Fast hence loose

Mamata Banerjee8217;s prolonged fast over Singur is surely having the unintended effect of highlighting the extreme awkwardness and incongruity of the political method 8212; in her hands, and in India today. The issue framed at Singur is undoubtedly a crucial one and it promises to have a long-term resonance in our political economy. These columns have argued that the West Bengal government8217;s process of acquisition of land for the Tatas small car project has been unexceptionable. But it is also true that overall and looking at other examples from around the country, the due process on land acquisition needs to become more settled. We need a well-designed state policy on allowing industry use of land. The determination of the appropriate price for land and awarding of compensation must be transparent. More significantly, they must be seen to be so. The policy needs to wholesomely take on board the need 8212; both ethical and pragmatic 8212; for the state to give local populations a stake in development projects and to incentivise industry to do the same. But it is safe to predict that none of these legitimate concerns will be brought into focus by Mamata8217;s ongoing fast over Singur.

The Trinamool leader8217;s fast cannot take on the burden of the larger questions at Singur because it is far too bogged down by her peculiar brand of politics. It places her squarely at its centre. It has remained singularly detached from the wider contexts, political and organisational. It is not incidental that over the years, the Trinamool Congress has refused to grow up from Didi8217;s raucous bandwagon into a full-fledged political party. Certainly, Banerjee8217;s runaway politics does not inspire, as our columnist today argues, any faith in her ability to handle with sensitivity or sophistication the political weapon that Gandhi famously honed.

But there is a yet more fundamental reason why the fast at Singur is only the petty political deadlock. Even in far more careful and credible hands than Banerjee8217;s, the fast would be anachronistic in a bustling democracy like India8217;s, teeming with forums of discussion and debate. India8217;s democracy may not be perfect, but it does offer the promise of a million negotiations. With 29 elected MLAs and 2 MPs from her party, why did Banerjee not make her case more forcefully on legislative floors? She cannot duck the question.