RSP leader and PWD minister of West Bengal Kshiti Goswami says it would be better if the people could do away with the state government, Chandrasekhar Bhattacharya finds out more.
The Left Front government is considered as pro-worker. Can you claim success on the labour front?
The government could do nothing on this front. Rather, workers’ struggle has gone from weak to weaker. Bogged down by economism, Trade Unions failed to boost political movements. The labour department has failed to protect labourers. Today, the owners dictate the terms and submit memorandums, not the Trade Unions. That’s why the state tops the list of Provident Fund defaulters. But the government takes no action.
The issue of land acquisition has been rocking the state for more than 3 years. How correct is the government’s stand?
The government’s stand is basically fallacious. There was no Land Map which could have clearly demonstrated the character of land including how many crops it yields, what kind of crop, etc. Neither the government has any Land Bank. We, along with other partners like CPI and Forward Bloc, have been pressing the government to evolve these two. But our voices have not been honoured. Snatching land is not a matter of joke. Communists, who have gone through the experience penned in ‘Quiet Flows the Don’, should have learnt it from the former USSR’s instance. After Singur and Nandigram, we thought this should at least be halted. But Rajarhat showed again that land grabbing was initiated to benefit CPM-backed touts and thugs. A CPM legislator is also involved in it. This party has lost control over its cadres.
What is your comment on the government’s approach towards the tribal people?
They have been blatantly neglected by the state, specially their economic and social needs. But historically, they had deep allegiance to the Left Front. But we neither understood their social dynamics nor gave importance to their social uplift. We did not care to integrate them into the mainstream. Narrow partisan approach is responsible for this. The habit of looking through party glasses has widened the gap to an unfathomable distance.
Tribals also inhabit the North Bengal tea garden area. Do they get proper treatment?
The state’s approach towards the tea industry is wrong. As the Centre earns foreign currency through tea export, the state’s approach has been: Let the Centre take care of problems in tea gardens. The Centre also thought on the same line, hoping that the state would step forward. This has helped garden owners to grossly violate the Plantation Labour Act, one of the best pro-labour act of India. This has pushed the plantation workers to the brink of disaster. On the other hand, involvement of touts and middlemen has jeopardised tea workers’ interests. The situation is such that the present generation of garden workers feels betrayed and some of them may be forced to take up arms against the state. The Trade Unions also can not abdicate their responsibilities.
The Left Front government is considered as pro-worker. Can you claim success on the labour front?
The government could do nothing on this front. Rather, workers’ struggle has gone from weak to weaker. Bogged down by economism, Trade Unions failed to boost political movements. The labour department has failed to protect labourers. Today, the owners dictate the terms and submit memorandums, not the Trade Unions. That’s why the state tops the list of Provident Fund defaulters. But the government takes no action.
The issue of land acquisition has been rocking the state for more than 3 years. How correct is the government’s stand?
The government’s stand is basically fallacious. There was no Land Map which could have clearly demonstrated the character of land including how many crops it yields, what kind of crop, etc. Neither the government has any Land Bank. We, along with other partners like CPI and Forward Bloc, have been pressing the government to evolve these two. But our voices have not been honoured. Snatching land is not a matter of joke. Communists, who have gone through the experience penned in ‘Quiet Flows the Don’, should have learnt it from the former USSR’s instance. After Singur and Nandigram, we thought this should at least be halted. But Rajarhat showed again that land grabbing was initiated to benefit CPM-backed touts and thugs. A CPM legislator is also involved in it. This party has lost control over its cadres.
What is your comment on the government’s approach towards the tribal people?
They have been blatantly neglected by the state, specially their economic and social needs. But historically, they had deep allegiance to the Left Front. But we neither understood their social dynamics nor gave importance to their social uplift. We did not care to integrate them into the mainstream. Narrow partisan approach is responsible for this. The habit of looking through party glasses has widened the gap to an unfathomable distance.
Tribals also inhabit the North Bengal tea garden area. Do they get proper treatment?
The state’s approach towards the tea industry is wrong. As the Centre earns foreign currency through tea export, the state’s approach has been: Let the Centre take care of problems in tea gardens. The Centre also thought on the same line, hoping that the state would step forward. This has helped garden owners to grossly violate the Plantation Labour Act, one of the best pro-labour act of India. This has pushed the plantation workers to the brink of disaster. On the other hand, involvement of touts and middlemen has jeopardised tea workers’ interests. The situation is such that the present generation of garden workers feels betrayed and some of them may be forced to take up arms against the state. The Trade Unions also can not abdicate their responsibilities.
Can the West Bengal government claim any success in the field of education in the last 33 years?
The state, in fact, has had no firm stand on education since the nation followed the path of globalisation. It has taken a 180 degree turn on the language issue, from mother tongue to English, without considering the ground realities of remote villages. Regarding privatisation of education, the state is in a dilemma and addressing this half-heartedly. These have led to unplanned privatisation of education — from mushrooming ‘Benglish’ medium schools to critical manifestation of PTTI, B.Ed and other issues. Vishwa Bharati is another issue where sheer party politics is creating all the trouble.
Can we say the state has failed to deliver on health services, to check the outbreak of tropical diseases, to arrest infant mortality and to address malnutrition?
Not really. Still people have faith on government-run hospitals, which really have excellent doctors and nurses but lack modern equipment. One may not find ICCU or modern blood test facilities at district level hospitals. But it’s a fact that the government could do a lot more than it has done.
Does Chief Minister’s call for “Do It Now’ matches reality?
There was nothing wrong in the chief minister’s dream. But like Socialism, it has also failed. Bureaucracy has failed it. This can’t materialise without administrative reforms.
Let’s come to the Maoists. What is your understanding of the scenario?
It is being said that the Maoists have taken up arms and so, armed action is required. Before I reply, please tell me the name of one country where Marxists or Communists have increased their strength without the use of arms. Nowhere! Even in India, did the undivided CPI increase its strength without arms? What happened in Telengana or Tebhaga? Can you explain B T Randive or Pramod Dasgupta’s ‘half-partisan line’? Was that a peaceful path of revolution?
The state, in fact, has had no firm stand on education since the nation followed the path of globalisation. It has taken a 180 degree turn on the language issue, from mother tongue to English, without considering the ground realities of remote villages. Regarding privatisation of education, the state is in a dilemma and addressing this half-heartedly. These have led to unplanned privatisation of education — from mushrooming ‘Benglish’ medium schools to critical manifestation of PTTI, B.Ed and other issues. Vishwa Bharati is another issue where sheer party politics is creating all the trouble.
Can we say the state has failed to deliver on health services, to check the outbreak of tropical diseases, to arrest infant mortality and to address malnutrition?
Not really. Still people have faith on government-run hospitals, which really have excellent doctors and nurses but lack modern equipment. One may not find ICCU or modern blood test facilities at district level hospitals. But it’s a fact that the government could do a lot more than it has done.
Does Chief Minister’s call for “Do It Now’ matches reality?
There was nothing wrong in the chief minister’s dream. But like Socialism, it has also failed. Bureaucracy has failed it. This can’t materialise without administrative reforms.
Let’s come to the Maoists. What is your understanding of the scenario?
It is being said that the Maoists have taken up arms and so, armed action is required. Before I reply, please tell me the name of one country where Marxists or Communists have increased their strength without the use of arms. Nowhere! Even in India, did the undivided CPI increase its strength without arms? What happened in Telengana or Tebhaga? Can you explain B T Randive or Pramod Dasgupta’s ‘half-partisan line’? Was that a peaceful path of revolution?
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