Left's courtship with change may cost votes

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY POLL 2006

When Zahid Ali Mollah went to cast his vote this time, he could not resist looking at the changing skyline of Kolkata, dotted with several skyscrapers under construction on its outskirts.

This awe-struck resident of Cellagwalia village in Bhangar assembly constituency, about 12 km from the capital city, felt insecure.

He remembered those speeches that warned farmers about the government's plans to acquire their land to build similar complexes. Similar dilemma faced thousands of voters in South 24 Paraganas district this time.

The ruling Left leaders told them: "Agriculture is our foundation and industries our future." With agriculture registering a growth rate of 3.5 per cent, it was time to bring industries to generate more employment.

Opposition Trinamool Congress leaders, however, viewed the move as 'industries at the cost of agriculture' and warned them of the ruling Left's plan to deprive them of their land. Their take: the rich will build houses on the land that provide food to the poor.

At the heart of this campaign was the ambitious investment plans of Indonesia's Salem Group for West Bengal. It had already started setting up an automobile factory and a township near Howrah. The investor now intended to build an industrial hub for which it required 5,100 acres of land.

As the government initiated surveys to identify the land last year, hell had broken loose. CPI (ML) was soon holding demonstrations in Baruipur Assembly constituency. TMC leader Mamata Banerjee was breathing fire. And the hard-nosed elements within the Left stood up to protest.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had to call a truce. The entire plan was put on hold until elections.

But the cat was out of the bag. The Opposition parties made land acquisition their central plank in the election in several constituencies in South 24 Paraganas. Since the government is yet to identify the site for Salem group's ambitious project, the Opposition has managed to whip up passions in many constituencies.

According to DP Nag, secretary of Bengal National Chambers of Commerce and Industry, from 1991 to 2004, there were investments to the tune of Rs 28,000 crore in West Bengal - most of them coming in the past five years - creating over 1.49 lakh jobs.

"People have to understand that agrarian reforms launched over three decades back gave land to over six lakh families. But, family sizes have grown manifold since then, while the size of land has remained the same. You have to focus on industrialization to provide employment to over 69 lakh jobless youth in West Bengal," Nag said.

The Opposition parties refuse to see reason, but they may be in for disappointment. People may not be coming forward to offer their land, but they have accepted it as a fait accompli. "They will take the land. What can you do? Whoever comes to power, be it the Left or the Trinamool, will do the same," said Zulfikar Ahmed from Cellagwalia.

In the neighbouring Rajarhat constituency, the government had acquired land for a private developer to make housing complexes. There were protests in the beginning but people have no grouse any more.

The government had compensated Kalipado Mandal of Akando Kishori village at the rate of Rs 2.60 lakh per bigha of land. With a new house built and some handsome cash in the bank, Kalipado looked visibly happy with the glass of toddy and peanuts that he enjoyed with his friends on a sunny afternoon.