To Jyoti Basu (Contd...)

Thanks that there are many Bengalis who think like me...and want to remember Jyoti Basu in the same light as me. I could not help posting a comment on my last blog. Sarcastic but nice read :).

He was a great leader no doubt, with all the aspects necessary to be termed as a great leader - things like a shrewd brain, criminal attitude and a very very thick skin. He lead WB through the most turbulent times, and with great success. He was the visionary who understood that education (and knowledge as a result of that) was the reason behind all social problems like people demanding their rights. Most importantly, education brought about the huge potential problem of rural people saying no to blindly following the "Raja r party". Having realized that, this visionary took legendary steps to ensure that a whole generation or two were made to go through a rotten educational curriculum that ensured their eternal struggle in life. They were not employable at national level, so the only option left for them was jobs (or whatever) created by the CPIM. We at B Schools, we must understand how great this strategy was, he created the pull factor by ensuring lack of emplyable
skills and supplied the push factor by actively recruiting for the famed party network - the famed Cadre Raj. It's a lesson, a great lesson in strategy/marketing/operational excellence. And yes, he created the financial backbone too - by making each and every industry pay for their well-being. Anyone who wanted to do business in WB, had to finance the great cadre network. Look here gentlemen, we are probably looking at the best possible system that was put in place to ensure long standing undisputed rule by a single party. When we reflect back at what Bengal is today, we must pay homage to this great visionary. It is a sad day today, specially as we come to terms with the fact that he could not get the best treatment possible. Look at what he had got, treated at AMRI hospital. That, after being treated throughout his life in the UK and other advanced countries (please ignore that these were the very countries he used to despise in his public speeches). It is extremely sad that he could not be taken to the best hospitals in the UK in his final years and we will probably never be able to forgive ourselves.

Too many emotions overflow my mind today, words are not enough to express them.

Just a final word -
Would have liked him to survive for a year or two more. He deserved to see the culmination of the downfall of CPIM - the demon he created as mean of looting the state. That would have been his ultimate prize. Sadly, he (just like his great follower - Mr. Chakrabarty) did not get the opportunity. I am sad today, sad from the core of my heart - for Mr. Basu and for the citizens of WB who also would have liked him to stay on till 2011.

Any such comment is further welcome.