West Bengal is under terror. It is the Maoists in western districts and the GJM in the north, unleashing violence and anarchy simultaneously harming the causes of ethnic cultural identities and greater autonomy. The present government in the state has become defunct and cannot combat this terror. Unfortunately, here intelligentsia/civil society and social activists are keeping mum.

The reasons behind the agitation are lack of local economic growth and development, reckless and selfish plundering of forest resources and severe unemployment. This is compounded by blatant corruption in economic and developmental measures.

One way to redress the situation would be to strengthen the ongoing local developmental work. Can local civil society play a positive role here?

The centre, with or without participation of states, has many worthwhile schemes for rural development. National Rural Employment Generation Act (NREGA), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), Integrated Water-land Development Programme (IWDP), Hariyali and Swajaldhara-ARWSP are some among many addressing unemployment, self-employment, village development, roads, housing, drought, land-reform, greening, sanitation and water supply.

But these programmes can succeed only with peoples’ participation and they need to be organised and motivated. Further, most of these schemes are now sought to be implemented through Panchayti Raj institutions. The plan panel is working on a planned expenditure of Rs 14,000 crore for three years for development of infra-structure in 35 districts of red zone. All this needs monitoring by independent agencies. Even on land pricing, there is need for mediation and education by uninterested entities. Thus there is lot of scope for independent social activists to form NGO to supplement state development efforts.

We can learn from what some NGOs like Disha and Eklavya Sangathan are doing, as reported in the Times of India newspaper on May 31, 2010. They work in rural Gujarat, UP and Rajasthan and not only expose all irregularities but also work for the successful honest implementation of NREGA. They have "a vision of sustainable livelihoods based on not only protection of land rights but also conservation of water and all-round improvement". Can such positive and creative actions be emulated by civil society in West Bengal?

The most dangerous terror now descended in West Bengal is in the form of political violence. In the guise of political assertion, murders, arsons and wanton violence is resorted to. With impending election and increasing rhetoric of politicisation, anarchy has reached its crescendo. So far there has only been one recent procession on a Kolkata road, as a protest by civil society.

In the rest of India, civil society led by Anna Hazare has risen strongly against corruption with an immediate landmark victory. There is apparently not much participation from West Bengal. Perhaps, corruption is not so vehement here. But, can’t civil society here similarly raise their voice against political violence?