The evenings of our benign bhadrolok in Bengal have suddenly become hollow. It’s a feeling of emptiness where the mind keeps on looking what it should be occupied with, but does not find a thing.
Yes, it is the post-poll depression that has struck our bhadroloks.
Didi has staked her claim on Writer’s Building as everybody anticipated. But the two month long anticipation was nothing less than a frenzied preparation for something grand. Our own Durga Puja preparations wouldn’t come a second close to it.
It was a gala time for the media. Hundreds of news channels popping out of nowhere like mushrooms in marsh land earned their bread and butter covering the run up to elections. Each of them had their own set of intellectuals and analysts justifying what should happen and predicting what would happen. (Easy availability of self proclaimed intellectuals did help the media though)
Bhadroloks taking the humble suburban train to Howrah for ‘office’ would discuss endlessly and with gusto why Left should go and why Didi deserves a chance. The staunchest Left supporter, which is rare breed now, would listen to the repetitions of Didi’s tirade and with disdain would say “eta ke? ei pagla mohila ke chief ministar kora jae?” (Who is she? Can this mad woman be made the Chief Minister?). The road side Pan Shop would become a debate arena where everybody would put forth their points even if there is nobody opposing one another. How can one keep on repeating the same arguments day after day is remarkable though. The media came to their rescue frequently with some allegations or the other to discuss with. The spices added were helping to keep the momentum going.
Then the polls were over and with nail-biting anticipation people waited for Friday the 13th. People counted down days and then hours for the counting to begin. They all were awake at 7 ’O clock in the morning with a cup of black tea and Anondobazar Potrika (local newspaper) in their hand. Soon results started to pour in and by 11 ‘O clock expectations and anticipations became reality and Bengal decisively changed their colour from Red to Green. The Leftist were left to gasp with their score not even in three digits. And when one-by-one, the party stalwarts began to crumble, they had no air left to gasp with. They were all dead and buried.
Finally what our bhodroloks predicted did happen. The Left citadel did get demolish. Bengal now is to have her first woman Chief Minister.
But, the bigger question is what next? What will occupy the fertile minds of our bhodrolok? The media is not as spicy. The allegations are not as stinging. All over it is not the same as it was few days back. People go to their ‘office’ with one thing to say ‘bolechilam, Didi jitbe’ (said so, Didi would win). But how many times and to how many people can one say that? So, people are back to their routine life. The same 9 to 5 job and the ever-so-humble macher jhol-bhat (fish curry and rice). The gala festival is over and just like one feels after bisorjon of Maa Durga, there is a feeling of emptiness with nothing in the near future to occupy the minds of people so that they can forget their mundane routine and indulge into some anticipation.
There is so much to look forward to in the new government, but nothing can match the frenzy, the year long build up to this mega event which just went by.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Monday, March 1, 2010
Budget Take
Last week the country witnessed the most important event when the Union Budget was announced by Mr. Pranab Mukherjee in the Parliament. The budget is important not only because it will affect over a billion people for a year, but also because of the role the country will play in driving the next phase of global growth.
The occasion for the budget is unique this time. The world seems to be baby-stepping out from one of the worst recessions of human history and for India, whether to wean the stimulus at this nascent stage or wait for some more time is what weighed heavily in the pre-budget discussions.
I believe Pranab babu has done a real good job this time much because of a budget which is not flashy and flamboyant but practical and of vision. He has decided to partially wean the stimulus which seems to be correct given the situation. One thing which seemed to be pleasing is his acceptance of certain truths, like the budget is essentially a document which follows the political agenda of the party. Pranab babu did not reek of hypocrisy which seemed so fresh from a politician.
Rolling back of stimulus packages is a political hot potato! It is never easy to announce lesser public expenditure, lesser sops, higher indirect taxes leading to higher commodity prices; but the government has to do it at some point of time. Opposition from the left of the house is understandable. The fact that this is only the second year of UPA-II has helped the cause. Its atleast two years before some economically unviable measure, like farm loan waver, will again be announced. So Pranab babu has very shrewdly announced some rollbacks this year to create space for some fiscal imprudence in the coming years as hogwash before the next lok sabha elections.
The issue of inflation is another political imbroglio. The issue is so powerful that the opposition chose to walk out of the budget session as soon as the rise in excise on petrol and diesel was announced. The motive, probably, is to reduce the fiscal deficit from the increased Rs 26000 crore realisation on account of the rise in excise in petrol and diesel. I believe such an announcement could have been avoided in the budget. One can always announce a price hike at any other time of the year. May be, Pranab babu was too inclined on reducing the fiscal deficit, which, indeed is a very positive sign. After all with a high deficit, the borrowings will be more which in turn will move the interest rates northwards and thus the cost of inputs will shoot up leading to rise in inflation. But in such a case, the food prices may not rise that much and it is food prices that the majority of the population in India is really worried about. So what I feel is that the petrol and diesel hikes could have been done away with while food inflation is so high! This could have saved them the political mess they are into now with even the allies protesting against it.
Pros and cons will always be there, but all-in-all this budget seems to be a good one. There is nothing big to discuss or brag about, but it gives a sense of control, calm, prudence and vision.
The occasion for the budget is unique this time. The world seems to be baby-stepping out from one of the worst recessions of human history and for India, whether to wean the stimulus at this nascent stage or wait for some more time is what weighed heavily in the pre-budget discussions.
I believe Pranab babu has done a real good job this time much because of a budget which is not flashy and flamboyant but practical and of vision. He has decided to partially wean the stimulus which seems to be correct given the situation. One thing which seemed to be pleasing is his acceptance of certain truths, like the budget is essentially a document which follows the political agenda of the party. Pranab babu did not reek of hypocrisy which seemed so fresh from a politician.
Rolling back of stimulus packages is a political hot potato! It is never easy to announce lesser public expenditure, lesser sops, higher indirect taxes leading to higher commodity prices; but the government has to do it at some point of time. Opposition from the left of the house is understandable. The fact that this is only the second year of UPA-II has helped the cause. Its atleast two years before some economically unviable measure, like farm loan waver, will again be announced. So Pranab babu has very shrewdly announced some rollbacks this year to create space for some fiscal imprudence in the coming years as hogwash before the next lok sabha elections.
The issue of inflation is another political imbroglio. The issue is so powerful that the opposition chose to walk out of the budget session as soon as the rise in excise on petrol and diesel was announced. The motive, probably, is to reduce the fiscal deficit from the increased Rs 26000 crore realisation on account of the rise in excise in petrol and diesel. I believe such an announcement could have been avoided in the budget. One can always announce a price hike at any other time of the year. May be, Pranab babu was too inclined on reducing the fiscal deficit, which, indeed is a very positive sign. After all with a high deficit, the borrowings will be more which in turn will move the interest rates northwards and thus the cost of inputs will shoot up leading to rise in inflation. But in such a case, the food prices may not rise that much and it is food prices that the majority of the population in India is really worried about. So what I feel is that the petrol and diesel hikes could have been done away with while food inflation is so high! This could have saved them the political mess they are into now with even the allies protesting against it.
Pros and cons will always be there, but all-in-all this budget seems to be a good one. There is nothing big to discuss or brag about, but it gives a sense of control, calm, prudence and vision.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Fear a Primal Human Race
The world has had enough of the bright, starry American Dream. The market driven dream of opportunity for all has shattered and has taken down the world with it. Shattered dreams of the night with eyes closed do not cause much pain, but when it is seen with eyes wide open, the pain becomes unbearable.
Whenever we thought of the failure of a number of large and small countries with socialist ideologies, we thought why such muddle headedness in ideology when the panacea is available right in front of us, the glory of America and the West, the CAPITALISM.
Whosoever was not leftist was for market driven economy. Never did we shun from deriding those leftist whenever they preached restraint and gave N number of examples of the failure that is the leftist ideology. When some socialist bastion society wanted industrialisation from private investments, the rightist proponents cheered their victory and thus further hammered the nail of the widespread acknowledgement of the fact that capitalism is truly the panacea of all the evils in this world. Adam Smith must have laughed from his grave that day.
But when being market driven took the turn of greed, is nobody’s understanding. Capitalism became hedonism and people always thought the collective will of each person to excel and yearning of each of us to earn more and lead a better life will do a collective good for the society? But we have moved much ahead from the days of Smith, so wasn’t it expected from us to be more discerning? But no, we gave in to our primal instincts, to be hedonist and greedy.
Such greed took the whole world down and today we are on the brink of an economic catastrophe. Unemployment is rampant and so is global trade and commerce because of colossal imprudence on the part of some countries. But what is stranger, is changing the mindset of those very people who caused the catastrophe has become so difficult. The massive banks which lend to people so indiscriminately and got into trouble and subsequently got bailed out with tax payers money, are again resorting to astronomical bonus payments to its employees so that they can once again create a future conducive to another crisis.
So the proof is conspicuous enough that capitalism, just like socialism doesn’t work in isolation. What is needed is an optimal mix of capitalism with regulation. A deregulated market can never sustain itself and is bound to go out of hand just as human greed never remains in control. A hedonist, greedy human race needs control just to ensure greater good for the maximum number of inhabitants of the world.
Whenever we thought of the failure of a number of large and small countries with socialist ideologies, we thought why such muddle headedness in ideology when the panacea is available right in front of us, the glory of America and the West, the CAPITALISM.
Whosoever was not leftist was for market driven economy. Never did we shun from deriding those leftist whenever they preached restraint and gave N number of examples of the failure that is the leftist ideology. When some socialist bastion society wanted industrialisation from private investments, the rightist proponents cheered their victory and thus further hammered the nail of the widespread acknowledgement of the fact that capitalism is truly the panacea of all the evils in this world. Adam Smith must have laughed from his grave that day.
But when being market driven took the turn of greed, is nobody’s understanding. Capitalism became hedonism and people always thought the collective will of each person to excel and yearning of each of us to earn more and lead a better life will do a collective good for the society? But we have moved much ahead from the days of Smith, so wasn’t it expected from us to be more discerning? But no, we gave in to our primal instincts, to be hedonist and greedy.
Such greed took the whole world down and today we are on the brink of an economic catastrophe. Unemployment is rampant and so is global trade and commerce because of colossal imprudence on the part of some countries. But what is stranger, is changing the mindset of those very people who caused the catastrophe has become so difficult. The massive banks which lend to people so indiscriminately and got into trouble and subsequently got bailed out with tax payers money, are again resorting to astronomical bonus payments to its employees so that they can once again create a future conducive to another crisis.
So the proof is conspicuous enough that capitalism, just like socialism doesn’t work in isolation. What is needed is an optimal mix of capitalism with regulation. A deregulated market can never sustain itself and is bound to go out of hand just as human greed never remains in control. A hedonist, greedy human race needs control just to ensure greater good for the maximum number of inhabitants of the world.
Friday, January 22, 2010
We....the People
I have heard the question of why we Indians do not follow the rules of the society and show some civic responsibility ad nauseam, and the explanations we tend to give are nothing more than stupid. For identifying the root cause is not that easy and neither it is to give me a convincing reason. So let me myself delve into the quagmire.
We may be developing as an economic power but when it comes to social development it's rather the lack of it that we are developing in. Lack of civility is so ingrained in us that it’s hard to get rid of. A deliberate attempt by what we call ‘the system’ with its same age old principles of imposing fines or the media imploring people and devising newer tactics like the stupid ‘pappu’ campaign (an effort to get more people to vote by generating peer pressure) can do nothing to improve the situation. Temporarily, may be, but nothing when we are looking at a long term fix. Just to give an idea of how it is difficult to change people’s mindsets, the ‘pappu’ campaign managed to get a meagre 50% vote in Delhi and the star studded campaign of the seemingly only celebrities of the country, that is the film stars managed to eke out 43% vote in their own Mumbai. It’s another story that the Mumbaikars are such hypocrites when they could take out a candlelight march but not vote and rather spend an extended weekend holiday at Pune or Ooty. Again, the police thought that putting errant drivers hopping lanes, behind the bars will make them desist from such act. One must travel on Delhi roads to get a feel. So as I said before, such acts can produce results that are only transient in nature…………………..Oh! I am sorry for blabbering so much. Pitfalls of a critical mind you see. Upset about so many things that just can’t resist the temptation.
Now let me get back to my original point.
What is it that makes us behave as we do? Why is it that we behave prim and propa in foreign settings? I find it to be the subservient, submissive nature that we have generated over the years we have let foreigners rule ourselves. Our country was anybody’s cake. The Mughals, the Afghans, the Turks, the British, everybody had it. And we, so much grown into the atmosphere of somebody or the other ruling us, became subservient. It’s so much ingrained in us and that we most inadvertently behave the perfect citizen in another country. But then again, is it that all the country we visit we behave like that? I don’t think so. It has to be a country that has a living standard better than us to invoke such behaviour. A country like Bangladesh, Myanmar, or any African country will never evoke such response. And that is because we suddenly believe we are in control there. It’s another aspect of our behaviour that comes to the fore, which is using our strengths over the weak. Ever wondered why we feel so satisfied after we bargain with a rickshawala to keep the fare down to Rs. 10 which has remained so for a number of years while our DA has taken care of the inflation? Or why we greet when our boss comes over our house and kick when salespersons selling socks to eke out a living does the same? And we all thought India is a land of Namaste……………….I don’t blame anybody ‘coz it’s a typical folly of human behaviour and anybody anywhere indulges in such act.
But the problem with us Indians is, since we have become so subservient to others superior to us and so comfortable in our own cocoon that it’s very difficult to change our behaviour.
Religious books taught us to treat our body, our house as a temple. So we did. And the books never said anything about the roads outside so we never cared. “So obedient we are”. But again given a chance to maul a weak and a frail, we care two hoots what the books said. “So hypocrite we are”.
Until and unless we change our attitude towards ourselves it’s difficult to become civilised. By not being civilised we demean ourselves because at the back of our mind we still respect the developed nations more. Typical passive submission. When we do not consider ourselves equal how on earth somebody else is going to treat us that way. The day we start to respect ourselves and hold our head high; we are going to be developed in the truest sense of the word.
We may be developing as an economic power but when it comes to social development it's rather the lack of it that we are developing in. Lack of civility is so ingrained in us that it’s hard to get rid of. A deliberate attempt by what we call ‘the system’ with its same age old principles of imposing fines or the media imploring people and devising newer tactics like the stupid ‘pappu’ campaign (an effort to get more people to vote by generating peer pressure) can do nothing to improve the situation. Temporarily, may be, but nothing when we are looking at a long term fix. Just to give an idea of how it is difficult to change people’s mindsets, the ‘pappu’ campaign managed to get a meagre 50% vote in Delhi and the star studded campaign of the seemingly only celebrities of the country, that is the film stars managed to eke out 43% vote in their own Mumbai. It’s another story that the Mumbaikars are such hypocrites when they could take out a candlelight march but not vote and rather spend an extended weekend holiday at Pune or Ooty. Again, the police thought that putting errant drivers hopping lanes, behind the bars will make them desist from such act. One must travel on Delhi roads to get a feel. So as I said before, such acts can produce results that are only transient in nature…………………..Oh! I am sorry for blabbering so much. Pitfalls of a critical mind you see. Upset about so many things that just can’t resist the temptation.
Now let me get back to my original point.
What is it that makes us behave as we do? Why is it that we behave prim and propa in foreign settings? I find it to be the subservient, submissive nature that we have generated over the years we have let foreigners rule ourselves. Our country was anybody’s cake. The Mughals, the Afghans, the Turks, the British, everybody had it. And we, so much grown into the atmosphere of somebody or the other ruling us, became subservient. It’s so much ingrained in us and that we most inadvertently behave the perfect citizen in another country. But then again, is it that all the country we visit we behave like that? I don’t think so. It has to be a country that has a living standard better than us to invoke such behaviour. A country like Bangladesh, Myanmar, or any African country will never evoke such response. And that is because we suddenly believe we are in control there. It’s another aspect of our behaviour that comes to the fore, which is using our strengths over the weak. Ever wondered why we feel so satisfied after we bargain with a rickshawala to keep the fare down to Rs. 10 which has remained so for a number of years while our DA has taken care of the inflation? Or why we greet when our boss comes over our house and kick when salespersons selling socks to eke out a living does the same? And we all thought India is a land of Namaste……………….I don’t blame anybody ‘coz it’s a typical folly of human behaviour and anybody anywhere indulges in such act.
But the problem with us Indians is, since we have become so subservient to others superior to us and so comfortable in our own cocoon that it’s very difficult to change our behaviour.
Religious books taught us to treat our body, our house as a temple. So we did. And the books never said anything about the roads outside so we never cared. “So obedient we are”. But again given a chance to maul a weak and a frail, we care two hoots what the books said. “So hypocrite we are”.
Until and unless we change our attitude towards ourselves it’s difficult to become civilised. By not being civilised we demean ourselves because at the back of our mind we still respect the developed nations more. Typical passive submission. When we do not consider ourselves equal how on earth somebody else is going to treat us that way. The day we start to respect ourselves and hold our head high; we are going to be developed in the truest sense of the word.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
'24' and Anil Kapoor
Before I start, this is a long time since I last wrote something here. Though I have plenty of things in my mind, its just that I did'nt put my pen to paper (more precisely my fingers on the keyboard).
Yesterday I watched what I waited for a long time. That's the TV series '24'. May be I'll put off a few people here by my repeated mention of this TV series. I agree its difficult to appreciate something which you have not seen yourself. But the only reason I'm writing about it is because of our own Anil Kapoor. Yes, after Slumdog Millionaire happened to him he's now widely recognised in the west, or precisely, US. From the 2 episodes I saw, his acting was above average though not fabulous. He has got considerable screen presence, which I frankly speaking, did'nt expect.
Moving on, his act as a President of an imaginary country (though based on a real country) who has come to the US to sign a peace accord is convincing. As a matter of fact, sometimes he tries to put on a different accent as per the demand of the role (not US accent mind you) and sometimes he completely forgets to do that. The requirement of the role to talk at a lesser pace has helped him though. It's no Jack Bauer with his verbal blitzkrieg and the son-of-a-b@#$ act for those who can understand what I am talking about.
All in all Kapoor is convincing in his act. '24' is a hugely popular TV series in US and outside and Kapoor for being able to bag a role and have a considerable and vital part, a picture in the main promotional banner and his name in the main credits is super achievement. Oscar or no Oscar, leveraging his new found popularity or not, he has surely done us proud.
Lets cheer for him for once. Kudos Anil Kapoor!!
I for sure will look forward to the upcoming episodes with bated breath. Kapoor and Jack in a single frame is what I'm waiting for!!
Yesterday I watched what I waited for a long time. That's the TV series '24'. May be I'll put off a few people here by my repeated mention of this TV series. I agree its difficult to appreciate something which you have not seen yourself. But the only reason I'm writing about it is because of our own Anil Kapoor. Yes, after Slumdog Millionaire happened to him he's now widely recognised in the west, or precisely, US. From the 2 episodes I saw, his acting was above average though not fabulous. He has got considerable screen presence, which I frankly speaking, did'nt expect.
Moving on, his act as a President of an imaginary country (though based on a real country) who has come to the US to sign a peace accord is convincing. As a matter of fact, sometimes he tries to put on a different accent as per the demand of the role (not US accent mind you) and sometimes he completely forgets to do that. The requirement of the role to talk at a lesser pace has helped him though. It's no Jack Bauer with his verbal blitzkrieg and the son-of-a-b@#$ act for those who can understand what I am talking about.
All in all Kapoor is convincing in his act. '24' is a hugely popular TV series in US and outside and Kapoor for being able to bag a role and have a considerable and vital part, a picture in the main promotional banner and his name in the main credits is super achievement. Oscar or no Oscar, leveraging his new found popularity or not, he has surely done us proud.
Lets cheer for him for once. Kudos Anil Kapoor!!
I for sure will look forward to the upcoming episodes with bated breath. Kapoor and Jack in a single frame is what I'm waiting for!!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
India Decided
After a month long frenzy and days of devising strategies and endless speculation the verdict is finally out. Contrary to what everybody thought Congress has taken the polls by storm. Even the party men considered such result as a figment of imagination before 16th of May, but to their surprise the common man has been kind to them and hopeful too.
This election has been important from a lot of perspectives. Some I will discuss in this post and some in the coming ones.
To start with, strangely enough parties which were in power or supported the power are in danger of an existential crisis. The BJP and the Left have suffered serious humiliation.
The total tally of BJP has come down from 138 in 2004 election to 116 this time. The total tally of NDA which was neck to neck with UPA in 2004 (NDA-174, UPA-179) has come down to 158. And a stark fact is that NDA once winning 57 seats in 1999 has come down to a mere 8 this time in the most important and the largest number of seats state, Uttar Pradesh. This is the issue which should bother the party most. UP with 80 seats has always remained the most important state and any party hoping to make it to the centre must get this state right. Many thought Mayawati will be the king maker or the king (queen) herself just because of her clout in UP. It’s another thing that Mayawati won only 20 seats in UP, higher by 1 seat against 2004.
BJP after the land slide win in 1999 in UP, somehow floundered and could not capture the common man’s faith. Whereas Congress with Rahul Gandhi as their new face capitalised heavily. Mayawati’s pro-Muslim agenda and imposing NSA against Varun Gandhi too failed to capture the Muslim votes. The Muslim community were wary of Mayawati since she was the BJP ally. Mulayam committed a mistake of not fighting the election with Congress (SP came down drastically from its 2004 tally of 36 to 23 in UP). A mistake he now rues in his hindsight much like Lalu and his RJD (winning just 4 out of 40 seats in Bihar). Congress deliberately or not will not complain to have gone for the polls alone. Who would have hoped that they would jump from a mere tally of 8 seats to 21 in UP? Rahul along with Priyanka captured the imagination and hopes of common man it seems.
From the beginning of the campaign itself I somehow felt the BJP campaign strategy is not going to work. They were completely negative. Advani based his entire campaign on the agenda of “Weak Prime Minister”. He projected himself as the ‘Iron Man’ and the leader who actually leads, but the public did not take into his bait. Rather than squabbling on weakness of the PM or not what they really wanted was development and stability. The society here is not like US, Advani who wanted a bi-party system, and a debate like the presidential debate there failed to understand that. When a society is majorly uneducated people do not seem to understand these debates. How many of us would have really understood the debate over the Nuclear Deal with US if it took place on national TV? Most of the common men would not have. Narendra Modi, another stalwart in the party ranks also failed to charm. He took part in the most number of rallies, (300 to mention but BJP won 37 of them only whereas Rahul Gandhi rallied in 127 and Congress won 75 of them). Modi too inclined his campaign towards the negative side. The ‘gudhiya’ and ‘budhiya’ rhetoric was such a low in the entire campaign. It seems Modi’s charm is limited to Gujarat only. Whether BJP is going to project him as the next Prime Ministerial candidate is to be seen though. BJP would have done better to project its development agenda I believe. The Golden Quadrilateral and other infrastructural development initiated and implemented by the party when in power should have been projected better. True Congress had the NREGA and the farm loan waver which were pro-poor, but BJP rather than feeling unequipped to fight these points should have focussed more on agendas like development and price rise. That way it would not have been a negative campaign. All said and done the party now will have to seriously consider where they were wrong and will have to work upon areas where once they were strong but now almost non-existential.
Another giant failure was the Left. The plight of the Left is tragic to put it most euphemistically. They ended up winning only 23 seats as against last year’s tally of 59 when they played the role of a king maker. The Left bastion i.e. West Bengal gave them only 15 seats out of 42, against 35 in 2004, humbled by the rash Mamata Banerjee, their worst performance in 35 years. Kerala’s decision was expected since it was Congress’ turn this time (Kerala votes alternatively for Left and Congress). Questions now are rising against Prakash Karat’s leadership but where were they earlier? There is no point accusing a single person for the failure. Everybody in the party must collectively take the responsibility and find out where they went wrong.
What people really voted for this time was development. The massive victory of Nitish Kumar (JDU winning a massive 32 seats of the 40) and Naveen Patnaik (BJD winning 14 of the 21 seats) only seconds this point of view. The inability of Patnaik to speak Oriya doesn’t seem to bother the local voters because its development that matters. It seems the electorate is maturing day by day. If development drives politics and not caste and religion, what more can we ask for. Nothing can be better for the country if the people vote for development rather than narrow petty issues of caste, creed and religion. But it remains to be seen whether the people continues to vote like this or fall in trap to old narrow vote bank politics when the assembly elections come up in the next few years.
All in all I am happy with the results as it will bring stability which is much needed to tackle the ongoing crisis, and also when the neighbouring countries are in turmoil. Also the country could not have hoped better than to have three renowned economists to ride over the crisis. But again, Congress who has been entrusted with power, faith and hope must be responsible enough not to misuse them. If they do, they must be ready to be in the opposition next time around because if the voters were prudent enough to vote for development they will also be prudent enough to oust the party that misuses power.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Michhil....contd..
First of all allow me to thank all of you who have taken the pain to read my blog and have posted their comments. It has been really heart warming to hear the appreciation and the kudos.
Now referring to my last blog, there were comments which were not supportive of michhils and bandhs. Joyeeta mentioned that a day lost is lost and also when somebody is in emergency such disruptions are nemeses he can hardly afford. Shailendra has also asked a question of why we can’t have a humane path which is more reasonable. Jigyasu too has the same questions. Well thanks again for your comments and point of views.
I completely agree with all of you with the points you all have raised. Disrupting public life and taking the city to hostage can never be a reasonable way to protest. Who will take the responsibility of the lives lost and the other ordeals faced by we common man?
But I have a different point to make. Knowing completely well all the pitfalls of such a menace if you say so, I have supported them. And I have done them for a reason.
I have always felt that for a holistic development of an individual and a society one has to be aware, the society has to be aware of all the happenings in and around it. I always have a feeling of contempt for those who are unaware and feel “ignorance is bliss” (this proverb is so contemptuous, and just seconds the argument that proverbs are just for making oneself feel better howsoever unreasonable they may be). So as I was saying being ignorant doesn’t help. I used the words “antipathy” and “apathy” strongly. A society submerged in sweeping indifference can never justify their conscience.
Now the reason michhils take place is that people are not unaware or indifferent. I agree that michhils and bandhs can be organised by indifferent people when the motive is political. I also agree that it is always not the right cause for which there is such show of anger and neither do I support disrupting rail and road transport in the name of protest. But one thing that I am pretty convinced of is the constant urge of the people there to know what is happening around and the possession of a heart that cares and that does not turn a blind eye to one’s suffering. These are the reasons I hailed the people from my homeland. (This feeling of mine got bolstered after I saw people here caring nothing and misguiding an old lady standing in the bus shelter under the hot sun……………utterly pathetic!!)
A society which does not have a heart is as good as dead.
I have a question to ask too. Given the political set up and the rot in the system how one can possibly protest against a particular decision or anything for that matter? Throwing shoes at each other is not a solution which I guess any sane person will agree with. Also anybody knowing a thing or two about the RTI Act understands what it takes to ask questions. So how can we possibly raise a question? Voting out the government to get a new one sometimes is as much an effective alternative as jumping from a frying pan into the fire. So there we are……..how can we make people hear our voices?
In my opinion michhils can be a potent weapon. It does make the government feel the heat. With the rising role of media, michhils do create a pressure on the system. But again restraint has to be exercised. When the High Court gave a ruling of not organising them in weekdays the ruling should be respected. The effectiveness of this mode of protest cannot be compromised with by organising them every now and then. And also the common man for whom the michhil is supposedly taking place has to be kept in mind too. I may sound unripe with this cliché but can’t stop myself from saying that the collective power of people if used correctly can bring about a change.
Now referring to my last blog, there were comments which were not supportive of michhils and bandhs. Joyeeta mentioned that a day lost is lost and also when somebody is in emergency such disruptions are nemeses he can hardly afford. Shailendra has also asked a question of why we can’t have a humane path which is more reasonable. Jigyasu too has the same questions. Well thanks again for your comments and point of views.
I completely agree with all of you with the points you all have raised. Disrupting public life and taking the city to hostage can never be a reasonable way to protest. Who will take the responsibility of the lives lost and the other ordeals faced by we common man?
But I have a different point to make. Knowing completely well all the pitfalls of such a menace if you say so, I have supported them. And I have done them for a reason.
I have always felt that for a holistic development of an individual and a society one has to be aware, the society has to be aware of all the happenings in and around it. I always have a feeling of contempt for those who are unaware and feel “ignorance is bliss” (this proverb is so contemptuous, and just seconds the argument that proverbs are just for making oneself feel better howsoever unreasonable they may be). So as I was saying being ignorant doesn’t help. I used the words “antipathy” and “apathy” strongly. A society submerged in sweeping indifference can never justify their conscience.
Now the reason michhils take place is that people are not unaware or indifferent. I agree that michhils and bandhs can be organised by indifferent people when the motive is political. I also agree that it is always not the right cause for which there is such show of anger and neither do I support disrupting rail and road transport in the name of protest. But one thing that I am pretty convinced of is the constant urge of the people there to know what is happening around and the possession of a heart that cares and that does not turn a blind eye to one’s suffering. These are the reasons I hailed the people from my homeland. (This feeling of mine got bolstered after I saw people here caring nothing and misguiding an old lady standing in the bus shelter under the hot sun……………utterly pathetic!!)
A society which does not have a heart is as good as dead.
I have a question to ask too. Given the political set up and the rot in the system how one can possibly protest against a particular decision or anything for that matter? Throwing shoes at each other is not a solution which I guess any sane person will agree with. Also anybody knowing a thing or two about the RTI Act understands what it takes to ask questions. So how can we possibly raise a question? Voting out the government to get a new one sometimes is as much an effective alternative as jumping from a frying pan into the fire. So there we are……..how can we make people hear our voices?
In my opinion michhils can be a potent weapon. It does make the government feel the heat. With the rising role of media, michhils do create a pressure on the system. But again restraint has to be exercised. When the High Court gave a ruling of not organising them in weekdays the ruling should be respected. The effectiveness of this mode of protest cannot be compromised with by organising them every now and then. And also the common man for whom the michhil is supposedly taking place has to be kept in mind too. I may sound unripe with this cliché but can’t stop myself from saying that the collective power of people if used correctly can bring about a change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
