[Reader-list] Fwd: The real face of "Change"

[A. Mani]

_____________Forwarded message _____________________________


Please find a captivating account of "change" in Bengal, appeared in
Ganashakti (25 May 2011). Tough days are ahead of us in defending the
Left movement in Bengal.

Regards,
Nithin

“I have to leave my ancestral village home under Trinamool threats.”-
Jagannath Dhara

My ancestral home is in Nokunda village in Goghat. But since 1985 I
used to stay in Serampore. My 95-year-old mother stays in Nokunda and
that is why I have to go to Nokunda to see my mother once or twice in
a month or two. This time, however, I went to my village not
specifically `to see my mother but to see the so called “change” that
has been brought about in my village after the elections.
On May 21 at 5-40 in the morning I took Dn. Tarakeswar local to
Goghat. From Goghat I took a bus to reach Nokunda. Around 10-30 a.m. I
got down at the village bus stand, close to the CPI(M) party office.
For the last 25 years this is the route I have been following .
As I got down from the bus and reached the party office I found none
in and around the party office. Even the wooden bench on the verandah
of the party office which used to be the waiting place for local
villagers to catch buses was missing. The party office was found
locked. I knew with whom the key is kept. I managed to collect the key
and opened the party office. The custodian of the key asked me
repeatedly not to open the party office but I did not listen to him. I
was eager to read the party organ Ganashakti  which I thought must be
available there. After staying in tha party office for sometime I left
for home.
Our home is located in the north-east part of the village. On way to
home I noticed that the people who are known to me are avoiding  me
and even refused to talk to me. The sign of fear was writ large on
their face. Some of my friends asked me not to roam around the
village. The village I know since my childhood days has suddenly
“changed.”  Despite warning from my friends I came out of my house in
the afternoon and went to Digarpara area where I saw seven days back
red flags fluttering all around. But now red flags were removed and
tri-colours with symbols of Trinamool have been hoisted on house and
tree tops.
At Bagpara I met Tara Bag. He told me that there was none in the
house. All have left. When I was taking rest at the courtyard of Tara
Bag’s house suddenly I noticed a group of boys of around 20 or 25
appeared in front of me and wanted to know who I am and what for I
came to the village.  I was born and brought up in Nokunda but I have
never seen the boys who surrounded me and behaved with me like rogues.
They wanted to know what led me to go to  the CPI(M) party office and
opened it. Addressing me they asked : Tell us where arms and
ammunition have been stored and hidden? When I told them that  I know
anything about weapons, they were about to beat me. I told them that
they were free to assault me or even kill me but cannot say nothing
about which is not known to me.
Despite threats I admitted that I went to the CPI(M) office because it
is my regular practice whenever I come to home. “You can kill me but I
am not going to hide the fact” At this stage the unknown youths called
the police. The police started interrogating me. From their
conversation I came to know that the police at the instruction of
these young boys conducted searches at different places in the village
but did not found weapons from anywhere.
I was then brought to the police camp where one presumably an officer
started second round of interrogation of me. There with the police
officer I saw a Trinamool leader of our village whom I knew. After
third and fourth rounds of interrogations I was asked to leave the
village as soon as possible.
To me there was no alternative but to leave the village on that day.
Like me many villagers have already left their homes in a situation
arising out of  what we call a “change”    .

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Best

A. Mani


--
A. Mani
ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS
http://www.logicamani.co.cc