EE7.5 - Talks on Bengal

Talks on Bengal – Excerpt A

Published in:
Prout in a Nutshell Volume 4 Part 19 [a compilation]

Notes:

official source: Prout in a Nutshell Part 19

this version: is the printed Prout in a Nutshell Part 19, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

Online additional information

Ancient Bengal was divided into five distinct zones – Ráŕh, Samatat, Vauṋga, Barendra and Mithila. Mithila is now part of Bihar.

The vast area along the coastal plains of the Bay of Bengal which contains no mountains but is built on the sandy alluvial soil of the Padma and Bhagavathi rivers and crissed-crossed by lakes, canals, tributaries and hills is known as “Samatat” in Saḿskrta. In colloquial Bengali it is known as “Bágŕi”. This region is full of natural beauty and rich in agricultural resources. Samatat was called “Golden Bengal”, which is why Bankim Chandra, the famous novelist, observed:

“I salute ‘Mother Bengal’ which is well-watered, abundant in fruit and cooled by the refreshing southern breeze.”

The inhabitants of Samatat – in health, wealth, vivacity and simplicity – are the golden children of the “Golden Mother”. But ironically, these golden children were always regarded as an invincible race. During the last 5000 years, the Bengalees have been depicted as an indomitable sea-faring people. The people of Samatat richly deserve this epithet. The Mughal Emperor Akbar was forced to respect their fighting power, and even the British government was fearful of their fighting spirit. The British bifurcated Bengal and successfully drove a wedge between East Bengal and West Bengal by applying the communal award.

In West Bengal there has been relentless exploitation and misrule by capitalists from other parts of India. The immense agricultural, forestry and aquatic resources of Samatat have been ruthlessly exploited by the neo-colonialists. 36% of the foreign currency reserves in India comes from the natural resources of Samatat, but not even 1% of that foreign exchange is utilized for the development of the local area. The rural economy of Samatat is being severely exploited by the outsiders. 60% of Samatat’s population are extremely poor, uneducated, malnourished and unemployed. 77% of the population of Samatat are associated only with agriculture, and as the huge percentage of the population depends on undeveloped agriculture, they are fast moving towards economic ruination. The Marxists thrive on the economic disaster and helplessness of the inhabitants of Samatat.

Since independence the national wealth and labour of Samatat are not utilized for the benefit of the indigenous population. Rather, they are being utilized to serve the vested interests of outsiders. No government so far has formulated any economic plan for the economic development of the Samatat people. The so- called friends of the poor do not want to hurt the capitalist and imperialist interests. So Samatat, which was once an invincible power, is rapidly moving towards economic ruination under capitalist and communist exploitation, even in the midst of vast natural wealth.

In spite of abundant agricultural production every year, the people are beating their heads for a mere bowl of rice. A large percentage of the population have taken to begging in the streets because of their long-standing poverty. To keep their party base consolidated, the politicians introduce projects like “Food for Work” amongst the rural population. The students and youth are also taken by in such schemes. In fact, by giving unemployment benefits to a certain percentage of the population, the politicians are misguiding poor people in the name of “ism”. They are keeping the people engrossed in menial economic activities, and have so far prevented genuine revolution in society.

It is not proper to surrender Samatat to these antisocial forces and let this unwelcome situation continue. Today, a great call has come for an all-round revolution. The people of Samatat must also participate in this struggle for freedom. The Samatat of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, Rabindranth, Bankim Chanra, Madhusudan, Bhaga Yatiin and Subhas Chandra will not be cast into oblivion together with the glorious heritage and cultural of Samatat. No sensible Bengali can wish to see this happen. So the people of Samatat must wake up to the present reality, come forward and strive to attain economic self-sufficiency. They must also demand in chorus: “We, the 14 million Bengalees of Samatat, want to move together in unison. We want to materialize our hopes and aspirations together. We want a prosperous Bengal free from exploitation. We stand for a self-sufficient socio-economic zone – Bangalistan.”