Drowsy Dissertations - VOL II

There are few constants in Indian politics. Governments change, allies switch camps, ministers change positions, leaders switch idealogies and everyone changes statements. However, amidst all this chaos, there have been two things which have been remarkably steady - the Left in Bengal and Lalu in Bihar. The Left has held on to the chief ministership of Bengal for an astonishing 30+ years, while Lalu (or his wife Rabri) has been ruling over Bihar since 1990. And I utterly fail to understand why the electorate repeatedly rewards them, while at the same time much more competent governments (NDA at the center for instance) are summarily rejected.

Let us begin with Lalu. I would really like to understand the socio-political forces that have kept someone as disgusting as Lalu Yadav in political prominence for so long. He portrays himself as the messiah of the poor Bihar population. In fact, there are books taught in schools in Bihar which have entire chapters devoted to Lalu Yadav and his greatness! And then he has the spunk to talk about history being altered by the RSS! As Railway Minister, Lalu Yadav undertakes a slew of populist measures - kullahrs instead of plastic cups, khadi being worn by railway staff among a host of others. Without going into the merits of the proposals, I have no doubt in my mind that it is these clever ploys that Lalu uses to manipulate his electorate back home. To project the image of an earthen Bihari villager. To assure them that he is one of them. When will the poor Bihar population realize that he ceased to be one among them a long time ago? Why is it so difficult to see that there has been virtually no developmental activity around them since 1990 (not me, the Planning Commision says this!)? Whatever happened to the Indian voter who is hailed as intelligent and preceptive? How can just having a chief minister of your caste be adequate compensation for all the basic amneties that the average Bihari villager's life lacks? There has to be something more here which I do not understand. I realize that elections can be rigged, but surely not all seats across Bihar! There is something else behind the phenomenal appeal Lalu Yadav holds for his rural electorate - something that holds even after the decade long rape that Bihar has endured. Its a puzzle beyond my wits and I wish someone could tell me the answer.

About the Left now - for 30 years the Left has been implementing their retro-Communist policies in its backyard. Bengal was a progressive state, a state that had been at the forefront of achievement during the British and post-British days. Not so today! People are fearful of setting up businesses in West Bengal. Why? Well, simply because the miles of red tape involved, the arcane labour laws, the attitude of the government towards entrepreneurs and almost everything else screams to say: "You are not welcome!" One of my friends, the son of a Calcutta industrialist, tells me that he does not know of a single factory being set up in Bengal in the recent past. I am stupefied! How can the Indian Left cling to the age-old Marxist ideals which even die-hard communist countries like China have abandoned? And how can the public be so gullible as to support them in such a misguided quest? Ah yes, the farmers know nothing of economics you would say. Well, are they so indoctrinated that they no longer feel outraged that they need a license in Bengal for everything - including one for selling the rice grown on their own fields!! It is nothing short of a mystery that a government that bottles the progressive instincts of its own citizens has been able to survive so comfortably and for so long.

But this was not the reason I wrote this post. I apprehend a far greater danger looming over India than the one posed by these incompetent state governments. Look at the central government in power today. Its two main pillars are Lalu and the Left! Lalu makes no secret of his ambition to be India's prime minister one day. The Left makes no qualms about its desires to reverse all progress India has made as a free economy in the nineties. And they stand united with their clout increasing every year. Lalu rose from being a regional leader to a leader of unmistakeable national importance. The Left has bagged an unprecedented 60 seats inn the previos general elections. I am immediately reminded of the book The Fourth Protocol by Forsythe. The thriller, set in UK, included a subplot which described a devious plan by the Soviet Communist party to gradually strengthen the communist support base in UK and finally convert it over to Communism. Though nothing as scandalous is expected in the forseeable future, the least we can do is to be catious of the dangers that a team of misguided idealogues and corrupt politicians can pose to our country.