Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables
- Acknowledgements
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Situating Singur
- 2 Land, Identity and the Politics of Representation
- 3 Law, Judicialization and the Politics of Waiting
- 4 Class, Caste and Community
- 5 Gendered Mobilization: Women as Activists and Symbols
- 6 Activist Leadership
- 7 Ma, Mati, Manush – Mamata
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
7 - Ma, Mati, Manush – Mamata
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 May 2018
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables
- Acknowledgements
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Situating Singur
- 2 Land, Identity and the Politics of Representation
- 3 Law, Judicialization and the Politics of Waiting
- 4 Class, Caste and Community
- 5 Gendered Mobilization: Women as Activists and Symbols
- 6 Activist Leadership
- 7 Ma, Mati, Manush – Mamata
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Shahid Divas, 18 December 2007
Although she is known across the state as the supreme leader of the TMC, Mamata Banerjee is introduced at the shahid divas by Convenor Becharam Manna – who had by then finished his fiery speech – not as a party netri (leader) but as the chairperson of the Paschim Banga Krishi Jomi Jibon Jibika Raksha Committee (PBKJJJRC; West Bengal committee to save agricultural land, life and livelihood), an umbrella organization set up by the TMC to coordinate disparate land struggles across the state. Mamata Banerjee begins by thanking the organizers for hosting this meeting, and the many political VIPs for sharing the dais with her. Lastly, she thanks the villagers for spending their afternoon commemorating Tapasi Malik and the other martyrs of the Singur movement and for coming out to listen to her.
Until now she has been speaking in a subdued voice, but it soon escalates to a higher pitch as she lambastes the state's LF government, which she accuses of everything from corruption to murder, rape, arrogance and fascism:
Not only Tapasi Malik and Raj Kumar Bhul but a full eight people from Singur have either been murdered or committed suicide during this movement. When a democratic movement like ours rises to such a peak, the government must accept its demands. But in West Bengal the CPM has grown only more and more aggressive. On my way here I passed an area all covered in red flags. There was a CPM conference, very lavish. It must have cost crores of rupees, all financed with money collected from the people. There was a time when the CPM activists would go hungry and never have food to eat. Eight of them would share one bread. Earlier they would all starve, but now they have everything, big cars, big houses, everything. Crores of rupees! They say they are best in everything: math, science, history. But they stand first in murdering Tapasi Malik, they stand first in corruption, in rape, in theft! The CPM wants to control everything, but in reality it is they who are out of control! Do you [CPI(M) leaders] think that you will be able to continue like this day after day?
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- Land Dispossession and Everyday Politics in Rural Eastern India , pp. 165 - 188Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2018