Mamata Banerjee is no different

When Mamata Banerjee launched a movement against Nandigram and Singur land acquisition during 2006-07, poor Muslims saw in her their saviour. Bengalis have witnessed violence during the erstwhile CP(M) rule for 34 years which was more organised and targeted. But, Mamata Banerjee seems to have lost control over her own leaders and cadres even as she wants to brazen out through violence alone.

There have been more than 70 serious communal clashes in the State since she had taken over. Her only defence is: "The BJP is doing it". It is convenient to blame the Opposition and the Centre against whom Mamata continues to wage a war. But the narrative seems to be going wrong of late. After the demise of the Left Front rule in West Bengal due to the divide in the Muslim vote, the TMC, which came to power began consolidating its vote bank by assiduously building a class called ‘community leaders’ among Muslims.

These leaders and their followers are always not necessarily political and guide and goad even non-political forces subtly. This is the problem with Mamata's rule. Initially, she might have used such leaders to consolidate her position, but ignoring the rule of law and by refusing to implement the same will not endear her to the masses forever. Politicians systematically discount the opinions of constituents with whom they disagree and Mamata is no different. That is what the Bengali society is now realising.

She may retain her 30 per cent Muslim vote in the next election too but if no remedial measure is taken by her at least now, she will only help the Hindutva forces consolidate with disastrous consequences for her as well the society. Her dichotomy and double standards are evident in both the instances now - be it in Gorkhaland issue or in the 24 Parganas issue.

There is no answer to the questions of the GJM leadership on why Bengali should be imposed on them when Didi herself questions restrictions on individual choices across the nation. The present conflagration in Basirhat where a Facebook post by a 17-year-old boy led to raids by outsiders on the local Hindu households, throws up a far more serious question.

She accuses the BJP and its fringe groups of fanning communal flames. She should understand that they are only stoking the embers and fanning the fires and they would like to take it to its logical end. Mamata should be discerning enough to know that her passionate ways would not help either her or her government already mired in controversies and corruption.

The cartels of the local youth seeking power and pelf are running amok in the form of syndicates and Mamata is benign towards them. Next, she does not seem to realise that the community leaders bred by her are raising storm troopers who are working against the Bengali society with the help of vitriol from across the border. The BJP would certainly love to needle Mamata's brinkmanship. Those riding a tiger cannot be blind to the fall-out.