KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee has been known as a "firebrand leader". Temperamental, boisterous, impulsive and fearless, with her obsessive hatred for CPM.
But faced with one of the biggest challenges in her political career in 2006 — when she drew flak for opposing the Tata Motors project in Singur — Mamata turned to a different strategy. Stepping aside from her usual response of open confrontation, she adopted Gandhigiri. On December 4, she went on a hunger strike. Twenty-six days later, when she broke the fast, Mamata had surpassed even the Mahatma, establishing a new record of the longest 'satyagraha'.
The options before her were few. Restrictions under Section 144 meant that police blocked entry of Mamata and others into the area. The farmers, whose cause she had championed, were in disarray. A police crackdown had driven fear into families unwilling to part with land. The demoralized protesters saw construction of the car factory go on in full swing. The general mood in cities and towns across the country appeared to be in favour of the factory that promised to roll out the world's cheapest car.
It was against this backdrop that Mamata went on a hunger strike. CPM leaders and Mamata baiters dismissed it as yet another political stunt. Perhaps, it is this cynicism that further strengthened Mamata's resolve. By the third day, people took notice and by the fifth, even the government could not feign ignorance.
CPM recognised they had a problem—much more grave than they could have anticipated—on hand. Though Left leaders like Nilotpal Basu and Brinda Karat continued to take potshots at Mamata, with each passing day, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Nirupam Sen became increasingly uneasy.
With TV channels and newspapers covering the event on a daily basis, affected farmers who streamed in from Singur in Didi's support grabbed eyeballs countrywide.
"Farmers identified with Mamata because here was a woman who led a simple life and was ready to walk a long distance for their cause," said Saugata Roy. "A new Mamata emerged as the leader of farmers and the voiceless," said Trinamool leader Dinesh Trivedi.
The average middle-class Kolkatan's anger against her for going against an automobile project by a prestigious business group also wilted as they saw her on hunger strike. "We saw her lose weight. Though I was opposed to Mamata's stand on the car plant, I began to feel bad when I saw her turn frail," said shoolteacher Sanghamitra Dey, who passes Esplanade five days a week.
"The fast obviously affected her health. Thankfully, she recovered quickly," said Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, who herself is a doctor.
As Mamata continued with her fast, an anxious government sent a letter, urging her to break the fast. More letters followed. Then governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi met Mamata and appealed her to end the hunger strike. He again renewed the appeal a week later.
It was only after 26 days that Mamata finally announced the decision to withdraw the strike following appeals by President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. A day earlier, former CM and CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu had expressed serious concern over her deteriorating health.
But it was chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's letter that was most significant. Following SOS from several quarters (including Raj Bhavan) that termed Mamata's health critical, Singh asked Bhattacharjee to do whatever it needed to end the impasse. Cornered, Bhattacharjee responded by sending a conciliatory letter, promising "free discussions" on all issues related to Singur after she called off the fast.
He also assured that the government would hold talks with the farmers, unwilling to give land for the proposed project, consider the demand for withdrawal of prohibitory orders in Singur and give importance to opinions of the Opposition on setting up of industries in future. With Bhattacharjee conceding so much ground, Mamata scored a significant moral victory.
