I have a huge respect for the communists. Not the ones wielding guns, but the ones with pen in one hand and mic in other. In short, the Politicians. And it surprises me too, because I have hated politicians all my life. Growing up with the opposition constantly retching "weakening economy", "friends of the capitalists", "enemies of the state", "aam aadmi trahi-trahi kar chuka hai", you sincerely lose all hope of ever finding facts in a politician's speech. But ever since the UPA-1 govt was formed in Delhi, I have seen a completely different class of critics. They were precise, efficient, and took the masses with them. They wielded facts, idealist theories, and were learned. They wrote articles in newspaper editorials, listened to the others, and were eloquent speakers. They were the Left parties, who had ruled West Bengal for 34 years, who some now say ruined, and not ruled, Bengal for 34 years. But whatever the case be, they truly brought an honour code in the otherwise rotting Indian Political System.
The left parties function through their polit bureau. And what the polit bureau does is ensure that it remains a party and takes in opinions, rather than decisions. It was perhaps this scrounging for opinions that made the party accept Prakash Karat's idealism when Jyoti Basu was asked to be Prime Minister. And they definitely have a huge difference of opinion, with most of the world as of now, but they stick to it. And they glue them with facts, which is so unlike most other parties where the leadership is a single person/family with the thinking cap on! Who will argue with that? The decorum they bring to the post they hold is unprecedented in what I have seen in India! Compare them with the uneducated goons, who don't understand what parliament is, and roam about shouting slogans and hurling shoes and slaps. The ex-Chief Minister of Bengal, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, left office on the day the election results got out. And not only was the office, his official residence also got emptied on the day of the result itself. And it took a Mamta Banerje, who, as we know, doesn't hold assts worth more than 5 lacs, to overthrow this rule. And now her cavalcade moves along with the traffic, and she uses personal funds to decorate her office. If the Left's conduct doesn't promote ethics, what will? And all this happens in a country where the other politicians are minting millions. The Reddy brothers are still mining money, even if illegal, Yedurappa is still doing "immoral" but not "illegal" works, and the DMK is openly flouting election norms.I don't think I have ever heard of a communist party ever being accused of corruption! And more than often, we don't see any blame game in the party. For every loss, there is a person who ACCEPTS responsibility, for every fallout, a person accepts the moral obligation. Not just for his party, but because he has to! It is his conscience that makes him do so. I have strong respect for such people. It takes courage to accept loss. It takes courage to resign, to leave everything. And it takes a strong will to keep following the track You believe is right!! They may have a twisted notion of economics, I am not well-read enough to comment on that, but they certainly have played a huge role in bringing back my respect in politics!
Every other party in India can learn from them!
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