Comrade Buddhadev Bhattacharya: A Tribute to a Life of Dedication and Service
Sanjay Parate reflects on the life and legacy of Buddhadev Bhattacharya, a former Chief Minister of West Bengal, whose dedication to Marxism, literature, and public service left a profound impact. Explore his journey from a teacher to a prominent leader, his contributions, and his unique approach to politics and personal integrity.
Comment by Sanjay Parate
A corner of the history of the mind became empty and a page of the book of poetry was torn. Comrade Buddhadev Bhattacharya saying goodbye to this world this morning is something similar. His departure is not only a loss for the Left and the CPI(M), it is a loss for all those who consider Marxism, cinema and literature as the heritage of human civilization and are fighting for the creation of a better and scientifically minded society by being illuminated by its light. Those who understand science a little bit, know that just as there is no end to knowledge and science, the struggle to shape human civilization and make it even better is also endless. Buddhadev Bhattacharya's public life spanning five decades was a part of this struggle. He evolved from an ordinary teacher to an extraordinary politician of the working class, in which he spread cool light instead of dazzling light. He was a lamp, whose flickering and extinction was inevitable. He left his mortal body this morning and went on an eternal journey.
Sukanta Bhattacharya, a famous poet of Bengal who died at an early age, was his father's cousin. His grandfather was associated with priesthood and his father with the publishing business. Therefore, it can be said that he was associated with the rich heritage of literature. This heritage attracted him towards the modern genre of that time like cinema. He carried forward this rich tradition by publishing books like "The Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany" in the year 2018 and "Chaos Under Heaven" in 2019 in Bengali. He had translated important works of the Latin American Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the great Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, among others.
Can anyone imagine that in today's dazzling corporate politics, there would be a former Chief Minister who would be living like a common man in a two-room flat? If there was someone like that, it was Budhadev Bhattacharya. If he could do this, it was only because he considered his life to be a part of the lives of the working class, the life culture of the working class was his culture.
Today, when the desire for awards for personal prestige has become so strong that there is a race to buy them and mortgage one's honour, can anyone imagine that there would be a former Chief Minister who would refuse to accept the Padma Bhushan award? Yes, if there was anyone like that, it was Buddhadev Bhattacharya. He showed how the anti-people politics of the Sanghi gang can be challenged even by rejecting awards. If he could do so, it was only because he was a true disciple and successor of his guru Jyoti Basu and he too, following the party's decision, had rejected the unanimous request of the opposition to become the Prime Minister. It is a different matter that even today many players of politics have a well-thought-out opinion that if Jyoti Basu had become the Prime Minister at that time, the direction of politics today would have been different and the Sanghi gang would not have got the opportunity to emerge as a major force.
The Left Front government of West Bengal, led by the CPI(M), was the only communist government in the world to be continuously elected through elections for the longest period of time, spanning from 1977 to 2011. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya served as a cabinet minister in these governments, successfully heading the ministries of Home and Hill Affairs, Information and Culture and City Development and Urban Affairs, etc. and also as Deputy Chief Minister between 1999-2000. In 2001 and 2006, the CPI(M) contested elections under his leadership and formed the Left Front government.
The challenge ahead for Budhadev Bhattacharya was not easy, and this challenge was to fulfill the desire of the common people to live a better life, which had increased their purchasing power through land reform measures and unimaginable achievements in the field of agriculture during Jyoti Basu's rule. For this, industrialization of West Bengal was now essential. He was faced with the challenge of transforming Bengal from an agricultural society to an industrial society. He accepted this challenge. During his tenure, many policies were made to promote industrial development and IT services in the state. From 2001 to 2005, the IT industry in the state saw a growth of 70 percent. Unprecedented private investment was made in the industrial sector of the state.
But the dream of industrial revival of Bengal that Buddhadev had seen could not be fulfilled without land acquisition. This was a difficult process because due to the development in the agricultural sector after land reform, there was very little barren and single-crop land in Bengal. Buddhadev missed this. The villagers did not accept the best acquisition package of that time in Singur and the proposal to set up a chemical industry in Nandigram further fuelled the discontent among the villagers. The opposition Trinamool left no stone unturned in adding fuel to this fire. Due to Buddhadev's democratic generosity, the Trinamool-sponsored movement against this land acquisition intensified and public opinion turned against the Left and the Left lost power in the 2011 assembly elections.
Due to his important political role in West Bengal, he was also elected a member of the Polit Bureau, the top body of the CPI(M). He was suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for some years and was leading the life of a political sanyasi since 2015. But his association with Marxism and the CPI(M) continued till his last breath. Tomorrow, as per his wish, his body will be donated and useful organs from his body will be transplanted to the needy. What better use can one make of his dead body than this!
The emotional tributes paid by the leaders of India Group and NDA and other politicians from the ruling and opposition parties on his demise not only reflect his acceptance above political differences, but also the relevance and brilliance of Marxism and the Left in these difficult times.
Red salute to Comrade Budhadev Bhattacharya!
(The author is the former secretary of Chhattisgarh CPI-M)
