CM switches from attack to appeal

KINSUK BASU AND AMIT UKIL

Khatra (Bankura), June 22: Mamata Banerjee today appealed to civil society to help her stem crime — a pause in a streak of outbursts that had fanned public disquiet and set the stage for a citizens' march yesterday. The chief minister did not mention yesterday's Calcutta march, spearheaded by writers and artists, which drew many participants from all walks of life but the appeal a day later was eloquent. "Ami anurodh korbo jara natak, cinema, sahitya, nana rokom kaje achhen ar ei channel gulo, je apnara ektu jagoron korun manusher madhye. Apni nishchoi apnar gulo korun,kintu ei kharap kaj jate keu na kore tar jonye samajik bhabe apnader sahajya chaibo," the chief minister told a Trinamul rally here. Translated, this means: "I request those associated with the theatre, cinema, literature and such activities — and these (TV) channels — to create awareness among people. Do carry on with your own work but I'm also asking for your help, as members of society, in stemming these evils." The "request" stood out against the backdrop of a series of high-decibel charges levelled by the chief minister for the better part of the week against targets ranging from protesters in Kamduni where a college girl was raped and murdered, the Opposition, a section of the media and some TV commentators. The appeal did not mean the chief minister spared her critics today. Rather, Mamata appeared to be drawing a distinction between the usual targets and the "susheel samaj" she had once courted. She also seemed to be trying not to be provoked into launching a full-scale offensive on civil society, though flashes of annoyance surfaced once in a while. Mamata, who had yesterday doubted before the march started whether some "intellectuals wanted paribartan (change) at all", today sought to drive home the message that her accomplishments had not come her way easily through a "feeding bottle". She thanked the artists who had marched in protest against the Nandigram violence but played down their role in her ascent to power. "I'm grateful to those who walked for Nandigram; but they wouldn't have been able to even enter Nandigram without my help." She quipped: "Mone hochchhe keu jeno amar mukhe dudh diye diyechhe aar amake ekhane ene boshiye diyechhe (It's as if somebody put a feeding bottle in my mouth and placed me in this chair)! All this didn't happen in a day." Mamata then referred to her struggles during violent events that occurred "long before Singur and Nandigram''. Among those she mentioned were Bantala and Dhantala —sites of multiple, brutal rapes during Left rule. "I've seen all this," she said. Referring to criticism of her government, the chief minister said: "Should I slog day and night and still have to listen to galagali (abuse)?" She questioned the credentials of some of the news channel panellists who criticise her: "Some of them don't even vote. They are not social workers." A senior Trinamul leader claimed that Mamata's "watered-down'' remarks against artists reflected how the crimes against women were playing on her mind. "Mamata is worried and concerned but doesn't want to admit that in public as she believes that it would give the CPM a weapon against her. But today's comment on intellectuals shows she has scaled things down a bit,'' the leader said. Referring to the CPM "canard" that Bengal's women are afraid to step out after sundown, Mamata asked: "Is this true or a lie?" Some in the gathering laughed, a few women in the front seats smiled and some others carrying Trinamul flags clapped. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130623/jsp/frontpage/story_17038526.jsp#.UccAv-eBloI