WEST BENGAL, THE TRIAL HOUSE OF COMMUNISM IN INDIA

West Bengal has a history of long communist rule. Out of these long years, 35 years were continuously by two Chief Ministers, i.e, 1977 to 2000 by Jyoti Basu and 2000 to 2011 by Budhadeb Bhattacharjee. We may now go through the final outcome of the communist rule in the state. Most significant of all should be the economic development of the people of that state.

We may first find the per capita income of the people. The pci of West Bengal in 2019 can be compared with the high income states. (It is shown in USD and the conversion rate indicated in rupees @Rs 81/- per $)

Goa - 7,029 (5,69,349)

Sikkim - 6,421 (5,20,101

Delhi - 5,817 (4,71,177)

W Bengal -1,614 (1,32,354)

Let us now find the literacy rates of 2021.

Kerala - 94.0

Mizoram - 91.3

Goa - 88.7

W. Bengal - 76.3

According to NITI Aayog Health Index 2021 the selected score are:

Kerala - 82.90

T. Nadu - 72.42

W.Bengal - 57.16 (2018)

Unemployment rate of selected states in January 2022

Meghalaya - 1.4%

Odisha - 1.8%

Karnataka - 2.9%

MP - 3.0%

UP - 3.5%

Kerala - 5.0%

W.Bengal - 6.3%

As per the infrastructure index score  in 2005-06, while Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Kerala held top 4 positions W. Bengal held the 12th position.

The following figures indicate the crime rate per one lakh population in 2021

Nagaland - 7.2

Gujarat - 11.9

Andhra - 13.7

Kerala - 23.8

W. Bengal - 48.7

The final outcome of 35 years continuous rule of West Bengal by the communist party can be viewed from the above comparetive figures. And now a large amount of population from the state of West Bengal is fleeing to other states for mere livelihood. This has happened in many of the 40 odd countries ruled by Communists from time to time. Now only Cuba, Vietnam and Laos are ruled by them. The most surprising thing is that despite the utter failure of the socioeconomic ideology of Communism all over the world, what makes the so called literate population of Kerala to elect them to rule the state is really an element of surprise.

The most glaring example of the utter failure of Communism is visible in China. China has made a quantum leap in economic front soon after leaving Communism. China has secured the second position in GDP behind USA. 70% of their GDP is from private sector. During the communist regime in China food, cloth etc were distributed by ration system. This was lifted only in 1980s. Now there is no Communism in China except in the colour of the flag. Yet Indian Communists teach th common man that China is a communist country. Even in the number of billionaires in the world, China is in the second position with 698 while USA is on top with 724.  A Chinese professor's dream in those Communist days were buying a cycle and the dream of his wife was to buy a  sewing machine. Now China has reached to the top level among capitalist countries.

Marxism was not spread in Kerala through any prominent communist leaders or theorists. All that Communists have in Kerala today, the party is indebted to few people like Thoppil Bhasi, KS George, Sulochana, Vayalar Ramavarma, P Bhaskaran, ONV Kurup etc. Every drama of KPAC could make thousands of communists overnight in Kerala. The songs made and sung by the above could help the poor and the downtrodden to build dreams. Large expectations were created in people. It is still being continued in another forms like liquor and lottery tickets.

Kerala has large resources like tourism, art and culture, qualified youth, scope of many small and medium industries for manufacturing exportable goods. Despite concentrating on any of these the party has taught the youth to focus the attention on politics. Now the sunset may not be too far in Kerala too!

K V George