Subhass God deserts him

Calcutta,(visakeo): Invoking God doesnt always help a Marxist.Ma Tara may yet come to Subhas Chakrabortys aid but CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu, whom the transport minister recently compared to Lord Krishna, shows no sign of softening towards his protégés latest peccadilloes.It would be better if he worshipped mankind, Basu had said a day after Subhas shocked his party by offering puja at the Tarapeeth Kali temple and chanting jai Tara.But mankind doesnt mean man and today, reminded about Subhass declaration that Basu was his personal god, his embarrassed mentor suggested the minister had lost his marbles.Are you referring to that Krishna thing? Or matha kharap hoyey gechhey (he is out of his mind), Basu said after emerging from the CPMs state committee meeting at Alimuddin Street.Subhas, who has borne Basus recent barbs in silence, again refused to react directly against the man who had time and again protected him from facing the consequences of his many indiscretions.But the maverick minister stayed defiant as ever against the party brass.If I am insane, why are those at the helm of the partys affairs not expelling me? A deranged man should not be allowed in the party, Subhas said.He went on to defend his description of Basu as the Krishna of the Indian communist movement.I did not call him Krishna but drew a parallel between Jyotibabus role and that of Lord Krishna. Victory has always come to the side Basu has supported, he said.Subhas recalled that when the CPI split in 1964, both sides had courted Basu. After he sided with the CPM, the new party grew from strength to strength, wresting from its parent the mantle of the leading Indian communist party.The minister went on to argue that the CPM should celebrate Basus birthday in recognition of his contribution to the partys progress.Although CPM general secretary Prakash Karat recently described Basu as a living legend, the party has been cold to the idea of observing his birthday, an honour it bestows only on the late Muzaffar Ahmed.A party leader had suggested that Subhas might come under fire at the state committee meeting, which concludes tomorrow. However, party state secretariat member Benoy Konar, who presided over todays meeting, said the Tarapeeth controversy was not discussed.Konar didnt bite the expulsion bait thrown by Subhas. He said: The party has become seasoned after sailing through so much rough weather. The party will not crumble at an individuals comments. Our party is not bothered who says what every other day.It may or may not comfort Subhas to know that if he ever parts ways with the CPM, the BJP would be waiting for him with open arms.The day after Subhass temple visit, the state BJP president had invited him to the fold.Now that hes clearly jettisoned Marxism and established his credentials, hes welcome to apply to join the BJP. Well consider his case, Tathagata Roy had said, impressed especially by Subhass claim that people saw him first as a Hindu, then as a Brahmin, and as a communist last of all.