CPI (M) aims to stay politically relevant in Bengal with citizen volunteers
The objective of Citizens on Watch is to engage common people in their respective areas in “exposing” TMC leaders who became rich overnight through "corrupt" means
Faced with a historic low in West Bengal politics, the CPI (M) has come out with a couple of unusual initiatives for mass mobilisation to keep itself relevant in the changed scenario in the state.
As part of the initiatives, the party has decided to raise citizen volunteers to keep a tab on alleged growing corruption of the Trinamool Congress at the grassroots level, which often leads to intra-party skirmishes like the one witnessed in Birbhum district last month, where eight people were burnt to death in a clash between two groups of TMC members.
Move to ‘expose’ TMC leaders
The objective of the drive that is christened ‘Citizens on Watch’ is to engage common people in their respective areas in “exposing” TMC leaders who became rich overnight through “corrupt” means.
The volunteers can send their inputs in the form of pictures of properties such as houses and vehicles of the “corrupt leaders” and other relevant information anonymously to cpimdigital@gmail.com.
The recent Birbhum violence exposed how many TMC panchayat, block and district level leaders, who had been till recently struggling to make ends meet, suddenly became owners of palatial houses and astonishing wealth.
Historic strike of the working people against the naked loot of national assets, widespread privatisation of public sector, abrogation of labour laws replaced by new labour codes, etc.
Support to protect India’s wealth and the rights of the working people.
(West Bengal 👇) pic.twitter.com/g6roHLRTCv— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 28, 2022
After the Birbhum incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the home portfolio, directed the police to take pre-emptive steps to prevent intra-party and inter-party clashes.
The directive, however, failed to stop the political violence. Even on Friday (April 1), crude bombs were hurled at the houses of some TMC leaders at Sasan in North 24 Parganas, allegedly by members of rival TMC groups. The clash was allegedly due to some disputes over the control of fisheries in the area.
The Citizens on Watch initiative aims to expose these TMC leaders and their turf wars over control of alleged illegal businesses.
‘Syndicate raj thriving in state’
The inputs provided by the volunteers would be compiled and published in a booklet, said Mohammed Salim, the new secretary of the CPI(M)’s Bengal unit.
“The Birbhum revelation is just the tip of the iceberg. The entire syndicate raj that is thriving in the state with the connivance of the administration needs to be exposed and the people should be made aware of this,” he said. “We are trying to do this with the help of citizens.”
WB: Processions and public meetings are being held across the state against the mass killings which took place in Rampurhat, demanding justice for the late student activists Anish Khan and in support of All India Strike scheduled to be held on 28th-29th March. Few glimpses. pic.twitter.com/hOVdPUwdWg
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) March 26, 2022
Besides, CPI(M) sources said, the party hopes to expand its organisational base and public outreach through the initiative as it tried to do during the COVID pandemic by raising “Red volunteers” to reach out to the people hit by the pandemic.
Now that the pandemic is ebbing, many of those enrolled as “Red volunteers” no longer find themselves useful. The new initiative, the sources said, will provide them an opportunity to keep themselves engaged with the people.
Young faces inducted
Since its historic defeat in last year’s Assembly elections, where Left parties failed to win a single seat, a first since Independence, the CPI(M) is trying to adopt new strategies of mass contacts.
To bring in more fresh ideas, it is also enforcing a generation shift in the party by inducting young leaders. Last month, the party inducted more than 20 young faces in its state committee.
As part of its attempts to keep itself relevant, the party recently also decided to float a mass organisation representing people from the transgender community.