Mother

Arindam Sarkar

Unless told, most going down the Central Avenue would miss the destination. Just after the Shovabazar Metro Station is the famous locality of city’s idol-makers who for centuries have been churning out models of Devi Durga in the workshops situated on both sides of Banamali Sarkar Street.

This autumn is special for Kumartuli. The masters and the artisans are not only busy making the idols of Durga, Mahishasur, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik for the Durgotsav, but also life-size statues and busts of Saint Teresa of Kolkata.

Canonised by the Vatican on September 4, 2016, there is a surge in demand for the statues of Saint Teresa of Kolkata. No wonder, many of the workshops in Kumartuli are making Durga idols along with that of Saint Teresa of Kolkata. “Hindus venerate Ma Durga. Christians seek the blessings of Mother Teresa. And the artists’ aim is to create their models to near perfection,” said famous artist Naba Pal, while giving delicate touches to a Lord Ganesha model.

This is the time in Kumartuli when the artists are decking up Ma Durga and her escorts. The models are complete and the artists are focusing on the accessories and saris that the Devi would wear before standing on more than 2,500 city puja pandals on Panchami.

“There is a demand for both theme-based and traditional (Sabeki) Devi models. The artists are mostly from Nadia in Bengal and Bikrampur in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The models of Bikrampur artists are gorgeous,” said 43-year-old Naba Pal, who has been making idols since the age of 10.

This year, Naba Pal is making 30 idols, mostly theme-based and few traditional Durga that will be displayed at Suruchi Sangha in Behala, Kashi Bose Lane, Telenga Bagan, Shovabazar Sangrami, etc. “Ma Durga epitomizes peace, love and victory of the good over evil. She essentially blesses people with peace,” added Naba Pal, the son of maestro idol-maker Kartik Pal.

Kartik Pal along with Ramesh Pal and Mohan Banshi Rudra Pal once dominated Kumartuli and pandals of India and abroad with their fabulous Durga idols. Getting emotional about the past, Kartik Pal said, the story of Durga itself is inspiring. It is the light that emanated from Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma that created Durga to tame the demon Mahishashur. She was provided weapons by all the gods.

“It is a moving story of feminine power, love and strength. It also tells how Durga established peace by defeating the demon,” said Kartik Pal, who mastered the art of making traditional Durga.

Kartik Pal doesn’t find it surprising that model of Saint Teresa of Kolkata is being made at Kumartuli. He says some of the best sculptors work in the damp, dingy and dark workshops of the Kumartuli’s labyrinthine lanes. 

“Mother Teresa got Nobel peace prize. She worked for the common and poor people. She was a symbol of salvation. And Mother Durga is a symbol of peace, who comes down to the mortal world to bless her children with prosperity and tranquility,” said Kartik Pal.

The maestro said that with Mahalaya, Devi Pakkha begins and there is bliss, peace of mind and a divine spirit prevails all over the world. He pointed out that with Durga now ready, the workshops start looking clean. This is the only time when the studios are not stacked with bamboos, clay, soil, hay and wooden frames. There is a shape and life to everything around us. “I am 75. I no longer make idols. But I direct the idol-making of 97-year-old Bagbazar Sarbojanin and Shimla Byam Samiti. Two of the oldest Barwari pujas of the city,” said Kartik Pal.

Mohan Banshi Rudra Pal’s two sons Sanatan Rudra Pal and Pradip Rudra Pal are both famous Durga sculptors. Taking forward the tradition of their father, the two brothers make Durga for the pandals of Ekdalia Evergreen, College Square, Park Circus, Naba Durga, Gouri Bari, Bhowanipore Sarbojanin, Sreebhumi, Singhi Park, Ballygunge Cultural, Triangular Park, etc.

Although Pradip, like his father Mohan Banshi Rudra Pal, loves to make Sabeki Durga, he has also excelled in thematic Durga models. This year, he is making 70 Durga idols. “There has not been much change in the process of sculpting the anatomy. The change is noticed in ornaments and colour combinations. Change is vital. People want something new,” said Pradip Rudra Pal.

“My Durga has a soft expression on the face. It has its own style statement. I value the emotional aspect of victory of good over evil,” added 50-year-old Pradip Rudra Pal.

Sanatan Rudra Pal claimed that the Durga idols were much simple in the past, but it is much more intricate and there is special emphasis on the quality of Durga sculpture these days. “I have been making idols for 42 years. This year I am making more than 40 idols. It is the divine feeling that brings out the artistry to make a Durga idol. Drawing her eyes is most important. The whole experience is peaceful,” said 61-year-old Sanatan Rudra Pal.

The artists said that it costs around Rs 2 lakh to make a set of 15 feet Durga idol with her family. The cost of material and labour has increased but the profit has remained the same. “I hire 60 artisans throughout the year. It is a costly affair. But the profit margin has remained 20 per cent for every idol sold for the last two decades. That makes things difficult,” claimed Pradip Rudra Pal.

“Cost is rising and we are unable to meet the demand because the purchasers are not willing to pay higher price. It is a peculiar situation. We are also experimenting with fibre, glass and other material to make Durga, but how to reduce the cost?” added Sanatan Rudra Pal.

If hectic activity, cacophony and chaos are Kumartuli, at the other extreme of the city, the modest-looking Mother House on AJC Bose Road is a silent fortress. Carols and hymns sung by the nuns of Missionaries of Charity (MC) at specific hours of the day is the only break from the monotony of silence.

Life has not changed in the Mother House since her canonization. Only a small pictorial board, few notices and hymns and psalms dedicated to her by the nuns in the chapel, where the grave of Saint Teresa of Kolkata is located, everyday tells us that the champion of the poor and destitute, the apostle of peace and the saint of the gutter is now worshipped by the believers.

One is a saint of the Catholic Order and the other is the leading Goddess of the Hindu pantheon, whose prayers are accompanied by Sanskrit chants. But both symbolize the power of love and preach peace. One fought the evil of poverty, hunger and disease, the other a demon to save the human kind.

“Love one another as I have loved you,” Mother Teresa said. In fact, few know that since Mother Teresa respected all religions, Durgotsav had a special place in her heart. This was the time when she visited Durga pandals with her followers. “She did not go alone. But when people came to take her to a pandal, she went and then got back to her prayers after returning home,” said MC spokesperson Sunita Kumar.

Mother Teresa maintained a punishing schedule. She got up at 4.40 am. At 5 am, she was praying and meditating. At 6 am, she led the Mass. At 6.45 am there was a break for breakfast, and then she prayed again. Between 7 am to 8 am, she oversaw the household chores. At 8 am, she along with the nuns left the Home for visiting the other centres and dispensaries of MC.

“She loved children. A visit to Shishu Bhavan was a daily part of her schedule. She also visited Nirmal Hriday for the dying and the sick regularly. No less important to her was Gandhi Prem Nivas for leprosy patients,” recalled Sunita Kumar, who worked with Mother Teresa for more than 50 years.

Mother Teresa and nuns returned Home by noon and the lunch was over by 12.30 pm. This was followed by prayers. Between 1.30 pm to 2 pm would be rest time. Spiritual reading began at 2 pm and from 2.45 pm to 6 pm, it would be time for prayers and hymns. Supper was over by 8 pm. And after the night prayer at 9.20 pm, the lights were switched off in MC Home at 10 pm.

But while the nuns slept, Mother Teresa worked in her small attic room above the kitchen. The wooden furniture and no fan explain the simple life that the Albanian nun lived since February 1953. “She lived in a room which was above the kitchen. There is not much ventilation either. It is furnished modestly. She really lived a simple life and loved all whom she met and those who came to meet her,” said Sister Blesilla of MC.

Mother Teresa died at the age of 87 in 1997. Pope John Paul II disregarded the ten-year wait period for starting the process of sainthood. The Congregation of Saint-Makers at Vatican put Mother Teresa on a fast track to sainthood five years after her death. She was Beatified on October 19, 2003, by Pope John Paul II. And on September 4, 2016, Pope Francis made Mother Teresa a saint.

“Her message of peace and love moved the people. Her care for the sick and the suffering caught the world’s attention. Even before she became a saint, pilgrims visited her memorial. And since festival days will also be holidays, we expect a huge number of pilgrims to visit the Mother House to seek the blessings of Saint Teresa of Kolkata,” said Sister Blesilla.

On October 2, the Archdiocese of Kolkata and the Missionaries of Charity will celebrate the canonization of Mother Teresa at Netaji Indoor Stadium. This will be followed by another function in honour of Saint Teresa of Kolkata on November 4. “The second function will be held in the Mother House. She was a Mother to the world, especially to Kolkata – not to any particular religion,” said Sunita Kumar.

Surprisingly, in this world of technological advancement, science has not made inroads into the factories that manufacture Durga or the Mother House. Even today, the artists of Kumartuli use age-old tools, bare hands and traditional materials to make beautiful idols of Durga.

And almost a similar picture exists in the Mother House. There is no air-condition, and instead of email, the sisters still prefer to fax messages on MC letterheads; the home is modestly furnished and simple utensils are used for cooking and eating purposes. And like Mother Teresa, the MC nuns do not use mobile phones. The BSNL landlines are the only means of communication with them.

“Our studios are actually three-storied bamboo structures. We use wooden ladders to reach the upper floors which are all made of bamboos. When the statues are almost done, it becomes congested and very difficult to work inside these workshops. I believe it is Ma Durga’s blessings that make such artistry possible in such a dilapidated condition,” said Naba Pal.

But space is not something that the MC nuns complain about. For that matter, it is very difficult to know what exactly they desire or is disturbing them. Because led by Superior General of MC Mary Prema, the silence of the nuns is ominous and very difficult to penetrate even in the trying times of the Catholic Order and in the face of harsh criticisms.

“It is the discipline that Mother Teresa inculcated in her Order that prevails in all the MC homes of the world. And the MC and the Vatican believe that the life of good moral values that Saint Teresa of Kolkata lived will inspire her nuns and followers for the times to come,” said Sunita Kumar.

It is time for pomp and gaiety. Durgotsav will light up the city, dazzle the eyes, titillate the palates and fill the heart with divine spirit only to be over with the immersion of the Devi in the Ganges, leaving us in sorrow and silence. But the `Mother' will come again, next year, same time and same place.

SAINT TERESA OF KOLKATA

Arindam Sarkar

Humanity has no ideology. The legendary Marxist Chief Minister Jyoti Basu admired the Catholic missionary Mother Teresa. No wonder, when she died on September 5, 1997, Jyoti Basu made a special concession for the Missionaries of Charity (MC) and allowed the Saint of the Gutter to be buried inside the Mother House at 54 A, AJC Bose Road.

It was the longest night when the then Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Asim Barman along with the late MC Superior General Sister Nirmala, stood at the prayer hall as the grave diggers went about digging the grave of the century’s one of most loved, admired, criticized and controversial personality.

Miles away, Vatican under Pope John Paul II held a special prayer. Pope was fond of Mother Teresa and praised the life of holiness she lived. Most importantly, he felt Mother Teresa should be canonized. And Church believed Pope John Paul II would put Mother Teresa on the fast track to sainthood.

The mandatory ten-year wait before the Cause of Canonisation is started was set aside for Mother Teresa by Pope John Paul II. “Saints do not demand applause from us, but want us to follow them,” pope said. And five years after her death, Vatican began the process of sainthood for the Albanian nun who put Kolkata on the world map.

Nineteen years after her death, Mother Teresa is Saint Teresa of Kolkata. “We will put up a big canonisation picture of Vatican inside the Mother House and another outside the building,” said Sister Besilla of MC. “In fact, in recent times, this is one of the fastest sainthood given by Vatican. Pope Jonh Paul II became a saint in nine years and Mother Teresa in 19 years,” added Archbishop Thomas D’Souza.

In her lifetime and after her death, critics never spared Mother Teresa. But no amount of criticism derailed the champion of the downtrodden and the destitute. And every time, critics struck, Mother would say, “God loves all.”     

The recent attack on Mother Teresa came when RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat fired that the service rendered by Mother Teresa was good but there was a motive behind such social service and that the motive was to convert those she served to Christianity. The remark shocked the Catholic Church and rocked the Parliament. But the MC Superior General Sister Prema maintained silence.
Sunita Kumar, who worked with Mother Teresa and MC for 50 years, said the RSS chief was misinformed. “Mother Teresa served the poor, the dying, the destitute and the sick irrespective of their religion. Mother Teresa accommodated everyone. I have not seen a single case wherein people were asked to convert to Christianity. Mother never imagined becoming a saint,” claimed Sunita Kumar.

Superior General of MC Fathers in Tijuana, Mexico, Father Brian Kolodiejchuk said: “Mother Teresa believed conversion is a work of God and that faith is a gift. She respected every person, including atheists or agnostics, and respected the faith they had or even lacked.”

Father Brian, who was the Postulator for the Cause of Mother Teresa’s Canonisation, said, the Constitution of the MC states: “We shall not impose our Catholic Faith on anyone, but have profound respect for all religions, for it is never lawful for anyone to force others to embrace the Catholic Faith against their conscience.” “This is very much in accord with the thought of Mother Teresa herself,” added Father Brian,

Even former chief election Commissioner of India and biographer of Mother Teresa, Navin B Chawla, observed: “Although staunchly and devoutly Catholic, she reached out to people of all denominations irrespective of their faith, or even lack of it. She did not believe that conversion was her work. That was god’s work, she said.”

It was Malcolm Muggeridge in his BBC documentary Something Beautiful For God who first told the world about Mother Teresa’s work in Kolkata in 1964. But with praise, controversy hounded Mother Teresa. Arguably the most celebrated woman of the Catholic Church in the 20^th century, she faced a good share of criticism in her lifetime.

From Professor Serge Larivie to Christopher Hitchens to Tariq Ali to Robin Fox and Mohan Bhagwat have all criticized Mother Teresa “for her rather dubious way of caring for the sick, her shady political contacts, her suspicious management of huge funds and donations, her alleged involvement in conversion and her dogmatic views on abortion, contraception and divorce”.

However, Navin Chawla says Mother Teresa was actually given $1,000 by Duvalier’s daughter-in-law and not millions. When Navin Chawla asked Mother Teresa why she took money from shady characters like Duvalier? She replied: “In charity, everyone had a right to give. I have no right to judge them. God alone has that right. I accept no salary, no grant, no government or church funds, nothing. I do not ask for money. But people have right to give.”

Meanwhile, medical journal The Lancet criticized the quality of medical care provided to the terminally ill in her homes. In 1991, Editor of The Lancet Robin Fox visited her homes. He observed that the MC did not distinguish between curable and incurable patients and those who could otherwise survive were at the risk of dying from infection and lack of treatment.

He was appalled by the manner in which the MC nuns attended to the wounds and provided pain management to the patients. In fact, German magazine Stern criticized Mother Teresa for using donations to expand her convents but not alleviating the condition of the poor in her homes.“Also, Mother Teresa’s position on abortion, divorce and contraception was ultra-reactionary and fundamentalist even in orthodox Catholic terms,” said Christopher Hitchens. He ridiculed her stand that abortion was “the greatest destroyer of peace”.

But despite a slew of criticisms that she faced in her lifetime, Mother Teresa and MC never reacted to the diatribes. With 754 homes in 130 countries, the ever-expanding MC is grateful to Pope Francis for recognizing the contribution of Mother Teresa and her Catholic Order. “She was saint even before being recognized by Vatican. See the number of pilgrims who visit Mother House every day,” claimed Sister Blesilla. 

Meanwhile, Archbishop Thomas D’Souza under whose archdiocese Mother Teresa is being canonized is happy. “Her sainthood would inspire people to lead a good life and encourage them to serve the poor and sick. Sainthood proves the quality, virtues and holiness of Mother Teresa’s life,” he said. 

After Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, Pope John Paul II put her Cause for beatification and canonsiation on a fast track. Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa on October 19, 2003.

The church took 400 years to cannonise Joan of Arc and 40 years to make Polish priest Maximillian Maria Kolbe a saint. After Pope John Paul II, the Cause of Mother Teresa was put on a backburner. Nevertheless, the Archdiocese of Kolkata believed God would provide the miracles for her sainthood.

Father Brian Kolodiejchuk submitted his report on Mother’s life to Vatican. According to him, the MC always prayed for cases strong enough to pass the medical board of the Congregation of the Cause of Saints at Vatican. The beatified Mother Teresa was called Blessed Teresa of Kolkata. And she needed another miracle to become a saint and that happened in Mexico.

In 1994, two British journalists Christopher Hitchens and Tariq Ali produced a critical documentary Hell’s Angel on Mother Teresa on British Channel 4. Former Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens launched a scathing attack on Mother Teresa in his book The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice.

Subsequently, Christopher Hitchens criticized Mother Teresa’s beatification process in an article in Slate. He said: “It’s the sheer tawdriness that strikes the eye first of all. It used to be that a person could not even be nominated for `beatification’, the first step to `sainthood’, until five years after his or her death. This was to guard against local or popular enthusiasm in the promotion of dubious characters. The Pope nominated MT a year after her death in 1997.”

“As for the `miracle’ that had to be attested what can one say? Surely any respectable Catholic cringes with shame at the obviousness of fakery…Monica Besra claims a beam of light emerged from a picture of MT and relived her of a cancerous tumour. Her physician Dr Ranjan Mustafi said she didn’t have a cancerous tumour in the first place and tubercular cyst she had was cured by a course of prescription of medicine. Was he interviewed by Vatican investigators? No,” argued Christopher Hitchens. He claimed there was an attempt by Pope John Paul II to make Mother Teresa a saint during his lifetime, but the Vatican turned it down.

According to Professor Larvie, the hallowed reputation of Mother Teresa does not stand up to scrutiny on many counts. Mother Teresa faced serious criticism for taking donation from Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who stole millions of dollars from the poor country. She was nailed for taking funds from British publisher Robert Maxwell, who embezzled millions of pounds from employees’ pension funds. Mother Teresa also faced flak for demanding leniency in Charles Keating of Lincoln Savings and Loan case. Keating gave huge donation to Mother Teresa and a private jet when she visited the USA.

“She was a friend to the worst of the rich, taking misappropriated money from the atrocious…Where did that money and all other donations go?” asked Christopher Hitchens.

2011 Census and Muslims of Bengal

Arindam Sarkar

Poverty and illiteracy are largely responsible for the growth of the Muslim population in Bengal. The 2011 census released by the Government of India shows that the population of Muslims in Bengal has grown from 25.2 per cent in 2001 to 26.94 percent in 2011. That is a growth 1.8 per cent in one decade.

In Bengal, majority of the Muslims are poor. They work as agricultural labours or factory hands. “Living in the rural areas, the Muslims believe that a large family helps to increase the income. Similarly, due to lack of education and awareness, the illiterate Muslims ignore family planning. Both contributes to growth in population,” explained President of the West Bengal wing of the Jamaat-E-Islami Hind Mohammad Nuruddin.

Muslims primarily live in the districts of Murshidabad, Malda, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata in Bengal. And Muslims are in majority in Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur.

Secretary General of the West Bengal wing of the Jamaat-E-Islami Hind Abdur Rafiq describes the growth of the Muslim population in the last decade as natural. “Lack of education, religious belief and unwilling to practice family planning led to rise in population,” said Abdur Rafiq.

However, Abdur Rafiq insisted that he does not consider infiltration through the porous Indo-Bangla to be a factor behind the rise in Muslim population. “I live in a border area. Most of the infiltrators and refugees are Hindus from Bangladesh. Impoverished Muslims cross over in search of work but they do not settle down in India. They go back to Bangladesh after working,” claimed Abdur Rafiq.

General secretary of the Maulana Shaukat Ali Foundation Ayaz Ahmed pointed out that the Muslims are now seriously spreading education among the brethren and that is paying off. No wonder, in the last decade the population of the Muslims grew by only less than 2 per cent. “Better education and awareness would introduce family planning and that would naturally bring the population down. It would also improve the socio-economic condition of the Muslims in Bengal,” said Ayaz Ahmed.

Speaking about the trend of the population growth of the Muslims in Bengal, the Head of the Dawaat Division of the West Bengal wing of the Jamaat-E-Islami Hind Mohammad Tahiruddin said the figures clearly show that there is a downslide. ‘Compared to 2001, the figure in 2011 is not much different. It seems the Muslims are becoming conscious of better living and birth control methods,” said Mohammad Nuruddin.

In fact, the Muslim intelligentsia and the Jamaat-E-Islami Hind leaders, who work among the Muslims in the sphere of education, health and moral development (religion), are unanimous that in comparison to the last three censuses, the 2011 census is an indicator that the growth of the Muslim population has slowed down significantly. “This is largely due to resurgence of education among the Muslims and realization that bigger unit is an economic burden on the family purse,” said Ayaz Ahmed.

Abdur Rafiq summed it up when he said that majority of the poor Muslims do not do family planning. He said it is only the educated that practice birth control methods. And once the entire community resorts to this scientific technique, the growth of Muslim population would further reduce.

Sonia tells Bengal Congress leaders to wait and watch

Arindam Sarkar

AICC president Sonia Gandhi told the senior State Congress leaders, who called on the party boss at her residence in New Delhi, that the time was not ripe to discuss about electoral alliance and the party’s poll strategy in Bengal. It will be finalized later.

On Friday evening, August 21, 2015, Rajya Sabha MP Pradip Bhattacharya, Lok Sabha MP AH Khan Chowdhury, former PCC chief Somen Mitra, Deepa Dasmunshi and Abdul Mannan met Sonia Gandhi and briefed her about the political situation in Bengal.

Apparently, the recent meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Central Hall of the Parliament has confused the State Congress leaders. Totally against an electoral alliance with the Trinamool Congress, the State Congress satraps wanted to know whether Sonia Gandhi was considering a pre-electoral alliance with Mamata for the ensuing 2016 Assembly polls – as it happened in 2011 Assembly elections.

“In the Congress, election strategy is decided by the AICC. If there is a political adjustment or an aggression, it is the AICC that will decide on it. Sonia Gandhi said, when the AICC takes the decision, the PCC leaders would be consulted,” said Pradip Bhattacharya.

To convince Sonia Gandhi that the PCC was against an electoral alliance with the Trinamool, as the latter was out to decimate the former, Congress leaders said the Trinamool was attacking their party rank and file in Bengal.

Sonia Gandhi hinted that soon an AICC observer would be sent to Bengal. He would visit the various districts to read the ground situation and meet the PCC leaders before briefing the AICC on the strategy to be adopted for the ensuing elections in the State. “Six months back AICC general secretary Madhusudhan Mistry came to consult the PCC leaders,” said Pradip Bhattacharya.

In the meeting with Sonia Gandhi, the Bengal leaders also said that the high command should give direction to the State unit to develop the party organization to fight the elections. In other words, without criticizing the PCC chief Adhir Chowdhury, the leaders impressed upon Sonia Gandhi that the party was not moving in the right direction.

“We discussed organizational matters. We expect AICC observers to visit Bengal soon. Sonia Gandhi gave us a patient hearing. As far as electoral alliance with the Trinamool, we have expressed our reservation long back,” said Abdul Mannan.

On being told that senior State Congress leaders had raised questions about his leadership in Bengal, a confident State Congress president said there would be no organizational polls and he would complete his tenure.

“AICC has given me complete independence. They have never intervened in my job. They have not restrained me. I have got the mandate to prepare the party for the Assembly polls,” claimed Adhir Chowdhury.

However, Adhir said the senior State Congress leaders have the right to meet the AICC president. “I don’t know why they met Sonia Gandhi. But I know that when the AICC decides on the poll strategy for Bengal, they would call me and ask me to execute it – be it regarding alliance or organization strategy,” said Adhir.

No light and identity papers for the people of enclaves

Arindam Sarkar

Confusion and uncertainty prevails. And in the last two weeks, the State government or the district administration of Coochbehar has done little for the development and rehabilitation of the 14, 856 people living in the enclaves on the Indian side. The fate of 950-odd people, who crossed over from the Bangladeshi enclaves to settle in India, is same.

The Indo-Bangla Land Border Agreement paved the way for swapping of land and population on the midnight of July 31. The process would end by June 30, 2016. There were 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in the Coochbehar district of India. Diplomatic niceties over, now people in the Indian enclaves are groping in the dark.

Back to the wall, a section of the people living in the Indian enclaves, along with the representatives of the Citizens’ Rights Coordination Committee (which is the successor of Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Committee), gave a deputation to the District Magistrate of Coochbehar P Ulaganathan few days back.

The delegation told the DM that since the residents of the enclaves have no proper identification papers that confirm their Indian citizenship, they should all be given a primary identification certificate. The residents of the enclaves should also be helped to open accounts in nationalized banks.


Since there is no electricity, people need kerosene to light their homes. Therefore, the district administration should immediately issue these people ration cards to buy kerosene at a subsidized rate. Also, the children’s education certificates should be given recognition by the State government.

“I am told the district administration would begin distributing primary identification certificates to the people of the enclaves from August 24. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is aware of our problems. We don’t want NGOs to work here. The CM should involve the health, PWD, rural development and PHE department to develop the 7,110 acres of land for the uplift of the people,” said Coordinator of the Citizens’ Rights Coordination Committee Diptiman Sengupta.

Out of the total 15, 815 people living in the enclaves in Bengal, almost 12,000 of them will vote in 2016 Assembly polls. The voters of the 51 enclaves fall under the Assembly constituencies of Dinhata, Sitai, Mathabhanga and Mekhliganj. Out of these, majority belongs to the Assembly segments of Dinhata and Mekhliganj.

Diptiman Sengupta said apart from development of infrastructure, plans are afoot to create employment opportunities for the people of the enclaves. He said there are five major water bodies here, which can provide employment to at least 700 families.

“Employment generation in the enclaves is a major thrust area. We will also develop cooperative farming of agriculture and livestock. We are trying to develop a system where the people would be involved from production to marketing stage without depending on middlemen,” said Diptiman Sengupta.

Finally, since this is a border area, the Citizens’ Rights Coordination Committee has decided to work to improve the Indo-Bangla bilateral relations in this zone to make life easy for the people living on the enclaves of both the sides.

“We will give thrust to the exchange programme of farmers. We will ensure that those who sell their land in Bangladesh to come here are able to get their money here smoothly and vice versa,” explained Diptiman Sengupta.

As things stand, life on the Indo-Bangla border following the Land Border Agreement is still far from happy. People have too many problems and the State government is yet to solve the difficulties. 

Infighting in the Congress over Bangla Bandh

Arindam Sarkar

Infighting in the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee once again came to the surface. This time over a decision that State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury took without consulting his party colleagues.

It was the unilateral decision of State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury to call a Bangla Bandh on August 18 that peeved the Congress leadership. Result: the infuriated Congress leaders boycotted the bandh and stayed indoors.

While the Congress satraps of North Bengal – especially Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and Malda – made the Bangla Bandh a success, the senior leaders of South Bengal stayed away. And the Congress bandh failed to have any impact in this belt of Bengal.

Apparently, the bitterness between Congress satraps and Adhir Chowdhury began over the date on which the bandh was to be called. Initially, sources said, Adhir was interested in calling the Bangla Bandh on August 20. But he had to retract since the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi fell on that date.

Since the State Congress’ minority programme at Indoor Stadium was already scheduled on August 19, former PCC chief Manas Bhuniya requested Adhir to call the Bangla Bandh on either August 17 or August 21.

“But he refused to take our views into consideration. He took the decision alone and from New Delhi declared that the bandh would be observed on August 18. This attitude alienated the Congress leaders,” said Manas Bhuniya.

Refuting the allegation of the PCC satraps, Adhir Chowdhury said that the Congress Constitution gave power to the State president to take unilateral decisions. “I ratified my decision to hold the Bangla Bandh on August 18 from the AICC. That is enough,” said Adhir Chowdhury.

While Adhir, Deepa Dasmunshi, AH Khan Chowdhury and Mausam Benazir Noor made the Congress bandh successful in the districts of Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur and Malda, absence of former PCC chiefs Somen Mitra, Pradip Bhattacharya and Manas Bhuniya, and senior leaders Abdul Mannan and Shankar Singh crippled the bandh in South Bengal. “I made the bandh a total success in Sabong,” claimed Manas Bhuniya.

Senior Congress leaders said they did not participate in the bandh because Adhir did not consult the PCC for finalizing the decision and the date. What’s more, the Congress leaders alleged, Adhir’s call for a bandh from New Delhi instead of Kolkata was also peculiar and showed streaks of his individual style of politics.

“He did not consult us. He did not hold a formal press conference to announce the Bangla Bandh and took no initiative to involve the PCC leaders. So nobody paid any importance to his call,” said Abdul Mannan.

Criticising the non-participation of the senior Congress leaders in the bandh, Adhir Chowdhury said what emerged is not the factionalism in the party but a deliberate attempt by a section of the Congress leadership to defeat the purpose of protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation and anarchy in the State through a bandh.

“These Congress leaders are out to dilute my leadership. They would have been very happy if the Bangla Bandh had evoked no response,” alleged Adhir Chowdhury.

However, Adhir said in the coming days he would hit the streets again to protest against the atrocities perpetrated by the Trinamool Congress government in Bengal – even if it means doing it alone.

Enclaves: Living on the edge

Arindam Sarkar

The ice between India and Bangladesh began melting after both the Houses of the Indian Parliament passed the 119^th Amendment to the Constitution in May 2015 and agreed to sign the pending Land Border Agreement (LBA) between the two countries.

The agreement paved the way for the swapping of land and population on the midnight of July 31, the process that would end by June 30, 2016. There are 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in the Cooch Behar district of India.

But the LBA is only one of the issues that have been straining the Indo-Bangla relations. The LBA is materializing after six decades, but the Indo-Bangla Teesta Water Sharing Treaty and checking of rampant infiltration of population and terrorists from the Bangladesh side through the porous border to India remain crucial bilateral issues. Added to this is Bengal’s dissatisfaction over Bangladesh’s banning of Hilsa export to India.

The first hurdle was crossed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, signed the LBA with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in June 2016. Modi also assured that other bilateral irritants would be resolved amicably in the future.

Now that the enclaves have been exchanged, in the coming months it is the development at the micro level, and not political campaign or religious card that would determine the voting pattern of the settlers in the 51 enclaves of Coochbehar district in Bengal (on the Indian side) in the 2016 Assembly elections.

In the absence of electricity, sanitation, hospitals, schools, proper roads and supply of clean drinking water, life is terrible for the 15, 815 residents living in the enclaves on the Indian side. “We know that unless we undertake development work, the enclave dwellers will not vote for us. But before the 2016 Assembly polls, they will see that we are working to improve their living condition,” claimed North Bengal Development Minister Goutam Deb.

Out of the 15, 815 people living in the enclaves in Bengal, almost 12,000 of them will vote in 2016 Assembly polls. The voters of the 51 enclaves fall under the Assembly constituencies of Dinhata, Sitai Mathabhanga and Mekhliganj. Out of these, majority belongs to the Assembly segments of Dinhata and Mekhliganj that are held by Forward Bloc candidates. Congress has won Sitai and Mathabhanga belongs to the Trinamool Congress.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the people of the enclaves voted en masse for the Trinamool candidates of Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri constituencies. For, they hoped the Trinamool would pave the way for the Land Border Agreement (LBA) and give them freedom from existence in no-man’s land.

“But in 2011 Assembly polls, the people of the enclaves voted on the basis of development in their local areas. In 2016 too, development of the enclaves would determine which way the people living in the enclaves would vote,” said Dinhata’s Forward Bloc MLA Udayan Guha.

By June 2016, the process of swapping of people would be completed by India and Bangladesh. From January 5, 2016, the new voters’ list would be compiled. Already 4,000 out of the 15, 815 of the enclaves in the Indian side are voters. “Once enclave dwellers get their citizenship by the end of this year, they can enroll themselves in the voters’ list,” said Udayan Guha.

Since majority of the residents in the enclaves of Coochbehar are Muslims, at times political parties played the religious card during the elections. But it has never been the overriding factor. Similarly, people who have been working with the enclave dwellers, like Diptiman Sengupta of Bharat Bangladesh Enclaves Exchange Committee and Debabrata Chaki, have tried to influence the local voting pattern. But lack of development in the enclaves has always taken precedence over such factors during elections.

“I agree there is no infrastructure in the enclaves. People are leading a pathetic life. We have to work on a war footing to make their life better,” said Goutam Deb. The minister pointed out that to begin with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would soon lay the foundation stone of a bridge that would connect Haldibari with Mekhliganj.

Trinamool believes the signing of the LBA has created goodwill for Mamata Banerjee and the enclave dwellers are willing to give time to the CM to develop the enclaves. Meanwhile, the Forward Bloc and the Congress is confident of holding on to its bastions with the support of the enclave dwellers.

As for Bangladeshi Hilsa, which has almost vanished from the fish markets of Kolkata since Dhaka banned it export, Teesta holds the key. Sheikh Hasina told Mamata Banerjee that once the Teesta water starts flowing to Bangladesh from India, the Hilsa of River Padma would find its way to the Ganges of Bengal. So the ban would be only lifted after the Indo-Bangla Teesta Water Sharing Treaty is signed.