Didi Strikes Again… Are we making West Bengal; Waste Bengal….

A SMS wishing Shubho Bijoya is doing rounds today and it goes like this…

Chaturthi te Nano gelo, 

Ashtami te Sourav,
Eke Eke Hariye geche, 

Bangla’r Shob Gourob
Aar kichu Maa na niye tui, 

tule ne shudho “Mamta” ke
Notun kore baachbo mora, 

Bachabo ei bangle ke..

Meaning, on the 4th day of Navratri we lost Nano (Tata) and on 8th day Sourav,

One by one Bengal is loosing its Garav (Pride)

Maa Durga, if you can take something, please take with you our didi “Mamta”

In new hope Bengal relives, and protect the state of Bengal.

An interesting thought, but not so interesting for Mamta Banerjee and her Krishi Bhoomi Baachao Andolan though, but this make me rethink that a State like West Bengal, which has everything from fertile land, coast, access to minerals and intellectually stimulated people, fail to progress like other states. 

It was not long back that I had been to pujo in Kolkata in 2005 and I was thrilled to see CPM government promoting industrialization in the state, with putting up motivational lines on industry and the progress attached with industry, and today after 3 years, this pujo we loose our face to one of the biggest name in global industry setter Tata on their most prestigious Tata Nano, car project for the people to make it by the people.

Looking back at Bengal and the entire Singur issue, I feel we lost it because of our attitude, on one had the attitude of being over confident where the government did not handle a project and investment of such scale effectively, without protecting all risks associated with the project. As a risk management framework says we have 3 types of risk; Risk from People Process and System, and I guess we failed miserable in managing all three efficiently. If not so, then our land acquisition process should have been effective, effective awareness of people on this project and the benefit one can expect personally and for the state would reduce the risk from people, and finally a system which could take swift decisions & actions and not keep it open for so long assuming that it will die naturally could have made Bengal a better place. 

On the other, it is people and their attitude for accepting change, led by emotional politicians who feel an opposition’s role is to oppose whether it’s for good or bad. The basic common sense of people has taken a back seat and it’s the attitude that speaks that we shall live and die like this and not progress and if given a chance will not let others progress as well!! 

Being poor in Bengal is fashionable and gives them self proclaimed right to oppose to progress of any sort, which they willingly or unwillingly tag them as “rich” who do not understand the pains of the poor. It is this difference and attitude which has led to the downfall of Bengal. 

I still remember my parents joking about Madrasee’s (invariably all south Indians in Kolkata as proclaimed as Madrasees) in Kolkata that when they come to Kolkata looking for job some 20-25 years back, they used to send 3 telegrams back home. First was “Reached Safely”, second “Got a Job” third “Send brother”. In the same light, Bengali’s who came out of Bengal who went elsewhere also sent 3 telegrams back home. One “Pouche Gechi” (Reached Safely); second was “Bhalo Lagche Naa” (not feeling well / missing home”; third was “Pherot Aaschi” (coming back). And this was absolutely true. 

Today I have been out of Bengal for more than a decade and I have seen Bengalis out of bengal prosper more than Bengalis in Bengal. All top companies executive boards and top management are represented by bongs. But the question is will these people be able to go back to Bengal and survive. The straight forward answer may be “NO”. The reason may be completely demographic or lack of competitive environment or the basic attitude of people. 

Thus going back to Singur, I feel, the loss has to be attributed to the attitude of the people in Bengal, and with Tata’s leaving; it is a big jolt to the overconfidence of the Government & people of Bengal and a reality check for Mamata, who never thought Tata’s would take such drastic measures after progressing so far; an example of lack of vision and think big attitude. 

Didi, are we turning West Bengal to Waste Bengal??? Jobab dao Jobab Chai!!