Farewell to a Leader

Death of an ailing 96 year old would not be expected to push regular headlines into the obscurity of the middle pages yet the demise of Jyoti Basu has evoked memories from both admirers and detractors which dominate national dailies this Monday. Though thoughtful in nature these obituaries only serve the purpose of bolstering the belief that 'the man' would not be forgotten in a hurry - a welcome reassurance considering the quality of public memory being ruefully 'short' in our country.

While regrets resound on "what could have been" had "the best Prime Minister India never had" had actually led the United Front government the spectrum of mass opinion never deny his rightful place as one of the most respected leaders the nation ever had. Much admired for his administrative prowess and ability to expedite consensus inside a party bound by Spartan principles his critics found his open Anglophilism and general insouciance for political opposition unacceptable. As children we grew up in Calcutta in times when the police were only heard of when they were bloodying their batons breaking up some opposition rally or the other. Mamata Banerjee, Basu's bete noire turned admirer, bore the brunt of such political arrogance on many occasions in that period. The image of Jyoti Basu which dominates most minds from our generation, growing up in the nineties, to be that of an old patriarch, reclusive in nature, reluctant in ushering revolution - the very plank that defined him in his prime. Still he strangely maintained that iron grip over proceedings in the Secretariat and the heart of the people who renewed his mandate in spite of vicious hand-wringing at many of his decisions. This generation still believe Bengal's unenviable skill at strangling industry is his legacy for us to bear. They willingly overlook the "land reforms movement" which installed Communists in the first place and line up arguments which make the "Comrades" look too power-drunk to have seen their own downfall coming. And not surprisingly Basu became the face of that unchallenged government over the years.

But amidst all the frustrations one must be reminded that it was Basu who invited Telecom and IT industries to the state later taken up with gusto by Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the present incumbent. His intentions were reformist in nature but with time his actions increasingly bore the seal of circumspection seen in aging patriarchs. A permanent status quo seemed to be the writ from the Writers'. Considering the hurdles Bhattacharya finds himself grappling with presently Basu's stand comes off as one of wise inertia in hindsight. May be his understanding of the very people he ruled prompted his decisions and made him the longest serving Chief Minister of any state ever. With the death of able organisers like Anil Biswas, Harkishen Singh Surjeet and now Jyoti Basu the present party leadership has some very big shoes to fill and going by their recent show at the hustings things can only spiral down from here. On the same note it seems poetic justice for someone like Prakash Karat who blocked Basu's way to the PM's post and now finds himself explaining every drubbing that his policies have ensued. Given the loaded possibility of the Communists falling in a heap in the coming 2011 Assembly Elections one cannot ignore the curious coincidence of the sun setting on the Hammer & Sickle Flag within a year of the last sunset in Jyoti Babu's long and illustrious life.

photo: googleimages

Election-2009: Sign of Things to Come ?

The picture has cleared and hopefully we are on course to having a strong, stable government at the Centre. As eventually proved I was jumping the gun when I put the UPA's tally at "220 odd" in my last post. They ended up with 261 and now need the support of just 11 members to stake their claim successfully. So much for the "hung house" noise and a "fractured mandate" fear.

* In latest news I learn that the two raging bulls from UP, always at loggerheads in their state, have decided to support the UPA Govt. "unconditionally", of course for secularism's sake. Now if that's not funny I don't know a funnier joke.

The results of Election-2009 has emphasized two very potent emerging realities for beginners:

1. Rahul Gandhi's elevation to the top league of national politics has been formalized. His decision to go alone in UP and Bihar has proved to be a "goldmine" for the Congress at the same time marginalizing the Lalu-Paswan-Mulayam sphere of influence. Failure in meeting adequate numbers in these states would have drawn flak, instead the prince-in-waiting has pulled off a great coup and the former allies are still smarting under it. The Congress after two decades of irrelevance has again become a force to reckon with in these two pivotal states which send no less than 120 members to the Lok Sabha. Though many see this is as his warming up to the top-job in time for 2014 and resent the subsequent throw back to dynastic politics I personally feel Rahul Gandhi should be a good bet at the helm as he has already earned his stripes - working for his constituency(Amethi) for the past 5 years, campaiging extensively for this election, proposing policy reforms within the party. Moreover young people have responded positively to his "youth inclusive" aam admi ka sipahi vision. Bringing the educated, responsive youth who are in tune with present challenges is a sea-change from the genteel gerontocracy we are so used to. If a single youth icon can inspire more like him to join politics that should be viewed as a welcome change than harp on his credentials, lineage and worst of all- his Spanish girlfriend. I can totally understand the foreboding that grips the swadeshi variants who resented a "foreign national" elevated to the PM's post in 2004 but at this moment of time all this is too much wistful thinking and little else. Our better sense must prevail and so should Junior Gandhi's in accepting the HRD or the I & B portfolio. "You won't have a report-card if you never sit for an exam" and managing a ministry for 5 years is his test for the taking.


2. The people have forcefully rejected the Left tactic of political arm-twisting to influence policy decisions at the Centre. They have had enough of their brand of "Zero Responsibility, Maximum Credit" non-participative brand of politics. But that is neither the sole reason nor the most significant one behind the brutal drubbing they were handed out at the hustings this election. For once, pressing local issues merged with a hitherto unseen wave of popular rage pent up for over a decade and erupted to drive them to the margins of political anonymity. In one single sweep Alimuddin Street and all its mandarins in their bubbles of arrogance were stunned to observe that bastion after bastion their posts had been breached and that too by a party it never deemed fit even to be a worthy adversary - the Trinamool Congress. In Bengal, where the sting will hurt for many years in the future, the Communists have faced their worst defeat till date. Land agitation in Singur and Nandigram, Rizwanur Rahman and Tasleema Nasreen cases being bungled all blended to yield the perfect poison for the apparatchiks. Mamata Banerjee became just the vessel for its delivery. Many people are convinced that Banerjee would have stormed Writer's Building had the State Assembly elections coincided with the Lok Sabha polls. Some are of a different opinion. They say they felt the need to vote for change only because they wanted the Communists to reform their attitude from that of unbearable arrogance which stems from assured vote banks and start to perform on the ground. Long has been their vice-like grip on every union in every field of work. Be it teachers, students, professors, workers, bankers, drivers - everyone figures somewhere in their long and distributed chain of dependence. The "organization" is so vast for its content and feared for its reach that practically "the party" runs the show everywhere - in every corridor in every office. People who grew up in such a system took all of it on their way but in the last four years acts of unchecked audacity by some of its leaders have antagonized the masses and the elite alike. From publicly insulting a sitting High Court judge to shameless pandering to a murderous mob of home-grown extremists they had done it all when elections came knocking at the doors. And everyone had their own score to settle by then. In a prolonged vacuum of opposition the TMC provided a mercurial leader who stood for little political sense but a lot of integrity and character. People voted for her in huge numbers but this only gives her a opportunity to perform and prove that she can actually don the Chief Minister's post in two years time. 2011 may not seem so close but it will surely be a very close battle considering the Communists pull up their socks in time. Otherwise history might just play lazy, go ahead and repeat itself.

Meanwhile, the people will be watching. To keep them on their toes.



* other trends might be appended to the post as and when memory surfaces and news emerge.

Jumping the Gun

The IPL can sit back and enjoy another show now. One much more gripping than itself

- The Great Indian Poll Results.

While trends in the first hour suggest disappointment for Lauh Purush Advani my heart goes out to 'the man who could not be PM'. Overshadowed by the more senior statesman in Vajpayee his career high point will now remain being the Deputy PM when in office and Leader of Opposition when out of it. For his dedication's sake I hoped he would be at helm this one time. But alas! Voters always have a different plan and how some live to rue it.

On the other hand the results which give 220 odd seats to UPA in terms of present leads will encourage Congress to woo new allies to take them past the 272 mark. Celebrations are already underway at 10 Janpath according to reports. It is easier to bargain from a position of strength and the smaller parties will now feel the heat of bargaining season. Though most of them stand to gain substantially yet repeated parleys might force them to tone down the demands pitch. What will be interesting to watch now is how and who joins in to make for the rest of the requisite 52. Will it be the big three from the cow-belt known for their selective reverence for Madam? Will it be a impaired Left who will "hold the hand" in happiness? Or will it be Nitish-'The Suitable Boy from Bihar'-Kumar who will secure his state's "special" status by offering support to the "outstretched hand"?

The picture will become clearer within an hour or two but whatever be the outcome the majority will heave a sigh of relief for a fractured mandate would have made the nation limp for five uncomfortable years. We will take anything but that with glee.

The First Election Experience

I cast my maiden vote today. I won't exaggerate and say that it was a liberating experience or that it marked the initiation of my political relevance but somewhere inside it felt good to be exercising the franchise that makes us a part of a democracy. It felt that finally, after all these years I was an adult - now that I had a say in who represented us in the capital.

In most parts of Calcutta, especially the Southern stretch of it that I hail from, "election day" is more of a community exercise. It felt like walking into the para pandal on Oshtomi morning to offer pushpanjoli - seeing all the kaku-kakimas, dada-boudis and distant protibeshis standing in the queue outside the local primary school. Smiling, waving to one another, filling each other in with the latest gossip - it hardly looked the "pitched battlefield" of two sworn rivals of the political arena. It showed that the smart-showers and Kalboishakhi over the past couple of days had felicitated this get-together to a large extent. People looked generally relaxed and unhurried. Though largely a Communist stronghold there was little coercing or pleading on show, just a little raise of a hand here and there followed by a nod of assurance. Persuasion was being played out in all its politeness just outside the booth. And one would take this any day over booth ransacking or manhandling of voters which is so rampant in many parts. Though I was asked a few times about the choice of my candidate by paratoto kakus I have known since birth I evaded giving a direct answer lest I be made to explain my choice in detail, all standing in a queue of considerable stretch, in front of the prying eyes of zealous party-workers and earnest looking army men. Worse, they might make me read their respective party manifestos before I am allowed to vote, I thought. But for all the questioning that I was subjected to I got even by drilling into the head of this kaku's son the mechanics of our great parliamentary system on my way back. By the look of it, he will be pestering his father to satiate his curiosity on the procedure of appointment of the Lok Sabha speaker for the next few days.

I am no political activist. I sport no political affiliations. I exercised my right and to the best of my knowledge voted for "the lesser evil" on the EVM panel. I also weighed the political eventuality in case the candidate I voted for wins and his/her party does well elsewhere and how it would lend stability to a Govt. which can run its course in New Delhi.
I just hope I have made the right choice.
I hope others have made the same.
I hope the coming five years do not stifle out the excitement I felt today in belonging to a system, a great one at that.
I hope I get to vote again.


photo: http://www.bel-india.com

Con-Front-ed

India goes to vote in less than 24 hours from now and in what promises to be a fascinating exposition of democracy choose who rules the country for the coming five years.

Though the latter part of the above statement might be an oversimplification the average Indian will keep pegging his hopes at seeing a stable government installed at the Centre. Here are some reasons he might get disappointed in the near future:

Each of the UPA, NDA and the Third Front combines fail to reach the magic number of 272 and we get a hung assembly, which in all possibility we will. The following situations might surface :

1. Congress emerges as the single largest party. DMK does well in Tamil Nadu to lend respectability to whatever little remains of the UPA . RJD-LJP-SP perform well enough in the cow-belt to be profitably realigned with the UPA with more bargaining power than before. Sensing the current towards this fledgling front NCP throws in its weight and the UPA is resurrected, dangling cabinet posts for more new friends, willing them to join in. The southern-settlement negotiated with the likes of PMK and MDMK the Congress still seems to be in need of additional support.

Now,

(i) Mr. Karat says "No" and the UPA is looking at weaning away Mayavati or Jayalalitha from the Third Front. The presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Karunanidhi in the UPA makes cohabitation an impossible exercise for these two mercurial maidens of legendary whim. In comparison, taking in Deve Gowda might be easy but it will hardly serve the purpose of meeting numbers.

(ii) Mr. Karat says "Yes" and the Left Front reverts back to its "We had to do it to keep the communal forces ( read BJP) out". Considering the projected losses of the Left in West Bengal and Kerala come out to be real, even after their support the UPA will enjoy a very thin majority and be liable to seasonal fluctuations of temper and policy. Add to it the disturbing apparition of Mamata Banerjee and the CPI(M) in the same front and you know Mrs Gandhi's hands are going to be more than full this summer.


2. The BJP emerges as the single largest party and JD(U), Akali Dal does well in Bihar and Punjab respectively. Seizing the opportunity TDP, AIADMK and BJD bolster the NDA and with time more friends emerge from nooks and corners. The Third Front disintegrates and both Sonia Gandhi and Prakash Karat are left sulking in their dens. That leaves the NDA humoring cabinet-berth demands of Jayalalitha on one hand and wooing Mayavati, just in case the wheels wobble mid-way.


3. The Third Front bags 125 odd seats and proves to be uncharacteristically cohesive in the post-election scenario. The Congress having conceded its single largest party status in the House to BJP is left with few options but to support a Third Front Govt. from outside "for the sake of secularism". Mayavati becomes PM with BSP bagging 40 odd seats and the country becomes one huge caste-cauldron in the mould of U.P and Bihar with reservations becoming the top priority in a Dalit-Muslim oriented Pan-India agenda. The Congress looks to pull the plug on the govt. at the first opportunity which presents itself and the cabinet lives precariously, formulating policies for survival rather than progress.



Any fair judge of the situation would recognize the fact that the probability of any of the three major fronts forming a Govt. at the Centre is equal. But one thing is certain considering the mutable nature of political alliances in election season this summer and that is:

" Don't vote for any Front. It might not be there come May."

Late Night Calls

Launching a blistering attack which might leave The Bad P ( i.e. Pramod Muthalik as against the good P i.e. our own Pronob babu) quaking in his dhotis Renuka Chowdhury has questioned the kind of upbringing he might have undergone as a child. Applying Freudian deductions and Jungian principles of psychoanalysis she has successfully come to the conclusion that Muthalik's early childhood was deeply influenced by females who believed in "All hail the male!" rather than the then-dubious-now-ubiquitous slogan of "Why should boys have all the fun?". Still the very little gaps that her theory suffers from she intends to eliminate by arranging a tête-à-tête with the saffron stal-wart's mother.

"We'll have to ask her where he gets his attitude", she says.

We wish her all the luck with the interview.


In other news, a L.K Advani comment has just erupted onto the scene which should bring more cheer to the healing hearts at 7, Race Course Road than the sagging shoulders at 11, Ashok Road.
In his characteristic manner, that of a practiced raconteur, Advani has compared Narendra Modi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As if the old man was not suffering enough already, Advani had to compare the great statesman to someone who is not even a whimpering apology for Atalji's political acumen, stature, charisma and presence. And to be reminded that both of them made for the Krishna-Sudama of Indian politics till a few years back. Some lasting ties of friendship there, Mr. Advani! Some glowing tributes! Jai ho!

Has political expediency got the better of a respected leader like him or has the corporate coterie finally had its way, one wonders. The investments, both domestic and foreign, which are pouring into Gujarat cannot hide the hideous past of hate and divisive politics that thrived under the garb of "good governance". If Mr. Advani is still calling the shots from the helm he needs to keep track of the past and chalk maps for the future keeping in mind the larger picture rather than playing to the Hindutva gallery. A Vibrant Gujarat under Modi is as much a palpable reality as was Uttam Pradesh under Mulayam Singh Yadav and the day Modi is put in charge of the nation would indeed be a sad day for our democracy.

- For some things are better not forgotten and some people better not compared.

Heat Strokes and Heated Strokes

Serena Williams had an "out-of-body" experience in the brutal heat of Melbourne at the Australian Open yesterday. [link]

She is believed to have said: "I felt I was watching someone play in a blue dress, and it wasn't me, because it was so hot out there".

Considering the heat wave in the sub-continent in the searing summer season is no less forgiving these are some of the more entertaining "out-of-body" experiences that we can expect soon :

" I see this fat, bald man crying hoarse with a diva sitting cross-legged on the dais. There is a unshaven, lean fellow with a stupid grin on his face, he has probably pinched that hair-band of his from his wife. He is sitting beside her, holding her hands, pointing at her sindoor. Also, there seems to be this really important looking old man trying to read "Mere Pitaji ki kuchh Kavitaaye" in a familiar baritone to the irate unpadh crowd shouting "kajraa rey, kajraa rey". I think the bald fellow needs some protection. Both from the sun and the mob."

- Amar Singh at a rally in Madhepura, Bihar. [link]


"I see this black-ox-of-a-man trying to prevent his small raft from sinking under his weight, all the while humming absorbedly a "chinna china asaai" tune. He also has a stack of magazines with a fat lady in a negligee posing most distastefully on their covers. His passport has only two letters - VP to avoid the entire thing being overrun by his full signature, between which he is trying to etch a carefully caligraphed 'I' just for an ego-boost in these troubling times. There is also a photo of a bald man in dark googles smiling that is peeping out from his misfitted outfit."

- Velupillai Prabhakaran fleeing Sri Lanka. [link]



"I see this man with a manicured moustache brooding intensely over a list titled "Who Next To Hit On in World Poilitcs" with a picture of a beautiful woman on the adjoining table kept face-down. I also notice a file labeled "Evidence from India" in the trash-can along with a note which reads " I am sorry. Love, Mushy". On the walls I see along with assorted portraits of American Presidents and Taliban Ulemas two distinct aberrations : The portraits of Hugh Hefner and Shivraj Patil."

- Just another day in office for Asif Ali Zardari. [link,] [ link]


"I see this really dejected fellow, white hair and an air of erudition about him, slapping his forehead and crying, "Bhogobaan!!! Not Again!!" at the sight of hoodlums picnicking in front of his house, blocking his way, raising a storm with slogans of "Cholchhe na! Cholbe na!" to everything he ever utters - a much familiar cry of dissent and protest, one he was brought up to believe in from his early years, ironically."

- Buddhadeb Bhattacharya trying to dribble past a blockade in front of his house. [link] & [link]


"I see, yes, I can cleaaarly see a O-man in a sadaa-kaalo-paar-saaree doing rasta-rokos and chakka-jams and amoron onoshons in the meedeel of the road. I can also see her in a Subhash-Chandra-Bosh-Dilli--Cholo posture, pointing her index finger towards a great red building. She seems driven now that the Tatas have driven their Nano out of Bengal. She recites her self-composed poem :
Leeteel caars phor leeteel peepol.
Bangaali is a graate jaati.
Make the autos doble, treepol
Or I become attyoghaati."

- Momota Banerjee in the middle of a mid-summer rally in Kolkata. [link] & [link]
P.S - attyoghati is bengali for sueycaaide.


" Who is this man ? Can't recognize him! Put him away! Seems terribly underfed. Might be from the SWAT valley or worse, one of those Ram Sena, Ravan Sena whatever!"
- Adnan Sami. [link]


"A man crying inconsolably. A tune drifting in from a distance , "kaahe ko roye.... chaahe jo hoye... safal hogi teri aradhana...kaahe ko roye...". He wipes his tears, settles his Johor-coat and enters the MEA after a heartrendingly brief stint in the PMO. He swears to himself, almost inaudibly, "In next laaife, I will be Madam if not the PM. Ei holo amar otoot bochon" and then struts like a politician who could never care to win a election, himself."

- Pehchan Kaun ? [link] & [link]

Good Bye or Good Riddance ?

One wonders at the ongoing drama i.e Pakistani politics with the same unalloyed glee that marks a toddler's first visit to the zoo, sometimes peppered with disappointments like watching the wart-riddled monitor die and sometimes marveling at the inspired antics of the resident ape, exhausting its repertoire to draw a few more laughs from the gathered mob. The resignation of President Pervez Musharraf figures somewhere in between.


While it is being hailed in Pakistan as a great victory of her people and a reconfirmation of the masses' recurring belief in civil governance and lasting order its a shock to see journalists in India toe that line blindly. There are headlines in every major newspaper touting this as the epoch-making event that is to shape the future of our neighboring nation in some unprecedented manner. They are speculating the rise of democratic traditions, faith in judiciary and marginalization of the Army's involvement in its public life. I believe the assertions couldn't have been further from truth. A country that has been most miserably swaying between corrupt politicians and military dictators since its inception is liable to break into joyous revelries once in a while when a dictator steps down to make way for another. The fun part this time around is that we don't still know who it will be. And perhaps thats what adds that little zing of anticipation to these celebrations.


The USA has marooned its 'trusted ally' and seems more than ready to 'walk forward' with his arch enemies in the Pakistan Senate. Saudi Arabia, expectedly will again take on the responsibility of being the caretaker of the political dumping ground that it is fast turning into. First Nawaz Sharif, now Musharraf. No wonder the General hopes to come back and rule, soon.
The PPP-PML coalition, having rid themselves of the Greater Evil will now have nothing to do but fight each other. Zardari will play the 'Bilawal-card' sooner or later as will Sharif try to consolidate his gains. The Army will be busy firing from across the LOC, keeping their minds off the civilian hotchpotch for a while and wait for the next able officer in their ranks who can Kargil his way into limelight. The ISI will keep the cauldron simmering in Kashmir and the likes of Al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e-Mohammad will find the Afghan-Baloch border too hot (courtesy some joint military operations) and hence migrate to the east.

And to think that all this has been precipitated by Benazir Bhutto's assassination. That is common knowledge. Now it waits to be seen if the ramifications become as far reaching as impressing a lasting change in the political landscape of South-east Asia. Or is it asking for too much ?

Once again the world has seen how One Death can change things.
Ask Ashok Todi.

Strata-game!

With the official withdrawal of support by the Left to the UPA Govt. at the Center the over all political topography of our national politics seems to have altered for the time being. I say 'time being' because of the "No Rupture is permanent" comment by the CPI's A.B Bardhan within a day of the Left pulling the plug on the Govt. To the average onlooker it might seem to be a daft remark betraying political opportunism for the future but to the seasoned follower of the The Great Indian Circus which goes by the name of 'national politics' in these parts this comment is a gem of a political profundity.


Not only does the comment hint at future alliances with the 'secular' Congress to thwart the coronation of 'communal' powers ( a stated Left policy) but it also is a sort of mischievous wink to the Congress High Command, hinting at the possibilities that might pose themselves post the 2009 General Elections. Moreover, my take (albeit at the risk of being dubbed a 'conspiracy theorist' of the vilest order) on the matter is that its another Left stratagem.


Let me explain first by enumerating the predicaments facing the Left before they decided to pull-out from the Govt.

1. Surging inflation, an impending oil crisis and increasing interest rates makes for a bad report-card after 4 years even if you are not in charge of the Govt. The Govt. runs on your borrowed support, dammit! Do something to show the people you are their 'Messiah in Reds'. Oppose every move. Stonewall every decision by the Govt. which poses short-term difficulties for the people but has long-term benefits. Public memory is short, remember ? In India its shortest.


2. Nuke Deal ? Yes, that sounds like the ideal issue for pulling the rug from beneath the Congress. Moreover, our GS doesn't like the Yankees much. Why couldn't they have penned something with the Chinese and called it the '一 - 二 - 三 Deal' rather than the 1-2-3 rubbish. It would have been much easier on our rigid ideological stance, you see.


3. Hello! Ain't we supposed to fight the Congress tooth and nail in every state where we have a foothold in the coming General Elections. 4 Years of sharing the bed is enough. Now is the time to abort the unwanted child. Its bad for business, you see, this getting seen honey-mooning for too long with your stated rivals. Its parting-time now!


4. But this won't be so simple. Pulling down the Govt would mean elections within 6 months and the party isn't even ready. The cadres aren't ready. Had a heavy drubbing in the last Panchayats in Bengal and now this. If this is any sign of things we will not fare too well in the next Lok Sabha. 59 might well come down to 30. Forget about the fanciful 'Third Alternative' we won't even be asked for outside-support. Gosh! No issue-based oppositions! No arm-twisting! No Co-ordination Committees! Nightmare! Nightmare!



Then there was LIGHT!

The Left decides to withdraw support and seek immediate trust-vote to prove the majority of the Govt on the floor of the House. I reckon this is why:

1. Withdrawing support makes us look like the only party left with any ideology. We will call ourselves 'pro-poor, pro-people, pro-farmer, pro-worker' again, the BPO segment notwithstanding of course. They are the 'New Bourgeoisie'. Gives us the moral upper-hand in a country where UP politicians are soon to rule the roost. Everyone knows what that means. The Congress will soon ( again) know what being SP-ied mean! They will come scurrying back to us in a post-election scenario. Even they know the expediency of choosing the 'Lesser Evil' out of two. Sounds fascinating!


2. Karat seems a tad too staunch for hard bargaining. Surjeet was more of a man-for-all-seasons. Doesn't understand the compulsions of electoral politics. No wonder Vir Sanghvi calls him 'the man who never won a Municipal Election'. Still, we will have to do with him. He's better than that Biman Bose.


3. Safe distance from the Congress now that we have withdrawn support. We can easily campaign against their 'anti-people' policies now. We were never a part of the decision-making apparatus. Were we ? However with the amount of time left for the present US Congress before the Presidential Elections ,the Nuke Deal will meet a dead-end soon. The UPA-Left Co-ordination Committee has served its purpose. What a great move was that! Was it Yechury's or Pranab's idea? This Committee? God! We should leave Jangipur to him again. He's a great man.


4. This is our common favourite. The Stratagem! Even Bimal Gurung's Gorkhaland number plates idea can't beat it. We are after all talking 'national' here. Here goes:

We ask for an immediate trust-vote motion. We vote against the Govt, against the 1-2-3 deal, but remember, not with the BJP. They just happen to be on our side, incidentally. We don't try too hard to rally too many parties, independents or splinter-groups in voting against the Govt. They remain blissfully absent or abstain on the day of the vote. The UPA Govt. proves its majority, continues at the Centre for the coming 6 months. No 'No-Confidence Motion' can be sought within that time-frame. So, we get time to dissociate from the Congress, protest in Delhi, stage dharnas and hartaals all in the interest of the common people while the Govt. continues. What's the use of crying 'anti-incumbency' when they are not at the helm. We will catch them in power these last 6 months. Sounds great!

Moreover, these 6 months our cadres can use to pile up whatever is necessary to win seats in the coming elections. Congress or no Congress, clout in the House is numbers at the end of the day. The rise and fall of Deve Gowda, I.K Gujral and the Third Front taught us that lesson all right.

Now, say all of you, isn't it a real good move ? This bringing down...errrr.........pretending to bring down the house....? eh ?


cartoon: courtesy: boloji.com

Karnataka Votes for Vengeance

The Bharatiya Janata Party has once again emerged as the single largest party in the Karnataka State Assembly. Only this time it seems set to rule than just sitting on the sidelines. Hopefully it will garner support of the three independents that it requires to claim simple majority and hence form a government before long. Though personally devoid of any political inclinations whatsoever in this Great Indian Circus of electoral politics I found it hard to hold back my ire at the shameless breach of contract by the Janata Dal-Secular a few months back. Setting an ignominious precedent that is sure to breed suspicion henceforth amongst coalition partners throughout the nation the JD(S) had refused to make way for a Chief Minister from the BJP after the completion of its term in office. Wounded and helpless the BJP had promised vengeance that now seems complete in the wake of this thumping victory. With the JD(S) effectively trounced and grounded the only substantial opposition that the BJP can face in the coming Parliamentary elections is the re-emergent Congress. The latter is already hailing the 'RahulGandhi magic touch', claiming strong voter turn-outs in their support wherever he had held a rally. Personal charisma notwithstanding, the BJP will have to deliver the goods to the people of the state and fast to ensure that its maiden stint in power in a South-Indian state turns out to be productive in the long run and not just a electoral fluke that will be promptly redressed in the coming polls.

Here's wishing B.S Yediyurappa a happy last laugh.

Going the Modi Way

As the run-up to the Gujarat election treats the avid onlooker to myriad antics that politics in India so regularly has to offer, the perceptive cannot help but voice concern over the recent incidents.

The raging debate over the incendiary speech that Narendra Modi gave the other day at an election rally in Gujarat has made it to the headlines the nation over. The political motive to polarize the electorate on the basis of faith is blatantly naked and compellingly unacceptable. There can never be enough justification for a Chief Minister of a state baying for the blood of ‘terrorists’, the allusion being too transparent to be deciphered with any difficulty. That the speech was a fitting reply to the Congress President’s ‘merchant of death’ remark wouldn’t even fool a schoolboy in Surat. But then, this isn’t about political affiliations (I assure that I have none. I only side with the ‘relative right’, though I admit that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find even marginal sanity in the present political spectrum). It is about reviewing the direction in which Gujarat is headed. It is about posing questions about the political expediency of a communal riot. It is about asking the average Gujarati what he/she wants. And for how long.

One can understand the atmosphere of insecurity and fear in which the previous Assembly election in Gujarat was held. It was within a year from the riots that had devastated the state and the air was thick with tension like never before. It was apparent from the landslide victory of the BJP that the communally charged propaganda had reaped rich dividends. But, four years is a lot of time. Things have moved, if not at a brisk pace, and living in the past is a fruitless exercise that no sensible Gujarati would approve of. The ‘healing touch’ has not been provided to the Muslims in Gujarat and understandably so. In an age of political opportunism where mass-sentiments are stoked for bagging electoral benefits, if the continued vilification of an 11% minority can churn out victory after victory in elections let it be so. No pangs of morality (whoever said that of politicians!). No bouts of compunction.

Milking religious sentiments for staying in power suffers from ‘the laws of diminishing returns’ though, and it might manifest its most unpleasant facets to the saffron brigade not before long. The BJP might win this election in Gujarat on the ‘Religion’ poll-plank but it might have few takers at the national level, where functional coalitions have become an accepted reality. The NDA- already a shrinking pool of regional parties might collapse if the shutters of the ‘Hindutva’ laboratory are not pulled down fast in Gujarat. Fully aware of its political compulsions, the BJP keeps pursuing its old trusted ‘ideals’ out of utter desperation and strategic vacuum. Its emphasis on a Modi-centric campaign, disregarding dissension within the ranks only attests to that helplessness. But, thinking apolitically, I wonder how the Gandhinagar textile merchant would vote this time around. Whom the Saurasthra farmer will settle for. Which way the Surat-diamond merchants would sway.

All these people who do a service to the Commerce of this nation every single day by being devoted to their enterprise; will they realize how they are being made to applaud the Emperor’s clothes of ‘Muslim extremism’ for too long. Will they wake up to the fact that for one Muslim terrorist there is also a thousand hard-working people of his creed who share nothing with the former except their prayer timings? Will they realize that it is only ignorance, poverty and misinformation that barricades the members of the ‘other faith’ and impedes their path to a better life?

A sensitive revision of the situation is the need of the hour in Gujarat.

It is the responsibility of every Gujarati to issue a timely reminder to all political parties that they cannot be misled into believing in ghosts of the past forever. Being the harbingers of progress that they are, one can bank on their sound judgment.

In matters of trade.

In matters of life.

Photo: Courtesy: Yahoo.com

Paying Back in Costly Coins

“All quiet on the western front” seems to be the apt epithet for Nandigram going by the silence in its air which was resonating with gunfire till a few days back. As the apparent tragedy of us all living under a “just” Government settles into our conscience let me digress a bit to vent my then-exasperated-now-consolidated sense of shock and hurt at what happened in Nandigram.

We all know that the brutal retaliation by CPI (M) cadres was prompted by their state of homelessness for the past eleven months. Desperate in their bid to return to home and hearth they organized a clinical purge of the ‘occupying forces’ (read BUPC). Coupled with the complete breakdown of civil administration and the rule of law “something” had to be done from the Govt’s side to restore normalcy in the region. So, going by the ‘stated’ explanation issued from Writer’s Building, owing to the culmination of such serious factors it became imperative for initiation of a calculated and ruthless crackdown. ‘Installation of peace’ was the primary objective. The casualties were all collateral damage.

Point taken. And Rejected.

Any average informed person on the street would pose questions that ‘Alimuddin Street’ might grapple to answer on this issue. The structure of the argument would roughly be in the following format:

• Even after repeated assurances from the Chief Minister that the chemical hub would be shifted to some other place (Nayachar) the Haldia Development Authority did not withdraw the letter proclaiming land acquisition. Going by the Singur fiasco, no wonder that the farmers had scant trust in mere words. Repealing that letter of intent to acquire lands would have precluded all allegations by the Opposition and vacated the need for putting up resistance to police intervention in Nandigram and adjoining areas.

• Why is the Govt. hell-bent on industrializing farmlands at all? Food security cannot be relegated while prioritizing industry. Land-reforms being the single largest poll-plank over the years for the Communists it is imperative for them not to embrace industrialization at the cost of agriculture. Such blatant digression from their manifesto equally concerns their partners and detractors. Industry has to come up, plants need to be installed. But, not by being indifferent to the farmers and their livelihood. There are large tracts of unfertile land where plants might emerge and run smoothly. Why isn’t the Govt. putting its foot down on reallocating land to more conducive places in front of the demanding Corporate giants? Commerce cannot take precedence over basic human needs one must acknowledge. And its high time ‘Brand Buddha’ does.

• The present Chief Minister, a favorite with the city based intelligentsia (not so long ago), was lauded when he headed for ‘Industry Road’ disregarding firm opposition from certain quarters in his own party. In a way ‘Brand Buddha’ enjoyed unanimous support on his progressive policies. But somehow the forward-looking man in him succumbed to misjudgment, insisting on giving away large tracts of fertile land to the obstinacy of TATAs in Singur. Nandigram was even worse. Blood on police’s hands did not simplify matters and pressed with political compulsions in the form of upcoming Panchayat elections he had no choice. The only choice he was left with was a spate of bloody turf-wars to regain lost ground. That’s what he would have us believe. But no Sir. One always has a choice. Especially when one has to decide if to hand over restive parts to the CRPF to call in order or to ascent to a calculated carnage where party cadres rape, loot and ransack at will, only to stamp their authority as the ruling party. The man’s image has been sullied. And though public memory is short, the bloody scarlet of the Red flag might not always evoke images of the Great Revolution from now on. It might just be gory images from Khejuri and Garchakraberia that the 'Hammer and Sickle' would stand for.

• As news of the orchestrated pogrom filtered out from within the guarded corners of Nandigram the media aired it with an impassioned plea; unprecedented coming from quarters where Left-propensities are far too apparent. Intellectuals organized a historic march in condemnation of Govt. complicity and Kolkata saw the first congregation of its kind where thousands gathered by mere word of mouth; people came to condemn an atrocity, to vent outrage and all rallied under a strictly apolitical banner of ‘Humanity’. As an incredible counter-measure intellectuals sympathetic to the Govt. staged a rally to convey their solidarity and support. Even the Rain Gods couldn’t help but mar their march to shame that day. The CPI (M) in the name of a Peace-Rally organized a show of strength out of hired mobs the next day and' seasoned Marxists' breathed fire on non-conformists. Even the Governor’s non-partisan credentials were questioned. Was that not an act of abject desperation? Was that not prompted by a now permanent sense of power becoming synonymous with tyranny that a party state-secretary had the audacity to publicly question the political orientation of the Governor of the State? And that too because he condemned an act of terror as ‘unlawful and unacceptable’?

Show me a thriving democracy and I will show you a place where power doesn’t rot in the security of permanence.

Photos: Courtesy: rediff.com, tehelka.com

The Urge for an Emergency

The imposition of Emergency in Pakistan on the pretext of removing judicial interference in state matters and curbing the brewing terrorism menace is primarily ludicrous and secondarily grave.

Pervez Musharraf, in his statement to the nation has pointedly asked the judiciary to abstain from intervening in the administration and policing of the state. Chief Justice Iftikar Mohammad Chaudhary has been asked to step down and make way for the General’s stooge. The Right to Expression has been indefinitely withdrawn as private newspapers and news-channels lurk under the shadow of the gun. In short, the military has taken charge of the proceedings in Pakistan. And no one knows for how long.

‘Military Coup’ and ‘Martial Law’ are words that an average Pakistani child learns before he/she can spell ‘MISOGYNIST’ going by the tradition of anarchy in that country. But, standing in the 21^st century, when South Asia can only look forward by adopting liberal measures, both political and economic, the move to stall democracy in a country of 160 million is but unforgivably retrograde. It is understandable that Musharraf had no other option but to clamp strictures by force to bring his house to order. The historically restive North-Western Frontiers were going out of control, the Taliban raising its hood of defiance to its old master in collusion with Al-Qaida, making it difficult for the General to save face. The Lal-Masjid incident incited extremists into action resulting in fidayeen attacks on a fortnightly basis in major cities. Whereas on the other hand civil society of Pakistan was also up in arms against the heavy handed approach to curb the Judiciary and narrow its dominion. With the comeback of Benazir Bhutto to homeland and the recall of Nawaz Sharif looking imminent he surely must have run out of choices. One shudders to imagine himself in Musharraf’s shoes right now. He is perhaps in the ‘Worst Political Soup’ of the century. Even his worst detractors must admit that he has the courage to take the bull by his horns, and tame it too.

The PCO (Provisional Constitutional Order) issued by the General can suspend the Constitution for one month, which can be later extended to three months if necessary. The measures that would now seem probable from the General’s part would be:

1. Stopping Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan. That would mean a bipolar contest with only the PPP( Pakistan Peoples Party)if and when general elections are held( which surely wouldn’t be meeting its January date due to the Emergency).

2. Cornering lawyers and judges who were in vehement opposition to his re-election. Appointing Yes-men at key posts would ensue. Blocked bills would be promulgated with urgency and made into Acts that would expedite the General’s cause.

3. Triggering a massive military offensive in the North-Western Provinces where the army is now on the back foot owing to resilient tribal forces mounting severe guerrilla attacks. Aided and abated by the Taliban and Al-Qaida they pose a serious threat to the unquestioned supremacy of the army.

4. A military offensive would also mean buying time from the U.S.A which is snapping at his heels to let the Marines cleanse the place off insurgents. Action would also show solidarity with the world community on the issue of Terrorism which is priceless coming at a time when he needs the much needed approval of the Big Brother to legitimize the Emergency and subsequent crackdown.

Another alternative would be to let loose the extremist hounds who have been baying for his blood owing to the clampdown on terrorist training camps and funding machineries nourishing them. That would call for a vigilant India to remain on its guard and foil any attempt at escalating tension, especially with the Gujrat elections not too far away in the National Political horizon.

As an avid observer of events I can only hope that sanity returns to a country which deserves its place under the Sun after a harrowing six decades of bitter rivalry and political unrest. Progress for the country and dividends for its countrymen can only ensue once there is lasting peace in its premises. If not the General, then somebody else must ensure that Pakistan doesn’t miss the train this time around.

Lest it be too late this time.

Peace.

Photo: Courtesy: Rediff.com

Left Lurching in the Dark .......................

As the coming week awaits a check of authenticity of the Left threat to rock the boat, the placating powers of the Congress top brass to keep the house in order and the longevity of our Prime Minister’s valor in the face of a political hot-spot the aam janta remains as confounded as ever.

Throughout the previous week I have been an avid witness to numerous articles and television debates as to how the hallowed 1-2-3 Agreement would mitigate our power problems, how it is absolutely safe for us to co-operate with the US and how our sovereignty remains fiercely guarded through the various clauses in the pact.

Simple logic thus demands to know of the Leftist headmasters in New Delhi as to what calamity they foresee in the wake of furthering the deal. What terrible blasphemy awaits the nation, its internal security and its independent foreign policy? The Left seems obsessed with Iran and the ultimate dark force that the US embodies. It’s even a child’s guess that India cannot afford to annoy Iran owing to its own power requirements (the Iran-Pakistan-India Oil pipeline) and hence it will always look to avoid direct confrontation on Iran’s nuclear issue. So a head-on collision with Iran goes out of the window right away. Next, the Left was well aware of the ramifications of the nuclear deal eons before its clauses were being formulated and finalized. Its timing of venting protest in such a circumstance is thus dubious and self-contradictory. It clearly indicates that hard-ball isn’t being played with the nation’s interests reigning supreme in the minds of the politburo mandarins. There is something else which is fuelling such a sudden fire of concern and issue-based opposition.

These are anybody’s guess.

The General Elections are imminent on the horizon. The Left needs to distance itself from a party at this juncture with whom it is to engage in fierce ballot-battles not so far away in the future. People must know how the Left has played a perfect regulatory organ in checking the excesses of the Govt. on every issue concerning national security, the nuclear deal being the prime target.

What better time to enjoy the obvious fruits of wielding control without sharing the burden of power. Idle criticism never hurt the critic. Remember?

For long the hardliners in the party have been sidelined or silenced owing to the emergence of a new breed of forward looking Left leaders (read Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee & Co.) more pragmatic and progressive. Now that old-school Karat is at the helm the draconian overlords are again raising their heads with a vengeance. Hence, a totally anti-Govt. stance. Forget issue based support. If the Govt. says yes, stall it. If it says no, install it.

The common thread of irresponsible maneuvering that runs throughout the Left history must see a prompt demise. Otherwise, if the Left pulls the rug off the Govt.’s feet and the country is pushed into another ill-timed election they will be held solely responsible for inviting instability at a time when the country is savoring its share of sunshine. It will be better that they continue their tirade against the Govt. on more pressing internal issues and not succumb to the lure of visibility in the political arena just for the sake of it. Their firm opposition on issues-close-home such as EPF rates and oil prices are welcome and will pre-empt detractors from labeling their continuous contentions as mere political posturing. A structured Left represents a sizeable political base and thus is to be taken seriously as a force to reckon with in the ‘Great Indian Political Spectrum’. But, giving in to hackneyed obduracy and clichéd confrontations with the Govt. will only sully its image.

Let logic reign supreme.