I am a middle class girl from Calcutta (yes, I prefer the
old name simply for phonetic reasons!). I grew up in a quiet suburb and my
immediate family had very little to do with politics, except for the regular adda sessions since, quintessential to
Bengal, everybody had an opinion and chose to voice it. My exposure to world
affairs and politics has also been equally minimal, and strictly restricted to
the print media. Of course, having been educated through the convent school
system, a fair share of my growing up years were spent in debates and
discussions about the political scene, of both the state and the country.
However, I did not ever have an opportunity to actually visualise what could
be, in comparison to what is. This can be attributed to my lack of interest,
not for the problems, but for the absolute disdain I had developed over the
years against the constant bickering and mudslinging that is so very much a
part and parcel of the Indian political system.
Although I had chosen to vehemently ignore politics during
my formative years (except, maybe for the occasional discussions I had with my
grandfather), I guess staying in the national capital means you end up
breathing the air and finally, it has caught on to me too. I distinctly
remember my first political stance was a candle light vigil in Gandhinagar, to
support the Lok Pal bill and the anti-corruption movement, which was not
politically motivated but was merely to show solidarity for the ideals and principles
involved. However, the frenzy and fire around the recently concluded Delhi
legislative assembly elections ensured that I became more conscious. And it has
indeed been an awakening of sorts.
I have, for as long as I remember, known I would not make Calcutta
my city of choice once I was independent. When asked by strangers, I would cite
the lack of opportunities there, as the biggest impediment. However, having
lived in a state which is considered as conservative as Gujarat, and the past 6
months of living the Dilli way of life makes me question the rationale- why was
I, as a kid or an adolescent, so keen to leave behind my home and family? I
realised this was not simply because of my ambition, but also because Calcutta
is still 20 years behind India. It is sadly no more what Calcutta thinks, that
India does. The people of Bengal simply accept what is happening around them,
and to them, instead of questioning and demanding an explanation. The “hochhe hobe- cholchhe cholbe” way of
life, that is so very inherent in each Bengali babu or boudi you meet on the
streets.
I have lived in Calcutta during the CPM reign, and our dear
Ms. Banerjee was the loudest opposition in the whole country. Yes, we were
stagnating and decadent, and an onerous embarrassment, basking in our glorified
past. I have lived in Calcutta through the Singur-Nandigram uprising, and have
visited Lalgarh in the midst of the agitation. Those were wrongs, and along
with most of the population, I believed we needed a change from the red. I did
not expect miracles from Ms. Mamta Banerjee’s government- however, I did expect
at least some amount of regulation and attempt at addressing the sorry state of
affairs. I guess, like most Bengalis, I expected too much. Not that I had much
faith in her line of eccentric politics and purely populist exhibitions of
outrage, but unfortunately, even today, she still fashions herself as the
leader of the opposition, not of the state.
Sometimes, I feel this desperate urge to shout to these
politicians- just stop talking. Listen, hear the winds, feel the change. While
the entire nation mourned the death of Nirbhaya and tightened the laws to
protect women, Ms. Banerjee continues to play politics and instead of pulling
up the officials responsible for seizing the body of the 16 year old rape
victim, she cries ‘conspiracy theory’. In the capacity of a mere citizen, I
wish I could tell her- no one is out to get you, it’s only your shabby work
that may lead you to your downfall. We expect her to be outraged not only
because she is the chief minister, but because she is also a woman, who claimed
to have been at the receiving end of similar atrocities. Is it really too much
to ask, that for once, these political leaders put aside their selfish
political aspirations and concentrate on remedying the situation? I wish I
could ask her to stop the screaming and the mudslinging and do some real work,
for the real people. I wish I could exercise my freedom of speech to tell her
to use the power that she now has and justify her lack of action in the face of
the increasingly frequent questions raised regarding the safety of women in
Calcutta.
I guess this pathetic state of affairs is only going to
worsen before Bengal rises to a new revolution, and stops acting indifferent to
every aspect of political life. I hope for a change, soon, with a balanced head
to lead Bengal to the developed era. Maybe I do live in a bubble, after all.
[Edit - After the recent flyover crash in the city and Ms. Banerjee's first reaction being to play the blame game, while a hundred people were trapped underneath the flyover, I honestly believe it is time that this utopian and unproven wave of 'poriborton' give way to a real sense of responsibility and goodwill. While I do not have any specific political inclinations, I believe today, in
this transient moment, we are at the threshold of a nascent revolution, that
will free Bengal of the biggest ills that have diseased us since India won its independence. In light of the ongoing elections in the state, it is important that we make sure to elect a leader who can lead from the front, and not falter or nurse a constantly bruised ego. Vote sensibly, Bengal. The world is watching you, and judging you.]
