Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was born in Kolkata in the year 1944. With the communist party he has close relations from very childhood,
he was so active in politics and later on he became the Chief Minister of the West Bengal. That was the stressful times in Indian
politics and the vacancy of the Chief Minister Post of the State was created in the year 2000 when the great politician and leader
Jyoti Basu had to resign due to severe health complications and in steps up Filled by Mr Bhattacharjee. After that he led CPI(M)
led Left Front to power for two terms in 2001 and 2006 for CPI(M) led Left Front to power for two terms in 2001 and 2006. The dominance
of left government in the Bengal ended after the 34 years when Mamata Banerjee came up with the majority in the assembly elections
and became women Chief minister of West Bengal. Bhattacharjee’s rule was characterized by industrialisation push and also violent
protest against forced land evictions. A real Bhadralok, Mr Bhattacharjee was a man of noble character always clad in white dhoti and
kurta and had literary and film interest. NDA in the year 2022 announced a Padma Bhushan Award for Mr Bhattacharjee but he refused to take it.
Early Life and Education:
- Krishnachandra Smrititirtha, the grandfather of Bhattacharjee was a well-known scholar in Sanskrit who had authored a priestly manual called Purohit Darpan.
- He took his B. A. in Bengali (Honours) from Presidency College, Kolkata but his major subject was Bengali Literature.
- Prior to joining politics he was a teacher at Adarsh Shankha Vidya Mandir School in Dum Dum.
- It can also be stated that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has left his mark on the political history of West Bengal. His pragmatic style of leadership and management of economy can be considered as his major legacy.
Achievements:
- Promotion of Bengali Culture and Literature: The late Bhattacharjee was a great defender for Bengali culture, theatre as well as literature. He was instrumental in supporting quality films, and helped in initiating ‘Nandan’, a film and cultural institution in Kolkata. The effort and dedication he has shown for the preservation and the propagation of the Bengali literature could be appreciated.
- Industrialization and Economic Development: Bhattacharjee however had concentrated on industrialization and development during his tenure as the Chief Minister. Some of the achievements that he has supported includes the establishment of IT hub at Salt Lake Sector-V. He had a vision regarding West Bengal as a thoroughly industrialised state which will make the state more attractive to investors and provide employment opportunities.
- Landmark Reforms and Policies: During his first tenure, Bhattacharjee was able to implement series of reforms. He fit the big shoes of the legendary Jyoti Basu who had once held the position of a chief minister for five straight terms. However, it was in his second term that got problems with his industrialization policy, especially because of the Singur and Nandigram issues.
- Quintessential Bengali ‘Bhadrolok’: Bhattacharjee was blessed with the physiognomy of the Bangal’s conventional ‘bhadrolok’; meaning the cultured, literate people with affinity to literature, arts, and brains. He had revealed literary education and love for the richness of culture that served him as the unique point to work in political arena.
- Lasting Legacy: However, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s simple working style, his directed developmental programmes, and his comforting Bengali culture still makes news in the West Bengal state of India.
Political life: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: the Bhadralok Communist. West Bengal political personality Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee born on 1st March, 1944 in North Kolkata. It was a political career of more than five decades and became one of the
key organisers of the West Bengal unit of the CPI (M). Here are the highlights of his political life:
- Early Years and Rise to Power: Bhattacharjee got involved in politics during developing chaotic time in 1960s and early 1970s. He acted as a young minister of Information and Public Relations in the first Left Front government headed by Jyoti Basu in 1977 coming to power for the first time and ruling till 1982. He committed himself to the communists and being a man of intelligence, signified the start to an extraordinary political career.
- Chief Minister of West Bengal (2000–2011): He has worked as the 7th Chief Minister of West Bengal succeeding in the post in 2000. His tenure somehow reflects on his regime as a pragmatic approach to governance especially in cases of industrialization and economic growth. Unlike the previous ones of the old ultra-leftist CPI (M) Bhattacharjee adopted open policies about business. However he had some problems in his administration especially concerning some aspects such as forceful acquisition of land for developmental purposes and accusations by violence against the protesters.
- Legacy and Defeat: He was modest and non-aggressive and remained simple in his lifestyle and upheld the principles of Bengali culture at a time when political Leadership became synonymous with high pitched and boisterous. Sadly, the 2011 elections brought him defeat, hence, the collapse of the 34-year-long regime of Left Front in West Bengal, the world’s longest uninterrupted non- Marxist Communist government.
What are the main controversies about him?
- Singur and Nandigram Uprisings: That BHATTACHARJEE met his biggest challenge during Singur and Nandigram movement. Both have been associated with issues of forceful eviction of people from their land in the cause of developing areas of the state to support the government’s economic initiatives. The Singur Nano car project too has witnessed a huge protest intending to set up a plant of Tata Motors. Farmers, activists for the cause complained that arable land was being grabbed and not adequately compensated. Likewise there was setting up a chemical hub in Nandigram where people came on to the roads against it. The actions the police took led to the losses among the protesters and stoke the flame of anger.
- Violence and Maoist Attacks: Bhattacharjee’s tenure saw major incidents of violence:
- Chhoto Angaria Massacre: In 2001 the 11 Party workers of Trinamool Congress supporters were allegedly massacred by CPI(M) cadres in Chotta Angaria in West Midnapore.
- Netai Killings: In 2011, villagers were poisoned to death in Netai allegedly by the CPI(M) supporters.
- Dhantala Case: One more case of violence which stained his presidency.
Furthermore, Maoist activities were stepped up in the state, in which different operations occurred and consisted of the attack on a police camp in the Silda area, violence in Lalgarh and the collapse of Jnaneswari Express train.
- Industrialization and Land Acquisition: The strategy of industrialization that has been initiated by Bhattacharjee through following Chinese model resulted to stir. Also emphasized on his government’s policy of gaining possession of land for industries caused protest and dissatisfaction. His intent was to bring investments and foster employment, but the process of land acquisition for this purpose generated controversy and a strong opposition only.