The narrow, elongated stretch of land in eastern India, known as West Bengal sheltering a disproportionately enormous population, was snatched from the plans of Pakistan by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Posterity has spared little in labelling this statesman politician a communal person, while they themselves escaped from the consequences of partition taking refuge in that very land.

In a short life of 52 years, Dr Mookerjee's meteoric political career was triggered by the relentless communalisation of Bengal by the Muslim League. Almost immediately upon his arrival, he was successful in putting together a secular government in the province. His challenge brought the British and League in a huddle and led to toppling of this popular government. Soon thereafter, the terrible famine of 1943 exploded on people of Bengal thanks to this vicious coalition.

The stupendous scale of the crisis brought about an enormous humanitarian effort from him to save millions of common people cutting across religions and castes. Simultaneously he carried out a crusade against the toxic intentions that were wreaking deaths across the province. He also continuously kept making sure he did not fall short of making his suggestions heard to the government, even if unwelcome. His voice was heard everywhere whether at legislative assembly, meetings, publications. Piercing the iron curtain of censorship over the province he succeeded in bringing rest of India's support for the hapless masses of Bengal.

The famine awakened him to the extent to which British colonialism and the communal politics of the League could descend to. In the midst of his tireless work, he recorded a part of his observations on the famine in his speeches and articles and put them together in his invaluable Bengali book called Panchasher Manwantar.

It is a rare document that changes the prism of looking at the Bengal famine. His compassion, anger, helplessness altogether, amidst the cold ruthlessness of the League – British collusion are felt on every page of the book. But there is no malice anywhere. Only a hope surfaces time and again even if from the regime, appealing to the humanity in them. All of which bear the infallible signature of truth and honesty.