Leftist and progressive cultural organisations in West Bengal have pitched in for Left Front candidates in a big way for the coming Assembly election, churning out music albums, dramas, folk dances, audio albums and videos.
The Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), a 69-year-old organisation popularly known as the Bharatiya Gananatya Sangha, has been in great demand for giving the Left Front's campaign a cultural thrust.
The association's State committee recently released an audio album, Amader Nei Bhoy (We have no fear), in support of Left Front candidates. On the eve of the Front's recent rally at the Brigade Parade Ground, the association composed a song based on the theme that an eighth Left Front government was a certainty.
Another group — the West Bengal Adivasi and Lokshilpi Sangha — has brought out an audio album Astyam Agamani heralding the return of the Left Front government.
Some songs refer to an “unholy nexus” between the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Maoists. Samukh Pane (Ahead), a song composed by the IPTA's Haldia Muktadhara unit, highlights the Left Front's future plans.
A documentary film made by Arunabha Ganguly, attached with a Leftist organisation, is based on the diary of surrendered Maoist leader Sobha Mandi. Another film, Ashanta Samay (Turbulent times), has been made by IPTA's Hooghly district committee. A DVD, No Pasaran (They shall not pass), was recently released at the CPI(M) headquarters. The theme is the violence in Jangalmahal; it alleges that Maoists have killed hundreds of CPI(M) workers.
