| Q: There has been an economic resurgence in West Bengal in the last 15 years. It's largely due to your efforts as a CM ...
A: I don't understand why people are talking about the last 10-15 years! We've been ruling the state since 1977. We had a programme in place. We've accomplished a lot of things, not done anywhere else in the country, except Kerala or Tripura-- a three-layered Panchayat, reserved seats for women, a decentralised government. In West Bengal 65-70 per cent people live in the villages. We've distributed 1.1 million acres of land among farmers. This is our most significant achievement. The Congress regime had passed a bill in the Panchayat, but they didn't do anything substantial.
As for the indutrialisation, In the beginning I'd avoid conferences organised by the chambers of commerce. But I started meeting businessmen there. They'd asked me to give my plans in writing in the Assembly. It would help them, they suggested. I laid down my plans in detail in the Assembly in 1994. I spoke about [the need of] foreign investment. But I'd clearly mentioned that such investments should help both sides. There will be jobs. Our boys will learn new technology. Foreign investors come here for handsome profit. Let them earn it. But they must follow the terms laid by us! We've accepted loans from the World Bank and IMF unconditionally. And we've repaid those loans within deadlines. They've given us money for [the development of] primary schools, slums, roads. It all began when I was the CM. Q: Then why are people talking about resurgence now?
A: Don't ask me! Ask your journalist friends. It's plain and simple.
What we'd decided in our programme in 1977, the plans I'd framed with businessmen in the chambers of commerce, were compiled and presented in the Legislative Assembly. We also brought out a pamphlet. Then the issue was discussed in our party congress in Punjab. It was unanimously accepted by the members. Not even a comma was edited. The Industrial Policy is based on that plan and it's still going on. When I was the CM I always encouraged foreign investment. I visited Munich twice to meet the Siemens authorities and asked them to set up their factory here. I went to the headquarters of Philips [in Netherlands]. They'd sent a aeroplane for me at London. I even went to the US to fetch investment.Well, let me explain you the reason behind my reservations against conditional loans. We'd spek to them over dinner at Washington. We met several people-- businessmen, economists. Many Indians had been working for the World bank. I thought there won't be any problems to get Rs 900 crore -- requisitioned by our finance
minister-- for building highways. Three months later a delegation from the US met the minister and the first question they asked was: Can we see your next budget? (Laughs). Q: Well...
A: We objected. We requested them to go through our old budget. But they were not happy with it, they were interested the one we were formulating. It's not done. 'You won't get access to such secret documents even in the US' I told them. They'd backed out, refused to offer us the promised loan. This is why we don't accept foreign loans unless they follow our terms. Q: So, you think West Bengal has not come to the right track now?
A: People can see themselves! What about the three-layered Panchayat?
Decentralised government? Immediately after I was sworn in as the CM, I'd announced that we won't run the Government from the Writer's Building. It'll be a people's government in the true sense. We've made it. Just ask those who claim everything is happening right now. And those who say we'd done nothing when I was in the office. I was there till the Left Front got elected for the fifth consecutive time. Then I fell ill, and requested them to leave me alone. I couldn't attend office. But they were not comfortable with the idea. They were scared that people won't accept the sudden change. I reassured them. Promised them that I'd relinquish my duties smoothly without creating any problems for the Left Front. Q: Then...
A: We created a new post, deputy chief minister. After having discussed with Harkishen Singh Surjeet. He'd been sitting right there (pointing the finger towards the sofa). The message had gone to the masses. It was clear that I won't contest in the election. Buddha would be the next CM. This is how it'd happened. Now it's up to you to interpret the fact... Q: Was CITU too militant an organisation during your regime?
A: Well, we had a petro-chemical project worth Rs 5000 crore! The announcement was made by Rajiv Gandhi just three days before the election. I didn't know it. I was in Delhi. He [Rajiv] sent some minister to break the news and asked me to lay the foundation. We had the Tatas with us in the joint-venture. I'd spoke about the importance of private investment. After all it's a parliamentary democracy.
Capitalism is thriving. We've to work with them [capitalists], I'd told the workers. I'd also asked them to boost productivity. Don't let the owners decide on production. But don't give up your right to go on a strike. Even let 'us' [the government]decide on these issues. That should be the last resort... Q: Weren't trade unions much more militant during your regime? Wasn't the party much more conservative? These were certainly hurdles for industrialisation...
A: What do you mean by militant trade-unions? The unions that frequently go on strikes? People saw us in the government first in
1966-67 when we went on to form the United Front (UF). We'd showed how we work and they also saw Ajay Mukhopadhyay or Humayun Kabir behaved!
On the first occasion we were a partner of UF coalition for nine months. Second time we'd been in the coalition for 13 months. People never complained against us. But they weren't happy with them. This is the biggest advantage in a parliamentary democracy. They saw our struggle, revolution--which is why they trust us. Q: Do you think that CITU has mellowed a little down the years? You had been a major leader of CITU. How do you feel when the current regime says militant trade-unionism will be banned?
A: No, it's a misconception that CITU has become softer. The trouble over land acquisition is completely a different issue. However, there's no denying that both the Left Front and the CITU had committed certain mistakes since we'd been a part of the UF ministry. For instance, the way we used to gherao. Now the word has even become a part of the English vocabulary (Laughs). I, along with, Pramod Dasgupta, severely criticised the idea of gheraos. It should never be a part of trade unionism. We disliked the way workers used to gherao factory owners at their home or office. We won't break any strike if workers' demands are justified. But they've to come to discuss their problems with the government. The government in turn will call the owner and try for a reconciliation. Sometimes the problem gets solved on its own, without any strike. Sometimes there have been several strikes. Yet we have been defamed. Even people abroad identify West Bengal as a land of industrial strikes. Q: So they were only aware of the negative image of the state?
A: Yes. And this was a huge deterrent for attracting foreign investment. The impression is that you can't run an industry or business in West Bengal. I don't deny that there has been industrial closures. Some are still shut. We've trying to find out a solution. Now we're looking for an alternative. The minister of industry and commerce is trying his best. But we're the only state in India where workers of closed industries are being paid Rs 500 every month. How long can you go on paying this money? This is why we've been trying to open the closed industry. But we've not succeeded as yet. The seventh Left Front coalition is working on the issue. Q: Do you think the industry policy framed by you in 1998, is a turning point for the state.
A: Definitely. But I'd mentioned this in 1994! Don't forget that the process actually began in 1977. Q: In 1998, you said that the party's refusal to join the ruling coalition as a partner was a 'historic blunder'. 2004 threw up a similar scenario. But you'd refused again paving the way to differences with the UPA government!
A: No. The issue was never discussed in the party. Neither did we go for voting on the issue. Because we are fully aware of their economic policy. Besides, the foreign policy framed by Nehru has undergone a complete transformation. We used to support the policy. But now they've tilted towards the US. We've opposed the Congress for the last 45 years. Naturally we don't agree with many of their ideas. Which is why we'd requested them to frame a common minimum programme (CMP).
We'd support the coalition based on the programme from outside, not as a partner. However, we won't remove our support all on a sudden. But we'll certainly discuss the contentious issues. Q: Had you been a partner you could have tried to attend your own goals...
A: No, it's simply impossible. You've so many parties in this coalition. Each of them has got its opinion. Scores of differences. Quite a complicated thing. That's why we're outside the coalition. The history has brought us at this point. We'll depend on each other. But the alliance is based on the CMP . But they're not ready to follow it. We've to sort out the differences. We've expressed our wish to do so. Q: How would Sonia fare as prime minister?
A: Now it seems she would have been a good Prime Minister. She'd been a housewife, never pursued politics as a career. I'd visited their home on quite a few occasions when Rajiv was alive. When she joined politics I encouraged her. But I told her to pick up Hindi quickly. When I met her on a few months later I asked her if she'd learnt the language. 'I'd read from transcripts in the beginning. Now I speak fluently', she told me. (Laughs) Q: Is it possible to form a secular coalition keeping out Congress out of the fold?
A: No, it doesn't seem to be possible at the moment. The problem with us is that if we withdraw support, we (the Left Front) won't be able to form government on its own. The BJP will fill in the vacuum. The threat from communalist forces remains. Q: Had you been prime minister, your political career would have come to a full circle.
A: I can't decide such things on my own. We believe in collective leadership. Every individual has his/her role in the party. I follow the party's command. I'm happy that I've fulfilled my duties towards the party. This is what I feel, at the fag end of my career. Q: Buddhadev Bhattachrya once resigned from your government. Another senior leader Benoy Chowdhury had alleged that ruling coalition was 'usurped by contractors.' Have you ever tried to ruminate on these incidents?
A: I'd replied to Benoy Chowdhury immediately 'If the government has been usurped by contactors , then why he is still there as a minister?' I agree that some bad elements have infiltrated our party.
Benoybabu was right in that regard. There are tremendous opportunities to siphon funds. Millions of rupees are allocated in the Panchayat, Municipal Corporations. Corruption creeps in, quite naturally. Q: Do you have any regret as a CM who served office for 25 years?
A: There are certain things I could not achieve. Q: Like?
A: I couldn't solve the power crisis. People have complained about the power situation. The condition of health sector was even worse. Doctors didn't visit the hospitals. Drinking water was another big problem. But we have never shied from these weaknesses. We've admitted our failures. It could be our fault. Or may be the central government's. Q: Was Buddhadev Bhattacharya the only contender for the CM's post?
Wasn't there anybody else?
A: No. We're confident about him. But he'd committed mistake only once in his career. The party didn't like that. He was reinstated after he apologised to the party. Q: Was th at his resignation from the cabinet?
A: Yes. He had a tiff with me. He had abused an officer. I advised him to talk to the officer peacefully and then reject his opinion. I assured that we'll take the final decision. After all, we're the elected reprsentatives. But he got a little upset. Quite meaninglessly. He informed the party that he'd resign. Even spoke to people outside the party. He shoudn't have done so. But despite the tiff we'd decided to make him the next CM. Because we liked him. He's in the politics since he was a student in the university. We thought he's acceptable to the masses. Q: How will you rate the CM Buddhadev Bhattacharjee in a scale of 10?
A: Perfect 10. He had a single defect. He doesn't interact with other partners of the LF. He's left this job for Biman. He's been asked to attend meetings ocassionally. It's very important to maintain unity.
He needs to talk to the partners before he accepts any new policy. For instance, we should have discussed with our LF partners before we'd acquired land for industrialistaion. We've formed a committee. They'll decide on land acquisition after a detail survey. Now there is a huge demand for land for industrialisation. Q: There have been allegations that it's more urbanisation than industrialisation.
A: We'd decided during the fifth term that we'll build four new satellite townships -- Rajarhat, Howrah, and abndoned tea-estates of Siliguri. Well, since you've raised the issue, let me make one thing clear. Buddha has definitely adopted a new policy in information technology (IT). But I'd suggested Indira Gandhi to invest in the IT sector. She made us wait for a year and then spoke about an official report which seems to have concluded that we should never work on IT.
Just because West Bengal is a border state, close to Bangladesh. You can't rule out a war against Pakistan. But Bangladesh! 'Do you believe in it?' I asked her. She said, 'What can I do if officials advise me unnaimously.' She didn't co-operate at all. That was when I decided to allocate 300 acres of land for the electronics industry. Now you can see 24,000 people working 24/7 there. The new regime has delienated a new sector for them. Q: So you think your successors have succeeded...
A: He's trying his best. But there are certain hurdles. I too had problems. At the end of the fifth term I faced a huge economic crisis.
The Central Government offered huge pay hikes. They can afford to do so. After all they print the currency notes! So we too had to offer pay hikes to State government employees. Now we've coped with the crisis to a large extent. Q: Do you feel 'lonely' because you've reached the pinnacle of politics?
A: This is what you people think. I won't say anything more. I am a member of the party since 1940. If you count my years of study in Britain you can add four more years. However, the party doesn't count those years (Laughs). I am active in politics for the last 66 years. I am impressed by the sensibilities of people of West Bengal. I am grateful to them. Q: Any regrets?
A: Yes. We haven't been able to spread our party beyond three states.
Nor could we form government anywhere else. Neither a strong presence of our party. Even though I've visited all corners of the country. Q:What's Jyoti Basu's dream?
A: There will be a class-less society. A perfectly civilised society. I would like to die with this dream. Index | 
