Decoding Kalyan Chakraborty’s journey from research labs to political battlegrounds

Politics has been a relatively new experience for renowned agriculturist, mango specialist, former college lecturer, and agricultural development officer Kalyan Chakraborty. Having spent years in academia and rural India engaged in agricultural development, it took him some time to recognise that the plight of farmers needed to be addressed in political forums as well. It was thus his deep concern for the welfare of farmers that led him to enter politics. Even though he had been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for quite a while, it was finally his win from the influential Khardah Assembly constituency that made him join the cabinet.

Speaking with a steady voice, Chakraborty appeared to be more comfortable sharing his practical experiences than making political promises. Talking about his career, he discussed about working in tea gardens, serving as an agriculture officer, and lecturing at various universities, but emphasised the difficulties faced by farmers at the grass-root level.

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“There are discussions about farmers all the time, but policies are always imposed from above. It is impossible that the soil, climate, and methods of cultivation in Purulia would be the same as in Darjeeling. But such differences in ground realities are rarely taken into consideration,” he remarked.

Regarding the current state of agriculture in West Bengal, Chakraborty cited high costs of cultivation and non-payment of reasonable prices for the produce as the main issues. He also stated that there is a need to encourage small farmers to adopt a mixed farming approach including vegetable production, fisheries, and animal husbandry.

Commenting on the recent unrest in the Trinamul Congress, Chakraborty referred to the recent statement by Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay saying that they might be temporary measures for saving faces in public opinion but that people are no longer interested in allegations. Instead, the BJP will focus on doing something meaningful.

Speaking harshly against the previous administration, Chakraborty claimed that the condition of farmers had deteriorated dramatically over the last fifteen years. According to him, many farmers had fallen into debt owing to soaring prices of inputs while ordinary citizens were struggling to make ends meet owing to price hikes.

Referring to the problems faced by Khardah, Chakraborty named water logging, environmental pollution, unemployment, and unplanned growth as major issues. Stating that it was necessary to develop the area industrially, he nevertheless pointed out that development had to be done without any damage to agriculture and the natural environment.

It is important to note that even outside the political process, Kalyan Chakraborty continues his social work through his organisation ‘Desher Mati Kalyan Mandir’. Recalling his experiences, he stressed that government schemes usually failed owing to the fact that the benefits never reached the target audience. Thus, he proposed creating smaller teams working at grass-root levels.

Finally, when asked what he expected from Bengal five years from now, he answered quietly avoiding political rhetoric: “I wish people to get employment, farmers to live with honour, and people to have a better life both in villages and cities.”

In spite of being a member of the cabinet now, Chakraborty still keeps referring to farmers, soil and rural realities.