“We will never stand for any anti-people policies”

Ashis Biswas Kolkata

It is still too early to deliver judgement on Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s performance in his second tenure as chief minister of West Bengal. But as one observer pointed out, something has occurred in the state during his innings that has happened nowhere else.  One example of this is steel magnate Sajjan Jindal’s plan to invest between Rs 5,000 crore and 10,000 crore in steel and infrastructure sectors in the state. In tune with this newfound investor enthusiasm for West Bengal, long considered the graveyard of capital, the subject that really animates the states helmsman is the one closest to his heart: the economic progress of West Bengal and his visions of the future. He spoke from memory, covering agriculture, agro business, IT, chemicals, power, infrastructure, agricultural exports, engineering, higher education, the Tata proposal to set up a low-price car plant... He reeled off statistics confidently, garnishing a point or two with brief anecdotes.

Several states have reduced sales tax charged on petrol and diesel. Will the West Bengal government follow suit?

We will reduce our taxes the very day the Centre announces a reduction in excise and other duties charged on fuel.  But it is the Centre that always increases the price whenever there is any increase in the international market. This practice has created a mess. It is for the Centre to clean up its own mess, it cannot expect the states, which have very little financial powers and resources, to pay for its policies. The worst thing is that we have given the Centre some suggestions on how to avoid increasing prices indefinitely.  But they never even bother to discuss alternatives with anyone. Where will it all end?

But surely, a major reason is India’s critical dependence on oil imports.

My question is, are we approaching countries rich in oil and energy resources as an independent sovereign country?  Why have we given up on the pipeline from Iran, linking India and Pakistan?  Because of American pressure, they don’t want us to develop close ties with Iran because they have problems with it; even our petroleum minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had to go because he wanted the pipeline built. This had never happened before.  The person who replaced him is known to be close to US interests, according to press reports. It seems the Americans have achieved critical access to crucial central departments and ministries, even within the prime minister’s office (PMO).

But haven’t you welcomed American investment in Bengal?

I have, and what of it?  There is no contradiction in my stand as you imply. We have every respect for American scholarship, their scientific, literary and cultural achievements and values. Some of our foreign friends are beginning to see India increasingly as an ally of the US in South Asia, rather like Pakistan, in this region. This I find deeply disturbing. We have respect for the American people.  Surely this does not necessarily mean that we must love the Pentagon as well?  As for investments, we are in talks with some American concerns who are interested in setting up a chemical hub at Haldia and yes, we certainly welcome them.

The United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) foreign policy has also come in for much Left criticism. Does this augur well for the future of the UPA?

No government at the Centre ever fell because of withdrawal of Left support.  We supported the Congress (I) to form a government at the Centre to protect the unity and integrity of the country and to maintain communal harmony, in special circumstances in 2004, circumstances that still prevail. But we have also indicated that we will never stand for any anti-people policies. 

About Iran developments, the world must ensure that after the ruin of Iraq after US military intervention on flimsy grounds, the same does not happen in Iran too. India has a definite role to play in the region, instead of accepting US dictates on its economic ties with Iran, or going in for joint army exercises with the US. It must be understood that India is a major sovereign power, it cannot be taken over like Pakistan by the US.

Coming to Centre-state relations, it is a fact that under the UPA the Centre has proved sympathetic to long-standing demands of West Bengal?

Not always. For instance, past agreements clearly mention that part of the hydel power generated from Bhutan will be used in West Bengal. Now there is a new move to exclude West Bengal from receiving any power from Bhutan, without assigning any reason. I have written to the Centre about this. Who has the authority to overrule or cancel earlier agreements?  And I have said before, it was not as though we did not receive any co-operation from the Centre during the National Democratic Alliance regime.

What about new investments coming to Bengal?

Well, there are some unique features. In August this year Mitsubishi will open their second unit at Haldia, investing Rs 1,600 crore, after they invested Rs 1,400 crore in their first. This will probably be the biggest single foreign investment in India this year. And another first to our credit is that we have both the Chinese and the Japanese investing here, normally they avoid each other. The Japanese will help set up power generating units at Bakreswar, the Chinese at Sagardighi. Reliance (Mukesh Ambani) is scheduled to come in with a comprehensive Rs 3,000 crore agriculture-retailing programme. The Beni Santoso group of Indonesia want altogether 25,000 acres of land for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a township and a motorcycle factory, among other things.

What about the fear among peasants and cultivators that they will soon become paupers if major industries\townships are put up on their land?

Not true. I wish our critics would read the terms of agreements we have drawn with proposed investors. For agro-processing and export-oriented projects, not only will farmers  retain their land, they will be provided for by investors even during their lean years, without any loan burden. And for townships, not only jobs for them, now even built up houses\shelters will have to be provided, apart from financial compensation at well over prevailing market rates for plots to be taken over. But eventually, industries provide more jobs and paying jobs than agriculture and our farmers should have no problems in switching over. In power generation, the DVC authorities are putting up three major thermal power stations at Bankura, Purulia and Durgapur. Our progress in the IT sector is an established fact. We are behind some states, but now we cannot provide enough land for national and international companies who want to come.

What about law and order?

It is by far the best in the region, but there is no room for complacency. The ULFA, which is wreaking havoc in Assam, has tried to stir up trouble here, by helping the Kamtapuri organisations in North Bengal. Now they themselves are divided and they lack public support. As for Maoists, we are studying the situation in Nepal. The Maoists there are very critical of their self-proclaimed colleagues here. Once the Nepal Maoists are integrated into the political mainstream, Maoists in India could face a hard time. But that is looking into the future.