The day Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was sworn in as chief minister of West Bengal, he subordinated his loyalty to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to his duty to the state he leads. It was this sense of duty that drove him to call for a CBI inquiry into the murder of Tapasi Malik in Singur. That inquiry has now pointed accusing fingers at local CPI(M) functionaries. Mr Bhattacharjee has again shown his high calling of duty by saying that this should not deter the CBI from carrying out its appointed role, and that the West Bengal government would in no way interfere with the investigations. This assertion by the chief minister might appear to be overstating the obvious, but it has to be seen in the context of the growing suspicion that the local CPI(M) may have planned the murder. Earlier, in the immediate aftermath of the incident, the assumption had been that the CPI(M) had nothing to do with the death of Tapasi Malik, and therefore the chief minister had ordered the CBI inquiry with some alacrity. The circumstances have now changed dramatically — and disastrously for the CPI(M) — and therefore it is laudable that Mr Bhattacharjee’s position on the CBI inquiry remains unaltered.

There is a simple principle involved here that is important because it is honoured only in the breach. The principle is the distinction between the party and the government. The former will always have its own interests, which it will want to protect. The government, however, has to remain above all interests, and immune to all kinds of pressure. For the better part of its rule over West Bengal, the Left Front has not only blurred the distinction between the party and the government but also allowed the party to prevail over the government. This has eroded the basis of all government procedure, and often, on crucial issues, rendered the government impotent. Mr Bhattacharjee is trying to break this stranglehold of the party over the government. This should be seen as part of his overall attempt to give a new face to West Bengal. What is clear from the way investigations have proceeded on Tapasi Malik’s murder is that sections of Mr Bhattacharjee’s party remain wedded to their former ways of violence and terror. The chief minister will have to instil in his government the confidence to resist pressure and to work towards protecting the interests of the state.