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

[TaraPrakash Tripathi]

Looks like the tradition of paying people back with their own coins will go 
on for a while.
Sigh


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "A. Mani" <a.mani.cms at gmail.com>
To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 1:24 PM
Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: The real face of "Change"


> _____________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” .
>
> ______________________________________________________________
>
>
>
>
> Best
>
> A. Mani
>
>
> --
> A. Mani
> ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS
> http://www.logicamani.co.cc
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