Day of the chameleon

West Bengal has always been a state where the east and west met, and sometimes even clashed. While this state rightfully appropriated a good part of the intellectual space at the advent of western infuluence in India, it still retained all the charms and mysticism that the oriental world is famous for.

Even when the atheistic leftists maintain their sway over the political establishment, unchallenged for decades, the people of this land still have no hesitation in proudly holding aloft the religious torch handed down to them by the likes of Shri Ramakrishna and Swamy Vivekananda. These are but a few instances that are pointers to WB’s tryst with contradictions, very healthy ones so far. Now to the bad news.

To be sure, in these cursed times that we are living in, the onset of bad tidings is always the handiwork of the sole harbingers of disaster, namely Politicians. And by current political trends, Bengal is all set to become the venue for the communion of yet another pair of opposities, but of a very despicable brand.

Just as the east met the west and the atheists shook hands with the pious, Secularism is readying itself to mingle and merge with Communalism. To put it at a much baser level, for there are no limits the depths to which things can sink, the Congress and BJP appear to have decided to bury all their ideological hatchets and shed whatever principles that they had covered themselves to plunge into a grand one-night-stand, euphemistically christened The Grand Alliance.

Now to the concept and contours of this mega political fraud. Though the chief protagonist of this gang up against an equally unscrupulous Left combine is none other than Mamata, it is her strange companions who are now causing consternation among the saner elements in India, a tribe facing extinction.

Having identified the ‘secular’ CPI(M) is the primary enemy who has to be vanquished at all costs, the ‘secular’ Congress that is fighting the communal BJP or its larger container, the communal NDA, at the national level is now veering around in favour of an electoral tie up with Mamata who is part of the NDA.

Though the Congress leader for her part has made all the usual noises on Trinamool having to get out of NDA, the happenings at the ground level suggest differently. In any case, Mamata has already gone on record saying that she has no intention to quit the NDA and that it is upto the congress to decide whether to join the majahot or not leaving the Congress with a take it or leave it option. It would suffice here to say that beggars cannot be choosers. For Mamata
If the Congress has no qualms about negotiating with the Trinamool despite the party being a part of a communal government, the morals of the BJP are in no better shape. Its local leaders have maintained a diplomatic distance from the dealings and wheelings but are not too averse to their arch enemy Congress joining their camp.

They are quite content to allow Mamata, an ally they can ill-afford to displease, take over the reins. While the reigning confusion in the congress camp is writ on Sonia’s face, the national leaders of the BJP are waiting with bated breath for secularism to dissolve itself in the murky political waters of Bengal.

Osctracised as the communal untouchable by these very same secularists, what better certification of credentials could there than to rub shoulders with them on the streets and by-lanes of good old Kolkotta? And all this to fight the extremely secular Left. Gratification, indeed, to kill the enemy with his own sword.

All said, Bengal appears to be only a forerunner for what is in offing in other states where elections are due soon. The Grand Alliance bug seems to have even bitten our own leaders in TN with the TMC’s Moopanar indicating, for he does little else, that he is not averse to a mega alliance against the DMK front, even if it involves supping with ‘corruption’ that he had mistakenly shunned four years back.

Of course, the fight here will be between the good old adversaries, Secularism and Communalism represented by AIADMK and DMK respectively for the year 2000-2001. It was the other way round only last year, but no problem, status quo may return anytime, once corruption eases communalism off the centre stage. (Readers are advised to add the quotes whenever the S word and C words are mentioned).

To look at it a bit sympathetically, albeit with great effort, from the politicos point view, such developments are indeed a sign of the times and all parties will have to necessarily play political Ardhanaris if only for their survival.

With State interests clashing head on with national prerogatives, and the same getting aggravated by the advent of frequent elections, it is becoming increasingly difficult for big political parties to maintain a coherent stand on various issues without upsetting their electoral fortunes.

But then being politicians who are blessed with thick skins, double tongues, transient memory and flexible morals, they have all developed their own immunity systems to remain unscathed from the attack of such ideological dilemmas and to find a middle path that can still take them to power, position, pelf and prosperity.

It is we the people who are left wringing their hands in despair, knowing not what is good for our health, Secularism, Communalism or Corruption.

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