IPO !!!

Times Square, New York





























At the end of first day at NASDAQ, after opening at $11. Recording a 29% gain on the first day.

Amar naam, tomar naam. Nandigram, Nandigram

Don't know where to begin. Felt bottomless anguish at the shocking incidents happening in Nandigram for a long time; since december, when I was in India reading first-hand about the terrible incidents. And frankly, was too shocked to express an opinion; more so as I am in general an ardent fan of communist theory. But one fine Sunday, I received from two friends emails expressing their opinion to me about these incidents, as they well knew of my leftist leanings.

Firstly, I can't fanthom these shocking episodes. How on earth can a people's party kill so many people mercilessly. And these killers are obviously CPIM hoodlums with blessings from the highest command; that's the only way to explain this from a strict cadre-based disciplined party. And how can "Buddha be smiling"? A state can dispossess people from their land, if there is an urgent and necessary reason; that too, there are checks and balances put forth through the judicial system. But, not for taking the land only to give it to a big industrialist house; that too land that is so fertile, that it can bear three crops a year (tin fosla). The farmers were promised jobs in the industry created, but it will definitely be hard to retool these poor people onto some industrial jobs. But, whatever right or wrong the reason is, one just cannot kill people for any cause. That is so inhuman, so ancient, so brutal. Capital punishment for murderers or rapists I can fanthom, but for protesting against their livelihood being taken away? no way.

Harekrishna Kongar, the architect of the land reforms movement in Bengal, when the communists came to power in 1977, and the reason for Bengal being a red bastion for so long, must be turning in his grave. And the main minister implementing these are none other than the own brother of Kongar. I do hope the government if not the state, then the central government, will take immediate steps to rectify this terror unleashed by the ruling party.

Secondly, this is NOT communism. This can ever be, and is not the communism that I adore. CPI(M) is a democratically elected party which is doing these. So, it cannot be said the usual saying that power corrupts, and communism's weakness if the lack of a formal method to change the government. That is a weakness, definitely; but not in this case. Honestly, this is the hallmark of the capitalism, the very reasons I have a distinct allergy to an uncontrolled version of it. Rich industrialist houses massacaring the poor peasants for creating further riches, at the expense of the livelehood of the masses. This is the very reason I adore communism, because
this is what it exactly tried to prevent. The "sorbohara"-der party protects the weak, the unable, the under-privilaged. It is the Robin Hood of the world. This is why I worship Che Guevara, the reason I look forward to making a pilgrimage to Cuba soon.

I voted for BJP when I had the privilage of living in my country. And the only party I could think of voting otherwise was CPIM. Because other than the ideologies we shared, I had deep respect for many of the communist MPs; definitely communist parties in India have the highest proportion of erudite, knowledgable and corruption-free politicians in the country. There are definitely aspects of communist parties which need to change, to evolve, to keep up with the times. But, I always strongly felt the need for a strong left-wing in a country as developing and diverse as India. And was happy that they control 20% of parliament to represent the common man. But, I can never imagine myself voting for this party now. They have crossed the red line. I do fervently hope that sense prevails. Because without a leftist party in the country which is true to itself, incidents like these will be the order of the day in the country; with nary a protest.