Broken measures

West Bengal is broken. Nothing that is the state’s own works anymore. Very soon,it may need to import all kinds of services and personnel from other states or from the Centre. Even in countering the gravest internal security threat to the country,Bengal is yet to step out of its kindergarten picnic. How can it? Its own senior police officers have to cover their face for fear of Maoist wrath. And after they have criticised their government,they are promptly suspended. About that,there’s no hesitation on anybody’s part. Where was such urgency and ready reflex when Maoists stormed the Silda Eastern Frontier Rifles camp and left behind ashes and bodies?

EFR Special IG Benoy Chakraborty may certainly be punishable for breach of protocol. However,Chakraborty,by covering his face in black cloth while publicly blasting his government and a junior in rank,has painted for Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee the only honest picture of the state. Setting aside his allegations against West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma,whatever the IG said about the location,infrastructure,environment and functioning of the Silda camp is right. Those are precisely the questions the nation has been asking,and will be asking,of the Bengal government. Chakraborty,reportedly,had asked repeatedly for the camp to be moved. That was not done,despite the “death band” that police personnel in Maoist-afflicted areas wear. In fact,it is unfortunate that a senior police officer had to take recourse to such a public venting of grievances,making himself,his force and his government look ridiculous.

Behind the Silda massacre and its shameful fallout stands a government that has systematically emasculated its police,making the latter the gatekeepers of partymen. (What was the Silda camp itself set up for initially? To protect CPM men.) Bengal is synonymous with political and police violence. As with everything else,the rationale behind police recruitment,posting and promotion in Bengal has not been merit,but subservience to the party. In the face of Maoists,the same force is the picture of incompetence. Bhattacharjee,who holds the state home portfolio,should ask himself whether,and when,his government will learn its lessons. The morale of his state is broken. Right now,it can’t find its feet. The “oasis of peace” is really a bloodied paradise of ineffectuality. After three-plus decades of subverting every aspect of administration,government,police and people now share their defeatism.