The abrupt walking off the interactive debate hosted by CNN IBN TV Channel by the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is a sad commentary for the term democracy. Her instructions to the police to take photographs of the students who asked her uncomfortable questions smacks of her mindset to crush criticism by bullying tactics.
By seeing everything through the prism of CPI(M) and Maoists time and again, she has been belittling herself as an unseasoned politician. In her bid to come to power, she was not averse to her taunts against the Left parties and everyone has seen as how she rubbed shoulders with the Maoists. How can she expect to be immune to criticism now? And how come her pre-elections friends (Maoists) have suddenly become her foes now? It is high time the chief minister realised that criticism and democracy go hand in hand in politics.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa, A.P