There’s a gap of four decades between the film Sheher Aur Sapna released in the 60s and Suketu Mehta’s book “Maximum City’. Film Sheher Aur Sapna dates back to the era of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. The film portrayed the agonies of people who in search of an employment migrate from Bihar-U.P.-Bengal to Mumbai. It depicted the pain of sleeping inside a pipe, on the rail tracks, under a bridge, over the staircase.
Talking about a migrated labour: at times of leisure films are his only friend and amidst all this if he manages to see some film star in a shooting, he gets filled with immense gratification. On the occasion of Holi, Diwali and Id when he goes back home to Gorakhpur, Chhapra, Darbhanga and Asansol, the stories of glam life of Mumbai are narrated and somewhere down the line he finds himself amidst the Mumbai life. And the dreams of settling in Mumbai in the eyes of these small city dwellers shape up wings for their new generation.
Four decades back Mumbai was not a Maximum City. It was a city of dreams where everyone wanted to be. If in a village someone erected a structure and if Mumbai’s income was linked with it then the building or the haweli was said to be connected with Raj Kapoor-Dev Anand or Dilip Kumar’s style. If on the occasion of Diwali-Id someone’s wife flaunted her new fashion, it was branded to be that of Meena Kumari’s, Vaheeda Rehman’s or of Sadhna’s style. These instances were even more said and remembered while waiting for a beloved. And year after year Diwali passed waiting for some event to happen in the village so that the pain recedes faster.
However after four decades, breaking the old image of Mumbai a new image has emerged which is full of crime and money. The image in which everything ranging from a railway track to the pipes, a dhaba to the under-bridge sarai, are a part of the unfortunate mafiagiri. And everyone is a part of this system. This division and partition has replaced the dreams of Mumbai and a new society is in the making. The enormous money influx is the new limb of this society; the money that can take this society abroad in a moment. This new breed is the 'Underworld’ in which division and partition can make lives.
In the 60s Kaifi Azmi migrated from Azamgarh to Mumbai and in the 90s Abu Salem did the same. In the 90s Kaifi felt that Mumbai was a suffocated place to live and became eager to return to Azamgarh. Mumbai, the city which gave his dreams a reality touch and a name to his own city; after 3 decades became unsustainable. He returned to Azamgarh to give way to his dreams. However in the 90s when Abu Salem’s dream reached Azamgarh, it was routed to Singapore and Malaysia via Mumbai and Dubai.
As the money crossed borders the openness of markets broke the socio-political fabric of the country. The new society was now based on money which is reality and not an illusion. The politics has transformed that reality into a dream. Ambedkar disseminated awareness but didn’t give a political platform where a dream of a transformed and a better society could be envisioned. When Mumbai changed from a dream city to a Maximum City, a dalit Marathi didn’t know about his means of struggle. And all of a sudden a dalit Marathi began seeing himself as a Marathi Manus.
The new game of making money from money has hampered the industrialization process which not only provided employment to the labour but also has maintained their societal existence. Mumbai, including other cities of Maharashtra have faced a closure of more that four lakh small and large scale industries over last two decades. Also, some industries faced inevitable industrial sickness. This made more than fifty lakh people in Maharashtra unemployed. The school going children of these troubled families began speculating regular conflicts at home, which actually materialized. Cotton fabric of Sholapur became history. Four large mills and more than 60 small scale industries supported by these mills, closed. Kolhapur, Latur, Beed, Aurangabad and Vidarbha faced similar situations. The land where these industries functioned didn’t face any problems though as the markets were open for them. Everything got converted into profit. However the generation that faced the crisis was that of the school going kids who when grew up, had nothing to do.
The sources of employment rested on the platform of politics which endangered the political ideology. Political unions formed as a result of agitations and movements succumbed to the influence of big political parties. Bal Thackeray was the one who presented his type of politics garbed in the veil of new politics. The concept of politics as a new form of employment was presented to the new generation, who actually grew learning about the revolutionary movements of Ambedkar-Phule. The differences between a father and a son which came up due to unemployment initially didn’t even stop this new generation from taking this destructive politics as employment.
Shivsena started 22 unions in the 90s. During the 1995 elections the youth was seen campaigning for Thackeray. They raised quotes like “Jidhar bum udhar hum”. However after coming into power Shivsena couldn’t successfully merge the ways of generating employment through politics; so that the game of division and partition can be put to an end. This generation realized that the politics of standing against the power can provide money for their employment. Bal Thackeray lagged behind due to his age and that’s where Raj Thackeray came into scene. Raj Thackeray is the result of that era of politics which has forgotten political confrontation; an era which is retaining power on the platform of money.
When Sharad Pawar formed NCP, he conducted a meeting where people who supported him were given a bag and a new jeep from Mahindra. In that era Pawar was very powerful as a Maratha. He is still powerful but it’s just that others have also become powerful; they have money now. The economy and not Manmohan Singh taught them the art of making money from money. This gave a direction to their politics and power. Hence saying that Congress-NCP didn’t keep a check on Raj Thackeray would be wrong. The politics of confrontation was forced upon the common masses by the Congress-NCP hence there is no point of a legal system coming in. The question is the building up of a state, with a way of living. The reason is that the fire which ignited in Mumbai is now proliferating in Bihar. Mumbai is where partition and division politics can be directly linked with power and Government. Government also needs money to run, which the politicians are gaining by forcing the youth into politics. Hence Raj Thackeray has instigated this pain in the politicians of Bihar and not the workers of Mumbai. For the politicians of Bihar, the new economic model is the complete revolution in itself.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
American Recession and India: Vidarbha's perspective
Owing to this huge financial crunch in the market, big corporate houses are going bankrupt. The aftereffects are visible not only in America, but in India as well. Till yesterday the same formula which was a miracle of financial engineering, is today’s devil. The question isn’t that Bush and Manmohan Singh are trying to implement this formula which is itself a failure in the market. Actually, the true problem is zeroing of thinking.
Socialist theory can’t work. The autocratic Russian trend has given up itself before the market and now the theory of market system is failing. Hence the crisis is far more ahead of the recession. The new paradigm is that of the political system where by giving the thinking on a platter, Democracy will be questioned. But what would be this thinking? If the Indian political system is proud of its working and thinks that it’s different from America, then it’ll become important to understand that the Indian system doesn’t fit in the American scenario. However, both are facing the same kind of problems.
Recession in America has brought suicidal tendencies in people. In India, to bring the agricultural economy on track with the market, suicides are happening since ages. The banking system failed in the US and UK or is apparent because of incompetent lessees; this is happening in India since 1991 on the name of farming, industrial development and a lot more.
Maharashtra is considered as the most developed state of our country. To develop Maharashtra industrially in the 80s, in every district various experiments were done on the name of MIDC. In the same scenario for the farmers, the banking infrastructure led to their deaths. The way economic crisis in America is threatening its citizens; the same horror was faced by the Vidarbha farmers when the Indian and American economies came closer. The economic sphere of both the countries is different, understanding is the same.
In the past 10 years around 22,000 Vidarbha farmers have committed suicide. However, in the same phase Vidarbha has grown richer with hundredfold businessman. The biggest reason behind this is bankruptcy of industries. Bankruptcy is a profit business for industries and corporate. Hingana, 18 Kms away from the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra is the place where the MIDC was established. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation was started in the 80s. Around 200 small and large scale industries were given cheap land and other required infrastructure. By the time the 90s passed, around 90% of the industries declared themselves as bankrupt. The sick industries were given a stamp by the banks which give loans. A good rapport with the bank officials engulfed crores of money. The businessmen who declared themselves as bankrupt didn’t commit suicide. On the contrary, they excelled and even the Govt. didn’t halt. By the end of the 90s, Butibori, a new place 25 Kms away from Nagpur was given to MIDC. This time the land given was meant for around 450 industries. The land in Hingana is now under the captivity of builders.
40% of businessmen became builders themselves whereas 60% of businessmen exploited the land for their personal profits. Hingana’s land was initially cultivated. Then the land was taken away from the farmers on the name of industrial development. Now it has turned into a major concrete forest. The same condition is of MIDC’s Butibori which has been famous not only for its agricultural productivity but also for its orange orchards. The industries are mushrooming at these places. However in Vidarbha the dream of industries cannot be understood with the failing of agriculture. Failing of industries is equivalent to clearing the dues of crores in one go. For instance, Hariganga Alloy and Steel Limited hasn’t repaid a due of around 12.5 crore till date. Prabhu Steel Industry Limited hasn’t paid 9.69 crore and Ravindra Steel has an overdue of 26.31 crore. If we take an estimate of the amount spent by the banks on these industries, it’s around 300 crores. This is up to 31 March 2001. In the past 7 years there has been 200% increase in this overdue.
The RBI’s list of defaulters is unbelievable, according to which the banks have faced a loss of more that 10 lakh crore due to this bankruptcy. Maharashtra’s businessmen class topped the defaulters list with a due of more that 90000 crore. Ironically, none of the businessmen committed suicide when 42 thousand farmers did. During the same time Nagpur was chosen as the international cargo. The land allotted for this purpose was also the agricultural land. Around 500 acres of cultivable land has been covered for this cargo hub. Around 2000 families turned into unskilled labourers from agricultural labourers. 15 Kms away from the main city, the value of this land has increased tenfold.
Nagpur is the fifth state in India in terms of fast development. The cargo hub has created a vision in the eyes of the farmers and has given them a sense that more similar projects will come up. A farmer, whose land has been taken for the cargo hub and the international airport, is happy. A new face of revolution is visible. The farmers are together for increasing the amount of compensation. The old rate of 75, 000 for a piece of land has now become 25 lakhs in the market. Under various projects the rates are somewhere around 50 lakhs per acre. In this situation whether or not the farmers will commit suicide is the question; where farmers know that the agricultural era is on the verge of extinction in the country.
The new time is to be spent under the compensation and relaxations. On roaming in these areas one can know that the residents want information about the PM and the Finance Minister of the country. The culprits behind the suicides i.e. the workers-officers-employees-ministers-police never leave a chance of mentioning Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram. They blame the PM and the FM saying that it was their financial development. India has never had such a famous Prime Minister and Fianance Minister! When a farmer commits suicide, not only his family but the whole village talks about the PM and the FM.
Manmohan and Chidambaram actually do not denote American ideology.
The Indian economy has only given a new mantra of a virtual society inside a true society. The politics is against the autocracy but considers the domination of politicians as Democracy. The concept of making profit at the time of crisis is the brainchild of these politicians. If by using the banking infrastructure, the business class is exploiting the banks, then similarly the politicians play with the lives of the farmers. In Vidarbha, there are 9 ministers from Congress-BJP who develop their own formulas of giving loans. This increases their profit and also makes the farmer a tool for their politics.
The Govt. feared the ICICI bailout. Even the Finance Minister and the RBI came forward to help the private banks. However, making the Govt. banks a victim of politics is far more dangerous than the American system. The Govt. is oblivious. In Vidarbha, 22 rural banks and 16 Govt. banks run under the ministers. In the rural area, in more than 25 public banks the record of loans and bankruptcy are kept by the banks. All this is done by the order of ministers, MPs and MLAs. The banks link themselves for giving loans and establishing industries. The MLAs, MPs and ministers make money out of this and thus accelerate their politics. And the ones for whom the banking system actually works; in spite of getting any aid, their money from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund is taken away and distributed among the powerful.
The Govt. in Delhi took no time in declaring that the money of the bank account holders and investors is safe; but it didn’t care to know if the farmers have got their relaxation money or not. More than 100 crores was given as relaxation money to the Vidarbha farmers, but got distributed from village to village. In Buldhana district farmers are haplessly trying to get the compensation of around 14 crore, but according to the banks the package has been distributed already. The papers have the signs of those who have taken the money. Only those who had Farmers Credit card were given money. Only 10% of farmers have this credit card.
Ironically, after the policy of Govt. to stop suicides came into existence, the number of cases increased from 46 to 58 deaths per month. In the whole year around 150 small and large scale industries got bankrupt in Vidarbha. But the owners of these industries got even more affluent. This took away more than 250 crores from the banks. The question is regarding Manmohan and Chidambaram’s New Economic Model which itself is giving the Democracy a flipside. How can the American recession beat it?
Socialist theory can’t work. The autocratic Russian trend has given up itself before the market and now the theory of market system is failing. Hence the crisis is far more ahead of the recession. The new paradigm is that of the political system where by giving the thinking on a platter, Democracy will be questioned. But what would be this thinking? If the Indian political system is proud of its working and thinks that it’s different from America, then it’ll become important to understand that the Indian system doesn’t fit in the American scenario. However, both are facing the same kind of problems.
Recession in America has brought suicidal tendencies in people. In India, to bring the agricultural economy on track with the market, suicides are happening since ages. The banking system failed in the US and UK or is apparent because of incompetent lessees; this is happening in India since 1991 on the name of farming, industrial development and a lot more.
Maharashtra is considered as the most developed state of our country. To develop Maharashtra industrially in the 80s, in every district various experiments were done on the name of MIDC. In the same scenario for the farmers, the banking infrastructure led to their deaths. The way economic crisis in America is threatening its citizens; the same horror was faced by the Vidarbha farmers when the Indian and American economies came closer. The economic sphere of both the countries is different, understanding is the same.
In the past 10 years around 22,000 Vidarbha farmers have committed suicide. However, in the same phase Vidarbha has grown richer with hundredfold businessman. The biggest reason behind this is bankruptcy of industries. Bankruptcy is a profit business for industries and corporate. Hingana, 18 Kms away from the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra is the place where the MIDC was established. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation was started in the 80s. Around 200 small and large scale industries were given cheap land and other required infrastructure. By the time the 90s passed, around 90% of the industries declared themselves as bankrupt. The sick industries were given a stamp by the banks which give loans. A good rapport with the bank officials engulfed crores of money. The businessmen who declared themselves as bankrupt didn’t commit suicide. On the contrary, they excelled and even the Govt. didn’t halt. By the end of the 90s, Butibori, a new place 25 Kms away from Nagpur was given to MIDC. This time the land given was meant for around 450 industries. The land in Hingana is now under the captivity of builders.
40% of businessmen became builders themselves whereas 60% of businessmen exploited the land for their personal profits. Hingana’s land was initially cultivated. Then the land was taken away from the farmers on the name of industrial development. Now it has turned into a major concrete forest. The same condition is of MIDC’s Butibori which has been famous not only for its agricultural productivity but also for its orange orchards. The industries are mushrooming at these places. However in Vidarbha the dream of industries cannot be understood with the failing of agriculture. Failing of industries is equivalent to clearing the dues of crores in one go. For instance, Hariganga Alloy and Steel Limited hasn’t repaid a due of around 12.5 crore till date. Prabhu Steel Industry Limited hasn’t paid 9.69 crore and Ravindra Steel has an overdue of 26.31 crore. If we take an estimate of the amount spent by the banks on these industries, it’s around 300 crores. This is up to 31 March 2001. In the past 7 years there has been 200% increase in this overdue.
The RBI’s list of defaulters is unbelievable, according to which the banks have faced a loss of more that 10 lakh crore due to this bankruptcy. Maharashtra’s businessmen class topped the defaulters list with a due of more that 90000 crore. Ironically, none of the businessmen committed suicide when 42 thousand farmers did. During the same time Nagpur was chosen as the international cargo. The land allotted for this purpose was also the agricultural land. Around 500 acres of cultivable land has been covered for this cargo hub. Around 2000 families turned into unskilled labourers from agricultural labourers. 15 Kms away from the main city, the value of this land has increased tenfold.
Nagpur is the fifth state in India in terms of fast development. The cargo hub has created a vision in the eyes of the farmers and has given them a sense that more similar projects will come up. A farmer, whose land has been taken for the cargo hub and the international airport, is happy. A new face of revolution is visible. The farmers are together for increasing the amount of compensation. The old rate of 75, 000 for a piece of land has now become 25 lakhs in the market. Under various projects the rates are somewhere around 50 lakhs per acre. In this situation whether or not the farmers will commit suicide is the question; where farmers know that the agricultural era is on the verge of extinction in the country.
The new time is to be spent under the compensation and relaxations. On roaming in these areas one can know that the residents want information about the PM and the Finance Minister of the country. The culprits behind the suicides i.e. the workers-officers-employees-ministers-police never leave a chance of mentioning Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram. They blame the PM and the FM saying that it was their financial development. India has never had such a famous Prime Minister and Fianance Minister! When a farmer commits suicide, not only his family but the whole village talks about the PM and the FM.
Manmohan and Chidambaram actually do not denote American ideology.
The Indian economy has only given a new mantra of a virtual society inside a true society. The politics is against the autocracy but considers the domination of politicians as Democracy. The concept of making profit at the time of crisis is the brainchild of these politicians. If by using the banking infrastructure, the business class is exploiting the banks, then similarly the politicians play with the lives of the farmers. In Vidarbha, there are 9 ministers from Congress-BJP who develop their own formulas of giving loans. This increases their profit and also makes the farmer a tool for their politics.
The Govt. feared the ICICI bailout. Even the Finance Minister and the RBI came forward to help the private banks. However, making the Govt. banks a victim of politics is far more dangerous than the American system. The Govt. is oblivious. In Vidarbha, 22 rural banks and 16 Govt. banks run under the ministers. In the rural area, in more than 25 public banks the record of loans and bankruptcy are kept by the banks. All this is done by the order of ministers, MPs and MLAs. The banks link themselves for giving loans and establishing industries. The MLAs, MPs and ministers make money out of this and thus accelerate their politics. And the ones for whom the banking system actually works; in spite of getting any aid, their money from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund is taken away and distributed among the powerful.
The Govt. in Delhi took no time in declaring that the money of the bank account holders and investors is safe; but it didn’t care to know if the farmers have got their relaxation money or not. More than 100 crores was given as relaxation money to the Vidarbha farmers, but got distributed from village to village. In Buldhana district farmers are haplessly trying to get the compensation of around 14 crore, but according to the banks the package has been distributed already. The papers have the signs of those who have taken the money. Only those who had Farmers Credit card were given money. Only 10% of farmers have this credit card.
Ironically, after the policy of Govt. to stop suicides came into existence, the number of cases increased from 46 to 58 deaths per month. In the whole year around 150 small and large scale industries got bankrupt in Vidarbha. But the owners of these industries got even more affluent. This took away more than 250 crores from the banks. The question is regarding Manmohan and Chidambaram’s New Economic Model which itself is giving the Democracy a flipside. How can the American recession beat it?
Media, glamour and dreams…
Snazzy clothes, cool sunglasses, flashy bags, a mineral water bottle, groomed hair and painted faces and an anguish in voice; his is how today’s youth can be defined. The anger however, owing to a breach in their trust. The anger for being smothered by their own existence, which can be ignored.
It’s the picture of today’s youth eager to fly freely in the sky. Ironically it’s the same youth who is in search of an employment and whose dreams of ruling the world have been shattered by the present day state of our economy. Almost 850 probationers in Jet Airways, who sometime back represented the open economy of India and had opened the market to an extent that they said people should learn to spend. Market will give the money. They are the same professionals who are now asking for their deposit money back; which is around 50,000 to 1 lakhs. That’s when even more people started coming up asking compensation for their lands.
There was no shine visible on their faces. Nobody noticed the sweaty bodied and torn clothed labourers working and fighting for their causes. These workers were never given attention on a television screen. Seniors in a television house may have disagreements in all the issues, but they definitely agree on not showing the struggle of labourers for their cause. However, this façade is far more beyond the new emerging identity of India and no one wants to see it. In the run for TRPs these faces may even spoil the present brand market.
The aforesaid act of agreement is prominent so much so that if a junior in a TV organization portrays the despised class, they are openly asked to join a newspaper instead. But in the scenario when the glamorous faces have come on the streets; unfortunately these juniors are looking up to their seniors and journalists to support them as this can happen to them as well. Similarly, the same question was faced nine months back when no one wanted to listen to the agony of 25 people who were shoved away from their land.
Market is driving the younger generation and the brand journalists are running their news channels. Here, leaving the track of market means a flipside. No one wants to lack behind, thus when the new generation of professionals got on the streets to protest; the news channels began what they wanted to. When on 15th October at 1.20 PM when this news broke on the TV screens and the “grounded” youth apparently who wanted to fly were seen on roads, all the news channels aired this but none wanted to break the wheel of the sequence already set by the presenters. By the time it was 1.30, all the news channels were showing comedy, satire, fashion and entertainment. There was “Comedy Kamaal Ki”, “Aja Hansle”, “Hansi Ki Mehfil”, “Fashion Ka Tashan” and “Khel Extra”. All were busy making money through this market; the market which when low can ruin lives.
However, these business channels, in this scenario of tension estimated their own concerns and suddenly started advising the Govt. in the direction of bail out. Meaning that, to sort out the Jet Airways crisis, the Govt. should direct its money to the Airways. So that Jet Airways can recover its loss and re-employ its professionals. However, after watching this report on TV none tried to explain to the Govt. that India is ranked no. 66 in famine crisis and that the Govt. should first try to bail out famines.
It’s the picture of today’s youth eager to fly freely in the sky. Ironically it’s the same youth who is in search of an employment and whose dreams of ruling the world have been shattered by the present day state of our economy. Almost 850 probationers in Jet Airways, who sometime back represented the open economy of India and had opened the market to an extent that they said people should learn to spend. Market will give the money. They are the same professionals who are now asking for their deposit money back; which is around 50,000 to 1 lakhs. That’s when even more people started coming up asking compensation for their lands.
There was no shine visible on their faces. Nobody noticed the sweaty bodied and torn clothed labourers working and fighting for their causes. These workers were never given attention on a television screen. Seniors in a television house may have disagreements in all the issues, but they definitely agree on not showing the struggle of labourers for their cause. However, this façade is far more beyond the new emerging identity of India and no one wants to see it. In the run for TRPs these faces may even spoil the present brand market.
The aforesaid act of agreement is prominent so much so that if a junior in a TV organization portrays the despised class, they are openly asked to join a newspaper instead. But in the scenario when the glamorous faces have come on the streets; unfortunately these juniors are looking up to their seniors and journalists to support them as this can happen to them as well. Similarly, the same question was faced nine months back when no one wanted to listen to the agony of 25 people who were shoved away from their land.
Market is driving the younger generation and the brand journalists are running their news channels. Here, leaving the track of market means a flipside. No one wants to lack behind, thus when the new generation of professionals got on the streets to protest; the news channels began what they wanted to. When on 15th October at 1.20 PM when this news broke on the TV screens and the “grounded” youth apparently who wanted to fly were seen on roads, all the news channels aired this but none wanted to break the wheel of the sequence already set by the presenters. By the time it was 1.30, all the news channels were showing comedy, satire, fashion and entertainment. There was “Comedy Kamaal Ki”, “Aja Hansle”, “Hansi Ki Mehfil”, “Fashion Ka Tashan” and “Khel Extra”. All were busy making money through this market; the market which when low can ruin lives.
However, these business channels, in this scenario of tension estimated their own concerns and suddenly started advising the Govt. in the direction of bail out. Meaning that, to sort out the Jet Airways crisis, the Govt. should direct its money to the Airways. So that Jet Airways can recover its loss and re-employ its professionals. However, after watching this report on TV none tried to explain to the Govt. that India is ranked no. 66 in famine crisis and that the Govt. should first try to bail out famines.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Around Batla House….
The Batla encounter is bigger in intensity than terrorism and Amar Singh is above the case. The National Integration Council however falls short in front of Amar Singh. And the Council is smaller than Batla house. Who is the most powerful under the terror of Indian Mujahidin? It may be a mystery in any part of the country, but is certainly not one in Delhi. After the fateful Batla encounter, whoever stepped in Batla made the minority realize their power and weakness. It seems that Batla has lost before both. This is the new reality of the Batla encounter.
If Jamia Nagar is being questioned regarding the Batla encounter, a terror of police in Azamgarh is no exception. But the way the incident is being politicized for votes, it can seemingly make and break a government. It is clear that this time Jamia Nagar is on stake. On the board, a knight’s stance or even a pawn’s route would be the same for Jamia Nagar. All this and more is prominent there. Opening ones eyes is all that is required at this point.
No one has the courage to go near Batla House; near the door of flat L-18. However this betting has become a child play now. Police is always around the premises of Batla house. The one who wins the bet has chances to win an ice-cream or a film ticket. There are even rules in this game which include going to the house without being questioned by the police and returning, which in turn is a matter of pride and strength. Hassan Miya claims to have seen kids playing this game over Id celebrations. He had shunned the kids that day, but no one knew that this game would be played with even more interest over the period of time. These days police can be seen patrolling on the entrance of residential area near Jamia University. In this scene if any kid manages to get through Batla House, he becomes the new hero among his friends. Even the youth is in search of their new hero. The debate regarding the ones who were killed in the Batla House encounter has taken a political shape; so much that the youth is looking up to politics.
Irfan greeted Amar Singh on a temporary stage which was erected opposite to the mosque in Jamia Nagar. The youth sect has not been able to digest this fact, till now. Aslam and Sadiq are students of Jamia University and live in the university hostel. They are in search of a hero who can raise their voices and bring up their problems with ease. They can’t bare the distrust shown by any politician who plays a double game with them. They are full of anguish for Irfan. However, they have realized that sects can be divided and politics can be played. But why is there not a Muslim who can build up some courage and speak about the problems of the nation?
They are in search of a hero. Amidst them was an actress who insisted that women shouldn’t be investigated in the absence of a women police. Investigation shouldn’t happen at home. And since then, women police force has been visible around. Even the old people are in the search of their hero. According to Asgar, a sari shopkeeper Sheikh sahib, very well knows how to balance his stance in politics and saris, but doesn’t know one thing that is the tension due to the present situation. When Congress minister, E.Ahmed visited Jamia Nagar; Sheikh Sahib said to him that it’s difficult to get a 9 m long sari and also a real leader of the masses. When someone mentioned Sonia, he said that a leader is like an embroidery; talented and priceless. Whoever comes here calls for more and more politics.
Fortunately even I got a chance to meet Sheikh Sahib. When I mentioned the things being said about him; he retorted in a question, “What do you think, how many people will turn up for the NIC meeting?” I said that in the meeting Azamgarh and Jamia Nagar will be mentioned. On this he smiled at me and said that even I have mistaken it. According to him I was weighing NIC on the balances of Amar Singh. It’s all the politics of votes. He told me that NIC was established by Nehru in 1961 with a purpose of stopping the violence acts caused because of religion and caste. However, the meetings proceeded and the tension too. Though politics benefited from it a lot. According to Sheikh Sahib, NIC’s last meeting happened in 1992. The targets were temples and mosques. No one agreed to a single thing because no one talked about the good of common masses. In the whole conversation the common mass was absent. He then said that on Monday’s NIC meeting Jamia Nagar and Azamgarh will be discussed; Kandhamal and Karnataka will be discussed. And politics will be played in every aspect of this meeting. These many died here and those many died there. What’s the difference? If the number is equal on both the sides, the meeting would be called peaceful. And if the number differs, someone or the other would come out and crib about the need of peace.
Afroz and Rajendra are two property builders who work in partnership. Both talk off the record and talk openly. They say that however it’s off the record but only after the Batla encounter has Jamia Nagar marked a place for itself.
Earlier, when people wanted a property in Jamia Nagar, a lot called for an explanation. But after this Batla incident, the reputation of Jamia Nagar has increased. I straightly asked, “How it is possible; after the incident, shouldn’t less people come here? Afroz said that however it’s off the record; the reality is that Jamia Nagar has become more of a dream abode for people owing to the prevailing conditions in the nation. People, who earn well-eat well but are always paranoid about someone tricking them, come here. Rajendra off the record added that Delhi has become the most favourite residence of Muslims because even a small issue becomes a matter of over-fury here. He then added by saying that media and politics have benefitted their business a lot. When Amar Singh visited Jamia Nagar, media showed that he demanded for a judicial investigation of this case. And interestingly like me, they began marketing. Inadvertently I said that Amar Singh is not marketing, he just mentioned the circumstances. On this Afroz off the record said that Amar Singh threatened to take back the support. And this is self promotion only. The consequences of the Jamia Nagar hype are visible now.
Hamid Ansari from Srinagar came to Delhi to settle a property and when it got settled he said that Delhi is Democratic. It’s secure to buy a house here, no one would encroach. Moreover in Jamia Nagar, no policemen would interfere.
A free gasp of air is here.
If Jamia Nagar is being questioned regarding the Batla encounter, a terror of police in Azamgarh is no exception. But the way the incident is being politicized for votes, it can seemingly make and break a government. It is clear that this time Jamia Nagar is on stake. On the board, a knight’s stance or even a pawn’s route would be the same for Jamia Nagar. All this and more is prominent there. Opening ones eyes is all that is required at this point.
No one has the courage to go near Batla House; near the door of flat L-18. However this betting has become a child play now. Police is always around the premises of Batla house. The one who wins the bet has chances to win an ice-cream or a film ticket. There are even rules in this game which include going to the house without being questioned by the police and returning, which in turn is a matter of pride and strength. Hassan Miya claims to have seen kids playing this game over Id celebrations. He had shunned the kids that day, but no one knew that this game would be played with even more interest over the period of time. These days police can be seen patrolling on the entrance of residential area near Jamia University. In this scene if any kid manages to get through Batla House, he becomes the new hero among his friends. Even the youth is in search of their new hero. The debate regarding the ones who were killed in the Batla House encounter has taken a political shape; so much that the youth is looking up to politics.
Irfan greeted Amar Singh on a temporary stage which was erected opposite to the mosque in Jamia Nagar. The youth sect has not been able to digest this fact, till now. Aslam and Sadiq are students of Jamia University and live in the university hostel. They are in search of a hero who can raise their voices and bring up their problems with ease. They can’t bare the distrust shown by any politician who plays a double game with them. They are full of anguish for Irfan. However, they have realized that sects can be divided and politics can be played. But why is there not a Muslim who can build up some courage and speak about the problems of the nation?
They are in search of a hero. Amidst them was an actress who insisted that women shouldn’t be investigated in the absence of a women police. Investigation shouldn’t happen at home. And since then, women police force has been visible around. Even the old people are in the search of their hero. According to Asgar, a sari shopkeeper Sheikh sahib, very well knows how to balance his stance in politics and saris, but doesn’t know one thing that is the tension due to the present situation. When Congress minister, E.Ahmed visited Jamia Nagar; Sheikh Sahib said to him that it’s difficult to get a 9 m long sari and also a real leader of the masses. When someone mentioned Sonia, he said that a leader is like an embroidery; talented and priceless. Whoever comes here calls for more and more politics.
Fortunately even I got a chance to meet Sheikh Sahib. When I mentioned the things being said about him; he retorted in a question, “What do you think, how many people will turn up for the NIC meeting?” I said that in the meeting Azamgarh and Jamia Nagar will be mentioned. On this he smiled at me and said that even I have mistaken it. According to him I was weighing NIC on the balances of Amar Singh. It’s all the politics of votes. He told me that NIC was established by Nehru in 1961 with a purpose of stopping the violence acts caused because of religion and caste. However, the meetings proceeded and the tension too. Though politics benefited from it a lot. According to Sheikh Sahib, NIC’s last meeting happened in 1992. The targets were temples and mosques. No one agreed to a single thing because no one talked about the good of common masses. In the whole conversation the common mass was absent. He then said that on Monday’s NIC meeting Jamia Nagar and Azamgarh will be discussed; Kandhamal and Karnataka will be discussed. And politics will be played in every aspect of this meeting. These many died here and those many died there. What’s the difference? If the number is equal on both the sides, the meeting would be called peaceful. And if the number differs, someone or the other would come out and crib about the need of peace.
Afroz and Rajendra are two property builders who work in partnership. Both talk off the record and talk openly. They say that however it’s off the record but only after the Batla encounter has Jamia Nagar marked a place for itself.
Earlier, when people wanted a property in Jamia Nagar, a lot called for an explanation. But after this Batla incident, the reputation of Jamia Nagar has increased. I straightly asked, “How it is possible; after the incident, shouldn’t less people come here? Afroz said that however it’s off the record; the reality is that Jamia Nagar has become more of a dream abode for people owing to the prevailing conditions in the nation. People, who earn well-eat well but are always paranoid about someone tricking them, come here. Rajendra off the record added that Delhi has become the most favourite residence of Muslims because even a small issue becomes a matter of over-fury here. He then added by saying that media and politics have benefitted their business a lot. When Amar Singh visited Jamia Nagar, media showed that he demanded for a judicial investigation of this case. And interestingly like me, they began marketing. Inadvertently I said that Amar Singh is not marketing, he just mentioned the circumstances. On this Afroz off the record said that Amar Singh threatened to take back the support. And this is self promotion only. The consequences of the Jamia Nagar hype are visible now.
Hamid Ansari from Srinagar came to Delhi to settle a property and when it got settled he said that Delhi is Democratic. It’s secure to buy a house here, no one would encroach. Moreover in Jamia Nagar, no policemen would interfere.
A free gasp of air is here.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Why is Sheila Dikshit’s statement dangerous than Saumya’s murder?
A girl in her early twenties came to me and directed a question. She asked, “How can the police-judiciary- govt., imprison someone for 12 years without any crime?” I replied, “Exactly, that’s impossible”. On this she innocently said, “Then what’s the Govt. for?” I said, “The question is not about the existence of the Government. The new circumstances question the existence of the Govt. If there is govt., problems will prop up. Conditions can be worse. We live in Delhi and work here, hence cannot estimate that the very existence of the govt. is dangerous. “Sorry sir, but I don’t think like this. I think that govt. is synonymous to security. It’s a system without which nothing is possible. Everyone should think like this. Congrats for the Goenka Award. I’m in Headlines Today. I’m Saumya Vishwanathan”, she said.
It was 18th April, 2005, 9 P.M. then. I was preparing for ‘Dastak’ which was aired on “Aajtak”. Under TADA, several tribal people from Vidarbha were imprisoned for years and I reported the case, for which I was awarded the Indian Express Award. Out of them, one tribal spent 12 years in jail. And only after the report was shown, the Judiciary and the Human Right Commission decided to free him.
Coincidentally, on 18th April 2005, that tribal man was present on that occasion. He was the same man about whom Saumya had talked once. That was the first conversation I had with her. Generally, anyone from Headlines Today had never talked to Aajtak people about any news. Hence, it was surprising for me. I even mentioned this to the head of Headlines Today, Mr. Shrinivasan, congratulating him for the same.
This conversation came to my mind like a shock on the 30th of Sept when Harpal messaged me early morning… “Just got a call from Rashmi, Saumya Vishwanathan passed away last night after a car accident…her cremation will take place at 3 P.M. at Lodhi crematorium”. It was unbelievable because her picture was right there in my mind saying that no one could ever kill her age, her understanding, her inner conflict and her simplicity.
I still remember that on the 19th of April 2005, Saumya came back to me and said, “Sir, I hope you are not angry with what I said yesterday. I think it’s the system that’s running everything. We can’t avoid it”. I thought that let alone making someone angry, this girl can’t even think of making someone feel sad. I even thought that the way things are going on in our country and the way journalism is taking shape; how being emotional is justified.
Amidst all this when in the evening I got to know about Saumya’s death which was not an accident but a murder; everything from her simplicity to her reason of death came to my mind. The reason behind her death seems unthinkable. May be she was provoked by the killers. However, between all this, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s statement has raised some questions. Sheila Dikshit didn’t even think once before saying that Saumya was just being adventurous at night. Does that mean, a woman should be ready to face any unfortunate circumstances at night and if something wrong happens, the Govt. wouldn’t be responsible for that? Or that the Govt. is unable to provide any protection to the women and that the women should be ready for anything like rape, shooting or whatever?
Since the time when Saumya first stepped into the outside world, Delhi has been under Sheila Dikshit. So why Saumya didn’t learn what Sheila Dikshit wanted to her to learn? When Delhi was facing sealing and the shops on the Gurgaon’s fashion street were being demolished; the women designers were crying and Saumya was emotional. Harpal from Headlines Today told me that the girls were emotional on this issue but still supporting the Govt. for its step.
Everyone wants to see Delhi as Delhi. Saumya believed in the system which she questioned, when the man was jailed for 12 years. She believed that the system hasn’t finished yet and that the youth still believes in it. However, Saumya’s death has raised a question that the world inside the news channels and the world outside are different. And the dream of a developed nation that the younger generation is foreseeing can lead to ones death; that’s apparent. In a country, a friction has always been there in politics or in society only because of the dreams of a particular section.
To call for justice for Saumya there was a meet of journalists and her friends in the press club. A friend of her told that now no one has the courage to sit where Saumya used to sit before. That’s when I thought that the conflict between the two societies which are trying to strive in a single society will arise when the faith shatters. And if, the youngsters lose their faith in the system, the darkness will be darker than ever before.
It was 18th April, 2005, 9 P.M. then. I was preparing for ‘Dastak’ which was aired on “Aajtak”. Under TADA, several tribal people from Vidarbha were imprisoned for years and I reported the case, for which I was awarded the Indian Express Award. Out of them, one tribal spent 12 years in jail. And only after the report was shown, the Judiciary and the Human Right Commission decided to free him.
Coincidentally, on 18th April 2005, that tribal man was present on that occasion. He was the same man about whom Saumya had talked once. That was the first conversation I had with her. Generally, anyone from Headlines Today had never talked to Aajtak people about any news. Hence, it was surprising for me. I even mentioned this to the head of Headlines Today, Mr. Shrinivasan, congratulating him for the same.
This conversation came to my mind like a shock on the 30th of Sept when Harpal messaged me early morning… “Just got a call from Rashmi, Saumya Vishwanathan passed away last night after a car accident…her cremation will take place at 3 P.M. at Lodhi crematorium”. It was unbelievable because her picture was right there in my mind saying that no one could ever kill her age, her understanding, her inner conflict and her simplicity.
I still remember that on the 19th of April 2005, Saumya came back to me and said, “Sir, I hope you are not angry with what I said yesterday. I think it’s the system that’s running everything. We can’t avoid it”. I thought that let alone making someone angry, this girl can’t even think of making someone feel sad. I even thought that the way things are going on in our country and the way journalism is taking shape; how being emotional is justified.
Amidst all this when in the evening I got to know about Saumya’s death which was not an accident but a murder; everything from her simplicity to her reason of death came to my mind. The reason behind her death seems unthinkable. May be she was provoked by the killers. However, between all this, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s statement has raised some questions. Sheila Dikshit didn’t even think once before saying that Saumya was just being adventurous at night. Does that mean, a woman should be ready to face any unfortunate circumstances at night and if something wrong happens, the Govt. wouldn’t be responsible for that? Or that the Govt. is unable to provide any protection to the women and that the women should be ready for anything like rape, shooting or whatever?
Since the time when Saumya first stepped into the outside world, Delhi has been under Sheila Dikshit. So why Saumya didn’t learn what Sheila Dikshit wanted to her to learn? When Delhi was facing sealing and the shops on the Gurgaon’s fashion street were being demolished; the women designers were crying and Saumya was emotional. Harpal from Headlines Today told me that the girls were emotional on this issue but still supporting the Govt. for its step.
Everyone wants to see Delhi as Delhi. Saumya believed in the system which she questioned, when the man was jailed for 12 years. She believed that the system hasn’t finished yet and that the youth still believes in it. However, Saumya’s death has raised a question that the world inside the news channels and the world outside are different. And the dream of a developed nation that the younger generation is foreseeing can lead to ones death; that’s apparent. In a country, a friction has always been there in politics or in society only because of the dreams of a particular section.
To call for justice for Saumya there was a meet of journalists and her friends in the press club. A friend of her told that now no one has the courage to sit where Saumya used to sit before. That’s when I thought that the conflict between the two societies which are trying to strive in a single society will arise when the faith shatters. And if, the youngsters lose their faith in the system, the darkness will be darker than ever before.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
No one left to speak out…
I can reminisce too much amidst this debate. In 1973, when Rashtrakavi Dinkar was being felicitated the gyanpith Award, he said, “I kept swinging between Gandhi and Marx. I kept swaying between Ravindranath Tagore and Iqbal. However, when I read Eloit I felt what type of poem is it. The effect of circumstances can be to such an extent. Eliot belongs to a world of prosperity where the soul has slept and the body awake”.
However, looking at the present day conditions it seems that both the worlds exist in India. In these two worlds or societies per say, the way Gandhi and Iqbal have turned into a reflection; it’s not required to explain. Dinkar envisioned India as white and red in colour. He believed that a combination of red and white would be the future India. However in reality, the nation’s majority is wrapped around with a thick drape of fog, which is colourless. The other world still wants it to be red-green-saffron. This reminds me of a poem written by Martin Niemoller, titled ‘First They Came’. Here it goes.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
However, looking at the present day conditions it seems that both the worlds exist in India. In these two worlds or societies per say, the way Gandhi and Iqbal have turned into a reflection; it’s not required to explain. Dinkar envisioned India as white and red in colour. He believed that a combination of red and white would be the future India. However in reality, the nation’s majority is wrapped around with a thick drape of fog, which is colourless. The other world still wants it to be red-green-saffron. This reminds me of a poem written by Martin Niemoller, titled ‘First They Came’. Here it goes.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
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