Politics shadow over boi mela

KOLKATA: A fierce propaganda war is being fought away from the political alleys of Bengal. Charges are being levelled and counter allegations flung liberally on a platform that has so far been reserved for intellectual exchange. The Kolkata Book Fair has turned into a forum for political one-upmanship through books and speeches that are either extolling the virtues of a "change" or lashing out at disruptive forces that are destabilizing Bengal.
While some have been promoting and fanning the winds of change at the fair, others are stressing on the need for peace and continuity. The latter, though, have been far outnumbered by the change-seekers who received a shot in the arm on the very first day of the fair. Author Atin Bandyopadhyay condemned the Netai violence at the inaugural programme, calling it a shame for Bengal.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who already has several books under her belt, has come out with Netai' a compilation of 31 poems. The poems are based on the trauma of the violence and killings in West Bengal. Both could be released at the fair next week.
Mamata has followed it up with Chalo Jai', a compilation of her articles on the contemporary political scene in the state. At the Jaago Bangla stall where they could be sharing space with several other publications that highlight the CPM's misrule. At least half-a-dozen books by Mamata occupy the shelves. They include "Andolener Katha", "Asubho Sanket", "Anshon Keno", "Ma" and "Anubhuti". The books trace her political journey over the last decade. Posters depicting political violence have been put up at the stall with the title "Ganatantrer Namey" (In the name of democracy). Visitors walking into the stall are greeted by a banner which says "Ma, Mati Manusher Pokkhe Showal".
If the political message is quite obvious here, others like author Sunando Sanyal has chosen to do it a little more subtly. Sanyal's book "The Sickle and the Crescent" to be released at the fair on January 31 traces the role played by communists in pre-independent India and their collusion with the Muslim League which had called for the Partition. "My book does not dwell on contemporary politics. It merely seeks to establish that it is perhaps not entirely correct to hold Nehru responsible for the Partition. But some might find certain reflections of present politics in it," explained Sanyal.
He added that he will till the elections for the release of his book on "political change in Bengal". "I would be extremely happy to use the Book Fair as a platform for propagating the need for change. Since the winds of change are already blowing hard, why should the fair remain unruffled by it?" Sanyal asked. Veteran author Mahasveta Devi, a leading pro-change activist, will inaugurate Sanyal's book at the fair on January 31.
And it's not just books and posters that are carrying the political message. A protest meeting had been
called near the UBI auditorium on Friday calling for an end to the "politics of bloodshed".
Little magazines, too, have not ignored the political upheaval. Quite a few of them talk about the political unrest, violence and the campaign for change. "Singur Pratirodher Suchona", a special issue edited by Gargi Sengupta and Chandana Mitra has been flying off the racks. The issue is dedicated to Tapasi Malik who was killed at Singur. "Ekhon Pratirodh" published by Gana Pratirodh Mancha has been grabbing readers' attention as well.
A relatively muted counter campaign has been launched as well. It is evident at the Ganashakti stall which has bold posters depicting the progress of Bengal in the last three decades. While some show swank, new factories, plush IT offices and rural children enjoying a mid-day meal, others portray the state Assembly ransack by Trinamool Congress, bodies of CPM cadres killed in political clashes and a meeting in favour of the Tata project at Singur. Several compilations of Jyoti Basu's writings and speeches are on display at the stall.
Similar posters and publications vie for attention at the information and cultural department's "Paschim Banga" stall. The brightly done up stall boldly talks about the government's achievements in various sectors. Here, too, the progress in IT, tribal welfare and job creation have been highlighted with the catchline "Amar Sarkar Amar Pashe".