West Bengal rumblings

THERE is no denying that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been committed to industrial development in the state, especially the beautification of Kolkata. Her trips to Singapore and London were meant to invite investments. The Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata was perhaps not just a platform for delivering a string of homilies. She prioritised cheap labour, abundant power, a land bank, industry friendly policies and access to highway to make West Bengal an ideal investment destination. Competitive federalism and an ideal ecosystem are her watchword. From this point of view, she is on the same page as Prime Minister Narendra Modi projecting India as an ideal destination for investment. But the Centre and the state often fall out and lawlessness mark the best of intentions. It will not do for the Trinamul government in West Bengal to put the blame for his setback solely on d damnosa heredital led by the left front government. What is wrong with Mamata Banerjee is that she tries to wish away crisis in an offswitch-like manner and later face the question. Take for instance, the rape in Kolkata’s Park Street quite some time ago. After saying it was a rumour she has taken action against the criminal. Banerjee is not the first Chief Minister of West Bengal to unduly appease the minority community with a somewhat exaggerated importance attached to the vote bank. The sudden onslaught of Hindutva in northern India has to be roundly condemned. The Modi government should have been profusely apologetic about Hindu Mahaseva chief, Kamalesh Tiwari’s discouraging comments about the Congress. Malda witnessed a repeat on al-Qaida reprisal against Charlie Hevdo in Paris. A rally organised by a muslim outfit in Malda denouncing Tiwari turned violent. The West Bengal government should have taken precautions against such a backlash instead of pampering Muslims. What is difficult to understand is why not merely BJP party men but CPI (M) MP Mohammed Salim were not allowed to visit the disturbed area to bring back peace.