Reign of terror?

The brutal way CPI(M) workers recaptured Nandigram in West Bengal over the last few days betrays the obvious disconnect between democracy and communism. The stories in the media of the plight of the `vanquished' farmers of Nandigram have exposed the contradictions of the CPI(M) as a party engaged in the political process of the country and and as a communist political group that will go to any extent to enforce its control even if it means use of arms and muscle power to coerce people. The Nandigram incidents have also shown that the CPI(M) has not learnt to behave as a party of government in West Bengal despite its successive rule there for the last three decades. The government led by the party allowed the entire law enforcement machinery in the State to be paralysed for two days just to let red brigades to invade the villages which were holding out against the CPI(M) since March 14 when 14 villagers were killed in firing by police and CPI(M) brigades. The invasion of Nandigram villages by armed party workers and victory marches organised by them will certainly have a chilling effect in areas where the CPI(M) has dominance. What is more disturbing is the silence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Nandigram developments. Perhaps, they are hoping to use Nandigram as a quid pro quo to buy the Left support for the Indo-US nuclear deal. On the other hand, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani's description of Nandigram incidents as `shocking, beyond words' sounds hollow after the latest disclosure of Tehelka that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi himself endorsed the post-Godhra anti-Muslim pogrom in 2002. There is hardly any difference between the Right and the Left. If there is, it is only in degree and not in intention to brutalise people.