In the wake of the biggest set back to the Left movement in India since Independence, and certainly to the CPI(M) it is time for us to enter into a deep introspection into the reasons why the Left has lost its way. Today I take the liberty of bringing into the public domain an email I had written to a CPI(M) functionary on 19 March 2007, four days after the police firing at Nandigram:
"i think the situation is extremely difficult for the party.
i understand that there are elements which have tried to rehash the Keshpur formula, and i believe that we shall be able to ultimately give a rebuff to these forces - but there seems to be a certain difference between Keshpur and Nandigram - why was it so difficult to anticipate the ability of the opposition to organise the fear of 'land grab' and turn it into a consolidation against the party.
the comparison may be a far cry and very inappropriate - but i still can take this liberty with you - the Nandigram case reminds me of the point the CAG had made about the 'ideological zeal' which lead the BJP govt. to be lax on the measures of disinvestment. is the 'ideological zeal' of the WB govt. towards industrialisation leading it to over-ride its contact with the people of WB?"
"i think the situation is extremely difficult for the party.
i understand that there are elements which have tried to rehash the Keshpur formula, and i believe that we shall be able to ultimately give a rebuff to these forces - but there seems to be a certain difference between Keshpur and Nandigram - why was it so difficult to anticipate the ability of the opposition to organise the fear of 'land grab' and turn it into a consolidation against the party.
the comparison may be a far cry and very inappropriate - but i still can take this liberty with you - the Nandigram case reminds me of the point the CAG had made about the 'ideological zeal' which lead the BJP govt. to be lax on the measures of disinvestment. is the 'ideological zeal' of the WB govt. towards industrialisation leading it to over-ride its contact with the people of WB?"
