Introduction: Unreasoning fear grips the Marxists
It would seem that the CPI-M in general and its State Secretary Anil Biswas in particular, have turned allergic to the slightest criticism of the party, to the extent that they wear the cap even when it is not intended for them. They have noticed that the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister have visited Kolkata in quick succession and spoken at various functions. To the extent that they do not need visas to visit Kolkata, nor permission from the CPI-M to open their mouths while in the city, it is difficult to understand why they should be gripped by the fear of a conspiracy against them. All three had words for Trinamul chief, Mamata Banerjee to the effect that she should not look to Delhi to impose President's Rule, which was not justified and in any event the NDA did not have the votes in the Rajya Sabha to carry them through. Normally criticism of Mamata would warm the cockles of any Marxist heart; on this occasion they profess to see a barely concealed attempt to criticise the CPI-M. Two questions arise. Are the Marxists disappointed that President's Rule is being ruled out and they are deprived of an opportunity to raise merry hell? Or are they so nervous that even as the three stalwarts of the NDA are scolding Mamata and deflating her expectations, they are somehow encouraging her and furthering a conspiracy against them?
Anil Biswas goes to great lengths to explain to our Special Representative that the whole exercise is to unite the anti-Left, anti- Marxist forces in the state where the Trinamul and the BJP are virtually marginalised. Surely it is common sense that political parties unite to fight elections when they are not confident of going it alone. And what is intrinsically evil about uniting against the Left and all that it stands for in terms of violence which has been unprecedented in the last panchayat polls and cannot be denied or it is a prescriptive right of the communists to use any method they choose and if it is a wrong and illegal method, the stigma is instantly washed away when they touch it. And what is so objectionable about alliances? Only the other day Jyoti Basu made it clear yet again that he is still sore about his party committing a Himalayan blunder in not accepting the offer of forming a coalition government at the Centre under the leadership of himself - Jyoti Basu. If the Trinamul and the BJP are marginalised, what is the ground for the fear that the marginalised parties will consign them to the margins? This is not likely to happen, let it be conceded. But a large part of the reason is not the popularity of the Marxists but their expertise in fixing elections by violence, intimidation and by the simple expedient of preventing opposition candidates from filing nominations.
This newspaper has no illusions
about the credentials of any political party, including the BJP, the Trinamul
and indeed the CPI-M. We have had occasion to criticise them all. If nevertheless,
Anil Biswas is showing symptoms of such extreme nerves, it must be because
he sees the main danger emanating from within the Left Front. Now you can't
blame that on the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence
Minister, can you?