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The people of West
Bengal are witness to an amusing drama that is being staged on the political
scenario of West Bengal since the PLGA formed by the CPI(Maoist) triggered
landmine blasts at Kokrajhorein Belpahari of the Midnapore West on December 5,
blowing up three guest houses in the process. In one sense it is unique as it
contains elements of both a tragedy and a comedy. It is a sad tragedy for the
oppressive Indian state and its political representatives of West Bengal. It is
a comedy for the long-suffering people of Bengal.
The blast was so
sudden and unexpected that the whole state machinery was at a loss what to do. A
fear-psychosis has gripped them— a terrible fear— the fear of losing their
lives, losing their control over vast areas, the fear that this man-eating
system they had set up over the ages and which they regard to be eternal and
invincible, was now faced with the prospect of doom. This sudden realisation has
made them mad and hysteric and the situation in which they have been driven to
is manifested in their statements. The top police officials are trying hard to
count the total number of armed guerrillas engaged in the operation. It could be
anything between 60 and 200, consisting of both men and women and armed with
sophisticated weapons. The Dainik Statesman reports (6-12-2004) that the
police forces have been terribly frightened since the incident. In reply to the
question why the police reached the place 18 hours after the incident, Amit
Kiran Deb, Home Secretary, Govt. of WB, replied rather amusingly that the blast
had caused no deaths, and the delay was tactical as the police would have to be
sure that they would not be blown up again by landmines on the way. So it is the
blast of landmines that has made the state machinery tremble in fear. The DG of
Police, Shyamal Datta was supposed to visit the site, but refrained from doing
so for reasons best known to him. Instead, he held a meeting at Midnapore police
headquarters and during the press conference, expressed their inability to deal
with the guerrillas who attacked them from the rear, not from the front (Dainik
Statesman, 8-12-2004).
Such a poor fellow,
this DG of police !! He seems to be totally unaware of the Maoist guerrilla
strategy and tactics that the revolutionary forces should always attack the
enemy in places and at times where and when the enemy least expect to be
attacked. We would advise the police forces to have serious lessons in the
Maoist strategy and tactics before making such foolish comments in future. If
one can read the situation right, many more such surprises are lying in store
for the demoralised police and para-military forces.
One or two years
back, if we can remember right, the WB Govt. seemed to convince themselves that
the erstwhile PW and MCCI activists who had been indulging in anti-State
activities, were coming from Andhra Pradesh. Now they have discoverd that the
Maoists from Nepal were also probably involved in such attacks. This is evident
from the statement made by Jogesh Chatterjee, the IG of Police, Western range :"
We suspect that some of the Nepal Maoists were also present that night."(Hindustan
Times, 7-12-2004). The WB Govt. and its state machinery still seemed
unprepared to accept the reality that guerrilla fighters could emerge from the
sons of the soil, from the vast multitude of the oppressed and starving masses
of Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and other areas. If they are not prepared to
admit this, then we will not quarrel at this stage. Meanwhile, we will have more
additions to the amusing drama that is being played on the political stage of
WB. Let us get prepared to hear from the government some day that since the
Maoist guerrillas are active also in Peru, so the Peruvian Maoists are also
involved in the landmine attacks in WB.
Most interesting is
the response of the Chief minister of WB. Actually, he did not respond, or
failed to respond, apart from organising hasty meetings with his top police
officials in his otherwise busy schedule with his imperialist masters. The
usually talkative Buddhadev, who some time ago threatened the erstwhile PW and
MCCI guerrillas with State repression, is now mum and speechless. Perhaps the
PLGA have brought sleepless nights for him. Let him remain speechless for as
many days as he chooses.
No less amusing is
the reaction of the CPI(Marxist)— the ruling party and the most trusted stooge
of the ruling classes in WB. In an editorial(Ganashakti, 7-12-2004) — the
mouthpiece of the party— the CPM, in a conspicuously feeble voice, seemed to
convince the people that ‘People’s War Liberation Army’ is trying to create an
‘atmosphere of terror to make their existence felt’, that it is anti-development
and anti-people. It stated that with the improvement of communication network,
toursim in that area would receive an automatic boost, thereby strengthening the
local economy. However, the Maoists are opposed to it. The same view is
expressed also by the IGP, Western Range (The Statesman, 7-12-2004). The
CPM and the police on the same platform are adding more interesting scenes to
the ongoing drama !!
Why did the PLGA
blast down the guest houses ? The leaflets they left behind justified the blasts
sayiing that "the guest houses had become centres of flesh-trade"(The
Statesman, 6-12-2004). Why is the WB Govt. in such a hurry to build a road
from Odolchua to Kokrajhore when these regions remained neglected for decades
under CPM rule ? They are doing it not to bring about any improvement in the
living conditions of the people, but for the steady movement of the police and
para-military forces to suppress the ongoing revolutionary struggles. What about
the so-called atmosphere of terror’? Who have created terror ? Who have been
oppressing and persecuting people and destroying people’s property ? Who have
been trying to crush any form of criticism and opposition to the government and
the State with their police force and armed party hoodlums and lumpens ? The
so-called ‘terror’, which Ganashakti deplores, is in response to the
white terror the the State machinery and the CPM party that have spread in the
countryside. It is the revolutionary Red Terror to counter the
counter-revolutionary white terror— the Red Terror hailed by Mao in 1927 in his
Hunan Report and throughout the period of revolutionary struggles.
In reality, a spectre
is haunting the Indian ruling classes — the spectre of a People’s War. This war
is to be led by the revolutionary party of the people — the Communist Party of
India (Maoist) by unleashing the creativity of the masses and forging unity
among the peasants, workers, petty bourgeoisie, national capitalists and other
toiling people oppressed for ages. It is the politically-conscious People’s
Liberation Guerrilla Army or the ‘People Armed’ — led by the CPI(Maoist) that
would make India free from feudal oppression and imperialist domination. The
great and valiant people of India and the revolutionary party and army without
which the people have nothing, would have to counter and defeat not only the
Indian State machinery, but also their imperialist masters. A glorious, new dawn
will certainly break out over our beloved motherland — the dawn which the people
of India have been dreaming for a long, long time. It will entail tremendous
human sufferings and sacrifices. The dream which inspired our revolutionary
forefathers to initiate the Naxalbari struggle in 1967 under the leadership of
Charu Majumdar will truly become a reality in the days to come. The New Year
truly holds the promise of still greater victories.
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