Prominent economist Sanjeev Sanyal has sharply criticized a social media comment that referred to migrant workers from West Bengal as "maids." Sanyal labeled the remark "obnoxious" and expressed deep concern over what he views as the state's long-term cultural and economic decline.
Sanyal's response followed a post by former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, which stated: "Gurugram wishes smooth elections in West Bengal. We want our maids back safe and soon."
A State's Legacy Undermined
In his rebuttal, Sanyal emphasized that the comment reduced West Bengal, a state historically known for producing luminaries like Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, to merely a source of domestic labor for other parts of India.
"It is a tragedy that a state that produced Vivekananda, Netaji, AJC Bose, Tagore, Bankim, and Vidyasagar is today thought of merely as a source of household help in the rest of India," Sanyal wrote on X. While acknowledging that all honest labor, including that of maids or drivers, deserves respect, he underscored that the cultural and economic downturn of his home state is not a trivial matter. "Some of us witnessed the collapse over half a century, and find this obnoxious," he added.
Economic Woes and Untapped Potential
The economist's remarks come amidst the ongoing West Bengal elections, with many domestic workers reportedly returning to the state to cast their votes. The first phase of polling concluded on April 23, with the second scheduled for April 29, and results expected on May 4.
Investor Rajeev Mantri also weighed in on West Bengal's trajectory, describing Kolkata as a city with immense potential that has suffered prolonged economic devastation. Mantri highlighted the state's "best human capital"—engineers, doctors, scientists, and finance graduates—who often seek opportunities outside Bengal due to the lack of local industry growth.
Mantri specifically pointed to Kolkata's "massively underdeveloped and underutilized" riverfront and its strategic proximity to rapidly growing Southeast and East Asian economies. He criticized successive political parties for failing to attract new industries and expand regional trade, contributing to what he called Kolkata's "totally unnecessary" decline.
"Kolkata is a city that has unlimited potential. It has some of the best human capital on the planet – just look at all the engineers, doctors, scientists, and yes, finance graduates and chartered accounts who have studied here but now work outside the city and state due to the decades of economic devastation."
Both Sanyal and Mantri's comments underscore a growing concern among public figures regarding West Bengal's economic future and its ability to retain its talented workforce.