Opinion View from the LEFT
While the CPI(M)s mouthpiece Peoples Democracy was silent on the Assembly election results understandably so since the Left-supported 16-party...
Maharashtra debacle
While the CPI(M)s mouthpiece Peoples Democracy was silent on the Assembly election results understandably so since the Left-supported 16-party alliance failed to click CPIs weekly organ New Age was frank in admitting that there was no proper coordination among the constituents of the front. In its lead editorial,the New Age went to the extent of saying that the TINA (there is no alternative) factor did play a role in the outcome of the polls in Maharashtra. First of all the front came into existence very late. There was no proper coordination among the constituents and about 40 per cent of the seats there were mutual contests, it said. After the foundation rally (on September 12),programme for four other rallies was announced,but none materialised, it says. Overall,the performance of the Left in the three states that went to polls was dismal,but the poor showing in Maharasthra calls for serious introspection,particularly about the functioning of their party organisations.
Train hijack
Both the New Age and Peoples Democracy had articles insinuating that Trinamool Congress leader and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had a role in the Rajdhani train hold up. The New Age claimed that it never occurred to Mamata that the mischief will cause untold miseries to the passengers,small children and pregnant women. Rajdhani Express is the symbol of comfort,protection and safe journey for the people. She (Mamata) has done the greatest disservice to the people and has no moral right to remain in the said post and play havoc with the life of the people, it said claiming thatthe train siege was written and directed by the railway minister.
On the other hand,the editorial in the CPI(M) mouthpiece wanted an investigation into the entire episode and asked the prime minister to explain the continuance of Mamata in the Union cabinet.
Spectrum scandal
Demanding the resignation of A. Raja,an article in the Peoples Democracy rejects the argument of the telecom minister that he did nothing wrong and he had in fact broken the cartel of telecom operators. If this were so,then the consumer should have seen his telecom bills drop. This has not happened. What Raja has achieved is that he has enlarged the telecom cartel with his favourite companies, it says.
It says Rajas argument that he has broken the cartel does not go with his stated defence that he was only following the existing policy and TRAI recommendations while choosing the first-come-first served route for auctioning of 2G spectrum. So he is either responsible for taking a decision to break the telecom cartel,and therefore also directly responsible for the loss to the exchequer or he is responsible for merely following existing procedures. He cannot have it both ways, it says.
Orissa farmers
During the Lok Sabha elections,the Left parties were competing with each other to shower praises on Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,whose Biju Janata Dal was an ally of the CPI(M) and CPI. It seems the equations have changed now. An article in the New Age accuses the Patnaik government of inaction in tackling the agrarian crisis. The headline itself screams: Orissa farmers dying while government sleeps,and say: In spite of the fact that the state government keeps assuring that there is no reason for panic,and the government is taking steps to improve the agricultural production,the farmers continue to end their lives in Orissa since last two months. It says the government is now giving thousands of acres of land to the companies,but a mere two acres of land is not given to the farmers. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for the suffering farmers and perhaps there would be many more to follow the steps taken by their predecessors. Meanwhile,Orissa government is having a nice snooze.
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