Foreward. Introduction. 1. An Enigma called Marichjhampi. 2. Promises and Nuances. 3. One step forward, two steps back. 4. Power to the police. 5. Watch them, catch them, crush them. 6. Return of the political prisoner. 7. Torture and tolerance. 8. Defence of impunity. 9. Bullet over ballot. 10. Sex and suppression. 11. War on two fronts. 12. Joining the war on terror. 13. The violence of development. 14. History tragedy farce. 15. Foundation and future. Postscript.

The rise to power of the CPI(M) led led front in West Bengal in 1977 was accompanied by a rise in people’s aspirations. But it embarked on a strange journey, violating its own avowed principles, from crushing the initiative of the displaced people at Marichjhampi to undertaking violent “development” drive. The ‘Left’ government seemed to be alarmed by the people trying to exercise their rights. However, its defeat in 2011 after 34 years of rule was not the end of a history but the establishment of a truth: People are the true architects of history. This book will be of interest to general readers and followers of current affairs as well as scholars of political science and history.

Nilanjan Dutta is a journalist and human rights activist based in Kolkata. Among his previous publications are violation of Democratic Rights in West Bengal since Independence, Beyond Developmentalism (edited), Anatomy of an execution: Capital Punishment and Media violence (co-authored), Nandigram and Media: Between the Battle-lines (co-authored), etc.

Includes bibliographical references and index.