Greta Thunberg Matters
The Delhi Police filed an FIR against the eighteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg for "sedition", "conspiring to defame India" and "attempting to promote enmity".

Why? A day earlier, Greta Thunberg tweeted in support of the farmer's protest. Many in India, including those holding top positions in India's bureaucracy, believe Greta Thunberg is a threat to India's sovereignty.

But much before these tweets, Greta's quiet protests shook the world. The former President of the United States, Donald Trump, actively tried to vilify her in his characteristic manner. Many who do not believe in climate change also tried to chastise and berate her efforts.

This brings an important question: Why does Greta Thunberg matter?
Team Madras Courier, Chennai

The Future of the Left
Samaresh Basu (an eminent Bengali Novelist) diagnosed the future of the left parties (politics) in West Bengal in his political novel, 'ShekalChhera Hater Khonje'. His diagnosis was a true witness to all. The rule of the left for 34 years was undoubtedly here a world history. It was an example of 'with the people, by the people, for the people'. In a real sense, it was a result of people's participation in a democracy. Left organisations in the different segments were taken the vital role to carry out the functional power and authority. Initially, grass roots connection and representation in every sphere of the government strengthened its popularity and longevity. Its landmark successes were land reforms and distribution of land to the landless and implementation of the Panchayat Raj system (democratic decentralisation of power), while its industrial policy was defective at least for the first two decades of the rule.

Power centric ego, greed, dishonesty, corruption, etc. of the leaders of the grassroots organisation to the upper level were enough cause of organisational weakness, detachment from the people/supporters. Its leadership prioritised the importance of leaders' views, not people's opinion. Its assessment criteria were radically changed. Power game or misuse of power and authority of leaders at different levels made people arrogant against the left. Once it was involved in sale promotion for reaching the target of the number of party memberships. A parallel anti-left of the left was emerged silently. Party's domination at grassroots misled its focus. Once whose struggle was against exploitation and justice, it becomes exploiter. Once who ensured people's voice against exploitation, it forced them to stop voicing against exploitation.

Singur or Nanidgram movement was not the prime issue of expelling left and emergence of TMC. It misled all to rise up TMC. Anti-left of left promoted TMC with the support of media and anti- left propaganda. The arrogant and ego-centric behaviour of left leadership was the prime cause of left defeat.

There is no balance between old and young. Therefore, the number of left supporters decreases gradually. Left support is becoming thin to thinner. The leadership is hypnotised to occupy power, while representation as opposition is very weak. Then, alliance with INC is another wrong step where grass roots level supporters' opinion is never assessed. It is a game of leadership vs. leadership. As a consequence of this, one sees that its supporters in respect of the polling percentage decreases in 2016 and 2019 respectively. Even, it did not win a seat in general election in 2019. Every time INC is the gainer in spite of the very weak organisation. Now its existence is ceasing to exist. Its alliance with secular parties is a help to non-secular.

Unfortunately, the left leadership never bothered about it. Again, it finalises an alliance with the INC only to help the BJP in the long run. Left supporters (at the grassroots) might cast their vote to BJP and left's wrong policy would expedite the formation of the BJP rule in West Bengal.

Why the left leadership is so arrogant to hold power and authority? Why leadership is not reforming and strengthening its organisations? Is it an effort to finish left forever?
Harasankar Adhikari, Kolkata

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Frontier
Vol. 53, No. 38, Mar 21 - 27, 2021