some extent protected
as just. This makes the society confused and complex.
(d)
The current regime that ended the over three
decades of communist rule appears to be making no difference. The people,
policies, program and vision all look the same. The only change that is
conspicuous is the beginning of local vs. outsider debate amongst urban middle
class. Many fear that it will not be long when non-Bengali populace faces
prejudice
(e)
The rebellion in the society, especially against
the system has traditionally constricted the growth of industry in the state.
There are no signs of any change in the offing.
(f)
The feudal superiority complex of middle and
upper middle class is intact, more so in rural areas, despite long communist
rule.
(g)
The most shocking observation was the gender
bias.
(h)
The sense of economic well being that comes from
the aggregate data is mostly derived from few pockets like port city of Haldia,
capital city of Kolkata and mineral resource belt of Durgapur – Asansol. There
are little signs of urbanization and modernization beyond these centers.
(i)
Employment status is poor with stagnant industry
and least productive agriculture. The fabled Bhadralok is virtually
non-existent outside Kolkata.
(j)
Unlike other states, the construction boom in
the state is limited to few select areas.
(k)
WB is perhaps the only large state where 25p
coins are in currency.
Read our special series Mandate 2014
Thought for the day
“Ideology, politics and journalism, which luxuriate in failure, are impotent in the face of hope and joy.”
- P. J. O'Rourke (1947 - )
Word of the day
Scrum (n):
A place or situation of confusion and racket; hubbub.
(Source: Dictionary.com)
Shri Nārada Uvāca
Agenda for Monsoon session of Parliament is set. Opposition will stage multiple walkouts demanding resignation of Ajit Singh (Jet Ethihad deal), Moily (favor to Reliance with gas price hike), Bahuguna (mismanagement of disaster), Navin Jindal (coal gate), and PM (collective responsibility for all this). Congress will try to unsuccessfully push Food Security Bill amidst din and blame it on the opposition.
