In Bengal, communists back to communism

It’s back to basics for West Bengal Marxists. The disastrous outing in the just-concluded Lok Sabha election has forced the Left Front government in the state to hark back to its conservative approach of yesteryear vis-a-vis industry.

The reversal in outlook has been effected by the realisation among Left leaders that the sensitive issue of land acquisition for industry was well exploited by the opposition Congress-Trinamool combine that returned an impressive and unprecedented tally in the poll.

The leaders have understood that this very issue not only brought the Left Front to power in 1977, but also helped it retain it for a record 32 years.

“Soon after we began walking in the opposite direction, our fort started collapsing. The land sentiment, which brought us to power 32 years ago, caused the poll disaster,” a senior CPM state committee leader told DNA.

Industry is no more the state government’s priority. Rather, it wants to concentrate on streamlining panchayat operations, making essential commodities available at the cheapest rates, rural electrification and providing drinking water. It also wants to improve the living condition of Muslims.

In view of this, the core committee of the state cabinet headed by chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and comprising representatives of all Front allies has drafted a new industrial policy with stress on conservatism.

The committee, which met here recently, came up with strict guidelines on land acquisition for industry. The government will now keep away from the acquisition process and instead, encourage a direct interaction between companies desirous of setting up industry in the state and land owners.

Another important decision taken at the behest of Bhattacharjee is that land will be allocated from a proposed land bank comprising only arid and single-crop stretches.

“In case there is a requirement outside the land bank, the industrialist will have to directly deal with the land owner. In such cases, the government will at most liaise,” a core committee member said.