Politics Of The Untrue World Of Party Symbols and Colours.

There is politics to everything. Even when it is a question of the trial against Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.The Maharashtra Government wants to complete the trial before the Assembly elections in October so that they can get brownie points for completing the trial fast.

The Maharashtra Government faced flak for taking 13 years to complete the trail for those involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. So this time, the Congress-NCP alliance wants to be certain that nothing goes wrong. And while it is great that the trial will be completed soon, also since Ajmal Kasab confessed to the crime and added, "If you doubt me, hang me", it is the Maharashtra Government looking to gain maximum mileage from this. Not the victims families or India as a whole for the moment atleast.

Does everything have to translate into the votebank? Who cares entirely about the sensitivites of the victim's families first? There is politics to every issue and while the families will rejoice for of course in all probability Kasab will be proven guilty and be sentenced to death or hanged, the State Government knows that they have got their mileage. The victims families and the people of Mumbai in general will applaud the State Governement for it's efforts and in all probability vote for the Congress-NCP alliance. But can that guarantee a high voter turnout?

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was only 24% despite expectations that the urban and rural population would come out in hoardes to vote. With Mumbai putting up a united face standing up against the terror attack in November coupled with the wrath against the Centre and State Government's inability to intercept the attack via the sea route despite prior warning, there was more expected of Mumbaikars at the ballot box. Can you blame Mumbaikars? For no matter what, the general perception is that politicians of all parties adorning various colours of their symbols are corrupt in their own way.

But they say that bad politicians come into power because of good people who don't vote at all. How much would you agree to that? Every adult should act as a responsible Indian and ideally exercise their voting rights. But for people who despise the politics behind exercising voting rights so that political parties can garner maximum votes, there is no stopping them from using their freedom to stay away from the polling booth to paratake in the politics of the untrue world of symbols, colours and fluttering flags.

What I Define As Patriotism.

If tomorrow you were residing in another country and there were a cricket or a football match and you choose to support your home country, would that be right or wrong? To me it would be right because at the end of the day my country is where I have grown up and which has given me an identity as an Indian on this planet. So if I am patriotic there is no harm in that. As long as I don't go about stopping the rest of the those supporting the alien country that I live in or showing hatred, it's alright. But then how many of those in that country would accept this theory of mine? How many would believe that this is right as they would turn around and say that I reside in their country and so I should support that country during the match.

Eventhough a cricket or football match is just a game at the end of the day where one has to be a sport and accept that one wins and the other looses based purely on performance, there are many and sometimes we who consider the home country's victory as our achievement and conisder it our identity. Why? Is it not just a game? Isn't it stupid to believe that my country winning especially an India-Pakistan match is a great achievement given the politics behind the association between the two countries? But subconsciously we display these exact same emotions. Today it might not be such a big deal, but tomorrow when I have a Pakistani friend sitting in front of me taking offense, then what do I do? Especially given the fact that in actuality I am not anti-Pakistan just because I am anti-terrorism. All Pakistanis are not terrorists and to me Pakistan as a country is as fascinating as Sri Lanka where I have never been to before.

There is a fine line between making a simple statement coupled with displaying a sentiment of pride and that of supporting my country and sneering at the opponent in a malicious way when my home country wins a match. But as long as I know deep down inside that there is nothing more to the expression than mere patriotism minus being spiteful is half of the confusion sorted. And as long as I don't go about abusing the opponents, I am more convinced that I am indeed just a proud Indian supporting my country and basking in the colourful moment of it's victorious celebrations.

How Ugly Is The Truth?

Sometimes our shortcomings are bigger secrets that we would rather die with than reveal. It might sound wierd, but it is often true. I take a leaf of the book made into a movie called 'The Reader' starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes where Kate Winslet or Hannah Schmitz is a guard in a tram company in Germany when she falls in love with Michael Berg played by David Kross, the 15 year old portrayal played later by Ralph Fiennes. What becomes an important part of the story is when Michael begins to read snippets out of literature which transport Hannah Schmitz to a different world which she could never discover on her own.

It is only years later in the court room that the budding lawyer Michael happens to be at the trial of the main defendent Hannah Schmitz accused of locking 300 people in a church, all Jews of a Nazi camp in Germany during Hitler's time. With just one survivor who has identified six defendents, there is no hope for them being released. Hannah is accused of being the main conspirator who wrote the report to carry out the task. But Hannah can't write in the first place. A truth that might have saved her. But sometimes when we'd rather keep the secret locked in our soul than face the reality that people might smirk at us, it is tough to get the will to let go of our inhibitions in a fraction of a second. When all we can contemplate is whether or not to reveal the shortcoming and whether we would be able to handle the torment of truth that people are mocking us. Sometimes we put our fears before what we need to do to help save our precious lives and live with dignity the way we deserve to.

But sometimes our insecurities defy logic and reasoning. And before we realize, the fraction of a second has changed our life. But why does Michael stop himself from meeting Hannah and helping her in her ordeal of revealing the truth of her illiteracy? What went through his mind, what would go through yours if you were in his shoes? It would be easy to say you would speak up. But in the circumstances that Michael was in and the kind of person he was, he lived in a shell. And again for him revealing the secret of his affair which unlocked the mystery of Hannah accepting that she was guitly when she wasen't the main conspirator, was a conflict within him that he lived with all his life.

Often, there is no reason for our actions. The answer to a question might be simple, but getting ourselves to face the fact and acting as per what is logical is the litmus test. Especially when we are thrown into situations that paralyse our thinking power and override logic.

Anti-Climax To The Great Indian Tamasha.

The stunning victory in the 15th Lok Sabha elections by the Trinamool Congress in Bengal, was an indication that the tricolour party has arrived on the National scene as a serious contender in battle for power. While last time it was the Left that supported the UPA led Government before abandoning them mid way, after the recent polls it can be said that the red brigade has almost been reduced to a minority in the lower house.

While these were just the Parliamentary Elections and it was a poll that determines who rules on the National stage, however the results proved that the people of Bengal cast their vote based on State level issues rather than National level issues like the Indo-US nuclear deal and the UPA Government facing flak for inadequate measures after attacks like the Mumbai train blasts in 2006 and the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, followed yet again by the Guwahati blasts on the 1st of January 2009.

But when close to 70% of Bengal's population is rural and many illiterate, for most of them their main source of information on political parties are the posters they see around them and what they are told by their community or the political partymen. So for them issues like Singur, Nandigram and the police attrocities at Lalgarh come into focus combined with sloganeering by the Trinamool Congress- "Ma Maati Manush" or in other words Mother, Land and People of the soil . A simple effective message that reaches out to the people of all classes, especially in the aftermath of violence stemming from land acquisition in Nandigram and Singur. While the urban voters might have identified Mamata Banerjee as the one who drove Nano out of Singur and a name that became synonymous with anti-industrialisation, it could perhaps be seen as a move to vote for Trinamool Congress because of it's alliance with the Congress in Bengal. And many of them might have chosen to vote for a secular Congress rather than the BJP.

But at end of it the big Indian Voting Tamasha, these elections have proved that it is the people's verdict that decides who takes centrestage to wave the magic wand towards India's development and success in the next five years. As for Bengal, the Trinamool Congress's victory is an indication of what we can expect in the 2011 Assembly elections just as the 2008 Panchayat elections was an indication of the Trinamool Congress's inroads into rural hamlets, ruled for 32 years by the Marxists who came to power in 1977 using the same cards that are spelling victory for Mamata Banerjee. Not to forget that the Left has also lost on out on the muslim votebank after Talima Nasreen, Rizwanur Rahman and the Nandigram issues became Mamata's gain in the long run.

Lalgarh-Fighting Fear.

West Bengal's voter turnout during the first phase of elections was 64% and while arrangements had been made to take the residents of the troubletorn hamlet in West Midnapore's Lalgarh to 4 polling booths outside the area, there was a voter turnout of only 15%. Many Maoist affected areas had called for a poll boycott and while Lalgarh did not spell out a boycott, the percentage of turnout implied the same.

Lalgarh is not very far from Nandigram which many would remember for the March 14th 2007 massacre. And the connect only makes things worse for the Left Government which does not have the support of the people in three areas primarily, Singur being the third which would at one time given birth to the Tata Nano had the Trinamool Congress not oust it from the State.So Singur would be more about divided votes where some farmers are still languishing after they were promised their land back after the project was aborted. For industrialisation would mean more jobs for these farmers and the generations to follow.

While Singur and Nandigram have been spoken about endlessly, Lalgarh has taken prominence where for the first time the State Government and the Election Commission have been hit hard. With fear of police entering the village, these adivasis are even against polling taking place in 40 booths within the boundary. And so the idea of transporting nearly 50,000 voters to booths within a 5 kms radius of the voter's homes. But alas just a 15% voter turnout due to an unspoken boycott.

The CPIM can heave a sigh of relief which is definitely not the opposition's gain. But again these are Parliamentary elections and not Assembly elections. But what crosses the minds of these uneducated tribals, armed with weapons like swords and trishuls who walked the streets of Kolkata days before the first phase of Bengal elections? Any Kolkatan might be taken aback looking at them. Some urban folk feared for their lives when these tribals broke out into a scuffle and sat on the streets till late in the evening following a fight with a bus driver who had accidently hit one of their tribe.

What do elections mean to them, something or maybe nothing? Is it just the weapons that make them a feared lot that even the Election Commission and State Government can do nothing to settle the issue? If clothes make the man, these tribals would symbolise barbarity. But then what would you call the Left Government's workers, many dressed in white kurtas and the police officers in khaki who took some adivasis randomly by the collar and accused them of carrying out the blast on the Chief Minister's convoy in November 2008? An act of reason or a muscle power in the garb of rightousness?

Stark Dark Reality.....

A month ago there was a notice in the Kolkata newspapers saying that the Election Commission was falling short of 20,000 people to help out during the Lok Sabha elections. And so the Durbal Mahila Samawayana Committee which has 70,000 registered sex workers working primarily in the Sonargachi area of Kolkata offered to help by sending out 5,000 of their registsred sex workers to help out during the polls. And in turn all they wanted was a certificate to say that these girls had helped during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

But as it turns out, only Government officials can help out during the elections. So instead of 5000 sex workers, only 6 would be involved by being the contact persons at 6 booths in Sonargachi and informing the Election Commission in case there is any violence or for instance if the electronic voting machines donnot work.

At the end of the day, these sex workers are also citizens of the country who want to do their bit for society. But apart from a chord that touches the heart for a brief moment, what are the thoughts that come to a person's mind when they think about sex workers helping out during the poll process? Does it really go down well with them? If these sex workers had not just helped at the 6 booths in Sonargachi but helped in the other booths acroos the city, what would your reaction be?

One could be of apprehension and shock. But could one also be of empathy beyond just hearing of them helping during the elections? One might argue that these sex workers will not be all that professional and get carried away and solicit clients. But could they also be seen as responsible and know their priorities? Isn't there more to sex workers than selling their bodies?

Many become sex workers out of compulsion for need of money while some are thrown into the dark world of the flesh trade. They don't command respect as a lawyer, teacher or a marketing professional and they have to live with that. It pinches them somewhere, sometimes. And when it comes to them going an extra mile to lend a helping hand, beyond a great story for a journalist, does it help them earn a little respect?

Perhaps just for a moment. And while there are some outspoken sex workers, they are just a needle in the haystack who are still at the end of the day SEX WORKERS ostracized in society. And it's not just in India alone. Their community is looked down upon all over the world even if they were to be philantrophic and perform endless good deeds just like any other human being.

The Farmers In The Bull Fight(Written In Dec 2006)

What do you call an ailing political leader, who appears to be on the death bed but the truth as most question is a far cry from the scene on the stage.....There might be a no. of examples to cite, but currently one could only think of Mamata Banerjee, a lady like a sheet of steel(Tata steel?) going through the hotest fire. But alas, it's not the State Government's sympathy she is getting, but the Left's ire.....The reality of the situation is not one sided. Looking at the two plates of the balance, the futuristic CPM wants to encourage industrialisation, the key to the State's betterment where seems to lie. On the other side of the balance lady Mamata sits on her throne fasting(?) voicing the predicament of the poor landless farmers who will soon have to wonder where their next meal will come from.So who is right and who is wrong?Is the State Government all that heartless as the Trinamul Congress Chief puts it?The land norms say that as long as the land to be accquired is in the public interest, all is ok. So the real question really is, do the farmers know and believe that what is happenning is in the public's best interest?Has anyone really made an effort to tell them about the plus points of industrailisation and perhaps cite the example of the Tata's transforming Tatanagar with the emergence of their steel plant years ago?A steel plant which not only is successful in it's own right but also has transformed the town and the lives of the people, a story of rags to riches?If not rich as a King, but atleast the certainty of knowing they will eat their next meal and don't have to look skyward to know if the rain Gods will oblige.Nobody, absolutely nobody seems to have educated these people about the situation.Also has anyone tried to tell them that the compensation package they have received is one of the best in the country?Of course no one would want to waste their time telling the farmes this.They only know how to plough the fields,so what would they understand about the positives of industrialisation.So farmers like good children just quitely give up your land,don't ask too many questions.Maybe those who believe in the Singur project should sit up and do something before the voice of the opposition silences the bosses what with the farmers being told about the wrong doing.The bottomline of course is reaching a consensus as the Left is hoping to do since quite awhile.And maybe, just maybe intsead of making the poor farmers scapegoats in the battle of the stubborn bulls, enlightening them would help the confused souls think for themselves, should they support industrialisation or remain complacent and plough away till death. But of course a debate would not be a debate without different facets to an issue nor would a coin be uniquely what it really is without two polar sides to it.

No Man's Land

In the vast expanse of the State of Bengal is a small hamlet called Charjatrasidhi which for many is not even a farmiliar name forget about even a few people knowing about it or giving you the directions. Probably a few Government officials would know. Perhaps the District Magistrate who visited the place once. And a few journalists who jumped with joy as they've found a new story.

And the story unfolds when the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer or CEO Debasis Sen hears the voices of around 3000 people in this village striving to have an identity of it's own. And where the villagers strived to establish themselves as Indian citizens.

All because the river Hoogly changed it's course making Charjatrasidhi fight for it's identity as the the village which was once a part of Hoogly district fell under Nadia district thereafter. And so ration cards were invalid and voter IDs lost their value for the past 30 years. And though the ration card still helped them get home provisions, the voter ID card did now allow them to vote or prove they were citizens iof India.

And finally a sense of euphoria erupts when 1260 people see their names on the voter list thanks to a kind CEO who heard their pleas. So now they have something to prove they belong to India, the land of diverse cultures. And now they have a chance to vote for a someone who will give them basic amenities like electricity and water which they been deprived of all along.

For these villagers who can easily count on their fingers the number of outsiders who have set foot in their domain, they greet each person with a smile filled with enthusiasm. An enthusiasm which make you ponder when you look into their eyes which tell a different story and opens the window to their lives beyond the hospitality.

For those like us settled in urban places, a voter ID might not hold even an iota of value for many. Many youngsters especially. And standing in a serpentile line to cast a vote in the scortching summer heat is a waste of time. But when you hear the story of 3000 people who feel a voter ID is a God sent, you might want to question your reasoning when you juxtapose the land of belonging somewhere to languishing in the land of nowhere.