In my point of view: Tarun Mitra's Blog

Last Post for 2011

2011-12-31T16:34:00.000+05:30

With1^st January, 2012 just few hours away, I think it would be the besttime to summarize my entire 2011. Speaking about my blogs, I wouldn’t say itwas a great year, I wrote and posted much lesser than I did last year, but foreverything else this year has been a watershed.

Iflife is collection of moments: and moments making events: and events makingmemories, then this year have been a collection of all type of memories, thegood, the bad and the ugly; with each one leaving a deep impression.

Likesomething written in sand, impressions in life too gets washed away with the sprinklingwaves of future, or the quite torrent in the horizon of life. Nothing is permanent;nothing is predictable except of course writing about them.

Today,at this juncture I am not apologetic that I don’t write further, I am notapologetic that I led someone cross my life, I am not apologetic that I ignoredthe requirement of my eyes and avoided specs, I am not apologetic that I preferto stay aloof, I am not apologetic that I don’t give alms to beggars, I am notapologetic that my demeanor is of an angry young man, I am not apologetic thatI talk straight and I am not apologetic for being me.

HappyNew Year to you all

Logging off from 2011

Tarun

Delusion of Love: Part IV

2011-07-23T09:52:00.000+05:30

This is the final Part of my poem "Delusion of Love" you can access first three parts by clicking on Part I, Part II and Part III

Part IV

Essence of love is pain

Untruthfulness its bane

I suffered both

In her hands the most.

That day she lied

As she met her ‘flyby’

For him she called up

And told me to shut up.

I was hurt to core

I wished to live no more

Stuck by axe of deceit

The body became bag of meat.

She called up next day

Explaining her way

She said she loved him

She cannot forget him.

“Why you lie my dear?”

“Why you drew me closer?”

“I was happy alone”

“Why you gave me such delusion”

“I never loved you”, She said

“Its all in your mind”

“Its him I loved”

“And will love – till the end of time.”

“You should’ve told me straight”

“You should’ve never lied.”

“You insulted me – my self respect”

“Giving a wound – unrestrained”

It is where the logic fails

In the altar of argument

As accusations gained momentum

It was hurt that pained.

With a heavy heart

I bid her farewell

“I still love you” I Said

But she won’t gel.

I once was in love

But it was mere illusion

And my heart still singes

From this delusion.

July 19^th, 2011

Delusion of Love: Part III

2011-07-22T10:03:00.000+05:30

This is the third and penultimate part of my poem "Delusion of Love" Part I and Part II can be accessed by clicking on then respectively.

Part III

One day – She did say ‘No’

Over the telephone

My heart clenched, eyes cried

As if nothing happened, I smiled.

It was hard I guess

But it was fine

Only brightness of truth can

Cut through forest’s pine.

My love is pure

My adoration – pristine

I’ll give whatever she asks

My love is unselfish and kind.

When you love someone dearly

When you love someone true

Its for them you care the most

Even if its hurting you.

I told “I’m your friend”

“And I’m there for you”

“Don’t you worry dear!”

“Nothing will hurt you.”

July 19^th, 2011

Delusion of Love: Part II

2011-07-21T11:45:00.000+05:30

This is the second part of the poem "Delusion of Love" you can check out Part I here

Part II

I knew I was in love

And it was no illusion

I thanked gods above me

for allure of such delusion.

Love is not a trophy,

decorating our shelves.

It is an unending feeling,

Illuminating itself.

This unending feeling

Which hits you in waves

Gives a blissful pleasure

An entertainment serenade.

Here mind is the servant

To whims of heart

Senses surrender

To its unflinching desires.

It also leaves a dilemma

In a manner sedate

A space, pitch black

Shadow of illuminate.

All the logic, every reason

All the rhyme, every season

Fails of ignite a simple thought

Of rejection – a broken heart.

I believed I can let it go

If she said me ‘no’

I’ll stand besides her

Quite simply! I liked her.

July 18^th, 2011

Delusion of Love: Part I

2011-07-20T10:06:00.000+05:30

This is the first part of my new poem 'Delusion of Love', I hope that you will like it.

Part I

I thought I was in love

But it was a mere illusion

Oh! My Lord why did you

Gave me such delusion

She came to me slowly

With her sweet intoxicating smile

Inebriated with her charm

On my dreams I lied.

As the days passed

And trust grew stronger

Within me I knew

I couldn’t hold any longer.

One day she told me

There’s a guy she liked

For five years she’d loved him

My world came crashing by.

Gathering my self and emotions

I prepared to say goodbye

She said, “Hey! There stop!”

“It was past, doing flyby.”

A faint smile sickled in my face

When her eyes shown and twinkled

As she mentioned me as “Special friend”

Her voice did a jingle.

For her happiness I prayed

To Saints and Gods above

A feeling of eternal longing

is what I felt for her.

July 14^th, 2011

Public Financial Institutions: Effect of latest Ministry of Corporate Affair Circular

2011-06-10T13:25:00.000+05:30

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India (or Central Government) issued a General Circular No. 34 dated June 2^nd, 2011 “Guidelines for declaring financial institution as Public Financial Institution under Section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956” which dealt with guidelines for recognizing institutions as Public Financial Institutions.

Public Financial Institution or PFI is nowhere defined under Companies Act, 1956. Its major reference is only available in Section 4A of the Act, wherein certain institutions are referred as PFI. However, the term Financial Institution is defined under two statues:

Section 2(h) of ‘The Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993’ defines “Financial Institution” as:-

(i) a PFI within the meaning of Section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956;

(ii) the securitization company or reconstruction company which has obtained a certificate of registration under Section 3(4) of SARFAESI Act, 2002;

(iii) such other institution as the Central Government may, having regard to its business activity and the area of its operation in

India

by notification, specify;

Section 2(m) of ‘The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002’ puts the definition of “Financial Institution” as:-

(i) a PFI within the meaning of Section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956;

(ii) any institution specified by the Central Government under Section 2(h)(ii) of the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993;

(iii) the International Financial Corporation established under the International Finance Corporation (Status, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 1958;

(iv) any other institution or NBFC as defined in Section 45-I(f) of Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, which Central Government may, by notification , specify as financial institution for the purpose of this Act;

Sub-section (1) of Section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956 mentions six institutions to be regarded as PFI for the purpose of the Act. Sub-section (2) of the said section empowers Central Government to declare an institution as PFI by notification in Official Gazette provided they follow the following criteria:-

(i) it has been established or constituted by or under any Central Act; OR

(ii) not less that 51% of the paid-up share capital of such ‘institution’ is held or controlled by Central Government.

Central Government, vide notifications under Section 4A(2), have added 54 institutions as PFI.

From the above, it is amply clear that the term ‘Public Financial Institution’ or PFI do not conform to a particular definition. However, it is also certain that such institution is usually a Financial Institution primarily into the field of industrial / infrastructure finance and only on it notification becomes a PFI.

Coming back to the circular, the Central Government has made it clear that the Companies (or Financial Institutions) applying for being declared as PFI has to fulfill the following criteria:-

(a) Establishment under special Act or Companies Act being central Act (in conformity of Section 4A(2)(i))

(b) Main business should be industrial / infrastructure financing

(d) Registered as Industrial Finance Company with RBI or as an Housing Finance Company with National Housing Bank

(e) In case of CPSUs / SPSUs, no restriction shall apply with respect to financing specific sector(s) and networth. (in conformity with Section 4A(2)(ii) and also adding state government entities to the preview)

The effect of this circular is that is paves the way for Financial Institutions in private sector , specifically in the field of infrastructure / industrial financing, which usually have long gestation period, to get registered as a PFI.

Certain benefits which a PFI enjoys under Companies Act, 1956 are:-

(1) Issue of Shelf Prospectus for raising monies (Section 60A)

(2) Appointment of Auditor in a company where such PFI has significant stake, by special resolution (Section 224A)

(3) Relaxation in making inter-corporate loans and advances (Section 372A)

(4) Reference to the Tribunal for Sick Industry (Section 424A)

(5) Operating Agency for reviving Sick Industry (Section 2 (31AA))

This would certainly enable the private Financial Institutions to have a better position and say while extending loans and advances to industrial / infrastructure projects. It also provides better conditions for raising funds and monitoring investments made in these sectors where gestation period is high.

June 10, 2011

References:-

1. Companies Act, 1956

2. The Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993

3. The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002

4. MCA Circular No. 34, dt. June 2nd, 2011

Non Compete Fee: Is SEBI going too far for investor interest

2011-05-27T11:54:00.000+05:30

In a recent Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) judgment SEBI directive to include non-compete fee in offer was turned down. E-Land Fashion China Holdings Limited, the appellant appealed to SAT with regards to SEBI directive to amend its offer letter by adding the Rs. 15/- of non-compete fees to the offer price of Rs. 60/- per equity shares offered to the equity shareholders of the target company Mudra Lifestyle Limited.

Non-Compete fee or Control premium is an amount over and above the agreed purchase price paid to the promoters of a target company preventing them from engaging, whether directly or indirectly, in the similar business for an agreed ‘non-compete’ period. It is often a case that the promoters are hands on with the business and know each and trade secrets. They have the right contacts in that particular business and are usually repertoire of high end technical / commercial information. Therefore, in order to protect the interests of the acquirer and also of the small shareholders who decide to stay with the company, a non-compete fee is paid to the promoters for not engaging in similar business for a period of time. Such, amount is not added to the price offered to the ordinary shareholders of the company, unless it is more than 25% of the offer price as mandated in Regulation 20 (8) of SEBI (SAST) Regulations, 1997, or simply Takeover Code.

However, a contrarian view can also be taken with regards to non-compete fee or control premium. It can be argued that it is a way of benefiting a large shareholder for the control over the target company, denying other shareholders the same benefit. Even SEBI Takeover Advisory Committee in its report dated July 19, 2010 suggested that such payment would not be fair on the minority shareholders of the target company, as the benefit should accrue to the company not only to a particular group of shareholders.

Coming back to the case, it was argued on the behalf of the SEBI that since the original promoter still hold 18.8% of the post offer shareholding and will have the right to appoint two directors, jointly select two independent directors and will select one Joint Managing Director, it can be presumed that they will be in the joint control of the target company.

The counter arguments provided by the representatives of the appellant focused on decided cases of Tata Tea Ltd. and Cementrum IBV and the fact that the directors of a company can also resign from their directorships. It was urged that the outgoing seller have managerial as well as financial capability to compete with the target company and to avoid such eventuality such non-compete fee is paid to the promoters.

The Tribunal concurred with the views of the appellant and held such payment to be valid and not to be added to the offer price. Defending its view, following logic was propounded by the Tribunal:

“It is the case of the appellant which is not disputed by the Board that Mr. Murarilal

Agarwal and Mr. Ravindra Agarwal are family members who were earlier promoters

of Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd. which was carrying on business similar to that of the

target company. They separated from that company and promoted the target company and built it up as a strong competitor in the Indian textiles business with the assistance of Mr. Vishwambharlal Bhoot. The promoters have more than 20 years of experience in textiles business and have extensive knowledge of the market and intimate knowledge of the target company’s business, employees, suppliers, customers, systems and technological know-how. In this background, they are capable of offering competition to the target company. The appellant, on the other hand, belongs to the South Korea based E-Land Group of Companies which has limited operating experience in the textile manufacturing industry in India. Having taken over the target company, it would like to take the benefit of the knowledge and expertise of the promoters in managing such a business in India and it is for this reason that they are being associated with the target company. In this background, we are satisfied that the promoters have the capability of building a strong business from scratch and as a result of their understanding of the market they have the ability to compete with the business of the target company. If they were to do that, it would neither be in the interest of the target company nor in the interest of its shareholders. We are further satisfied that the payment of non-compete fee in the instant case is not an attempt on the part of the appellant to reduce the cost of acquisition to discriminate against the public shareholders.”

The Tribunal had the similar view in earlier cases of Tata Tea Ltd. and Cementrum IBV. In the case of Tata Tea Ltd the Tribunal had held “When an acquirer takes over a business from the outgoing seller(s), it is obvious that the sellers have specific knowledge of that business and have access to and are in possession of crucial trade secrets of the target company which if disclosed or misused would be detrimental to and could cause irreparable harm to the target company and its continuing shareholders and by virtue of their association with that business, they (out going sellers) are capable of offering competition to the business being taken over. In such cases, it would be legitimate for the acquirer to enter into a non-compete agreement with the promoter sellers if he feels threatened by a lurking fear of competition from them. It is neither for the Board and not even for this Tribunal to analyse the threat perception of the acquirer. We are of the view that a non-compete agreement would then protect not only the target company but also its continuing shareholders.”

Therefore, in all above cases, it was held by the Tribunal that non-compete fees is valid given the position of the promoters in the market and the law which mandates it. SEBI though have the right to vet the offer in terms of Regulation 18 of Takeover Code and suggest changes which should be carried out by the acquirer. However, it must tread carefully while deciding whether non-compete fees should necessarily added to the offer price for the benefit of the ordinary shareholders. It is an unalterable fact, that in many cases it is the promoter’s ingenuity that gets his business to new height and same ingenuity can be used against the company when he sold out, and instead of benefiting the ordinary shareholder it would only harm the existing holders, who in good faith acquired the company. It is up to the SEBI for not going too far in name of investor protection and let the investors decided themselves what is good for them.

May 27, 2011

References:-

1. SEBI (SAST) Regulations, 1997

2. SEBI Takeover Advisory Committee Report

3. E-Land China Holdings Ltd. V. SEBI (2011)

4. Tata Tea Ltd V. SEBI and anr. (2009)

5. Cementrum IBV V. SEBI and anr. (2008)

6. The Mint, “Promoter buyouts: non-compete payments on a different footing”, October 18, 2009

7. The Economic Times, “ Non-Compete Fee: SAT Rejects Sebi Directive” May 26, 2011

Star-Zee Distribution Alliance: A Challenge to Competition Law

2011-05-25T11:23:00.000+05:30

The Mint, New Delhi edition on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 reported that the Star TV and Zee Network are joining hands for distribution of their television channels. Both the networks, which have in their portfolios television channels with the highest viewer ship in the country, presently distribute channels through their own respective joint ventures, Zee Turner Limited and StarDen for Zee Network and Star TV respectively. This proposed joint venture between two top television companies could have serious impact on the Cable TV industry of the country; it would not only affect the Cable TV distributors and DTH operators but also the local Cable TV operators and the end consumers.

This proposed joint venture, poses a serious challenge to the Competition law, as there is clear cut absence regarding the status of the joint ventures in the Act. Although, the Act talks about the cartels, but proviso to subsection (3) of Section 3 of the Competition Act, 2002 provides that:

“Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to any agreement entered into by way of joint ventures if such agreement increases efficiency in production, supply, distribution, storage, acquisition or control of goods or provision of services.”

Which will clear cut provide a defense to the companies to claim that their JV is in nature of “increasing efficiency” of distribution, as Mint reports quoting an unnamed Zee TV executive “move should be seen in view of the growing piracy of broadcasters’ signals as well as the monopoly of large cable networks in some markets such as Punjab and Tamil Nadu. Some states are monopolized by a single operator and we find it hard to collect subscription fees”. It is an open secret that cable TV signals are being pirated and in many instances mafia controls the cable TV operations, however by making the consumer pay by their nose is any solution.

Such move will only lead to cartelization by the broadcasters to increase the revenues. Such cartel will not only squeeze cable TV operators but also increase the subscription rate, which will give no leeway to the consumer to seek recourse.

The report further states other broadcasters might also join this joint venture, making it near monopoly situation in the market. Further, it is also believed, as the report states, that the both companies are scrambling to declare their JV before June 1^st, when the Combination regulations comes into force, thereby bypassing the law.

However, as it is stated earlier, that the law regarding to Joint Ventures is vague and can form a grey area in the Competition Act. But if this joint venture happens, it will surely will one of the greatest challenges to the emerging field of Competition law in the country.

May 25, 2011

References:-

1. The Mint, “Star, Zee to join hands for distribution”, May 24, 2011

2. Competition Act, 2002

3. The Competition Commission of India (Procedure in regard to transaction of business relation to combination) Regulations, 2011

All Poor are equal, but some Poor are more equal than others

2011-05-21T15:50:00.000+05:30

“Poverty and deprivation get covered as events” writes P. Sainath in his critically acclaimed and bestselling book ‘Everybody loves a good drought stories from India’s poorest districts’ “Yet, poverty is about much more than starvation deaths or near famine conditions. It is the sum total of a multiplicity of factors… Hunger-again just one aspect of poverty-is far more complex here. It is more low level, less visible and does not make for the dramatic television footage that Somalia and Ethiopia do.” Off late, with release of movies like Slumdog Millionaire and with tourist coming here solely for the purpose of clicking the deprived class, the poverty and the poor has seen massive dramatization in India and the world. But when it comes to counting them for the purpose of their welfare, the whole task becomes much more complicated as understanding the poverty as a process in India.

The Central Government on Thursday May 19^th, 2011 approved the proposal of head counts of poor in the country, for the sole purpose of better targeting of the numerous welfare schemes it operates. First such census was done in the year 1992 to count the number of families below poverty line. This time it would be a paperless exercise using handheld devices manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited. Apart from counting rural poor, which used to be done earlier, this time urban poor would also be enumerated. The Ministry of Rural Development, Housing and Urban poverty alleviation, which is the nodal ministry to conduct this exercise, along with Registrar General of India would jointly conduct this exercise. A new methodology for determination of poor would be used, according to Business Standard “The new methodology for the rural census would divide the rural poor into three sections. One set of the population would be included in the BPL category, while another set of people — the economically affluent but socially deprived — would be excluded from the BPL category. A third set of the population would be enumerated on the basis of seven socio-economic parameters. The methodology for the rural census would consider the economic conditions of the family and attach only moderate importance to factors like social backwardness. The urban population would be enumerated on the basis of three criteria — residential status, social vulnerability and occupational vulnerability.” However there is a catch, for the first time religion and caste would come into picture, that is, the religion and caste of those counted would also be determined.

Although this mammoth exercise of determination and labeling of poor would be undertaken by the Ministry of Rural Development, Housing and Urban poverty alleviation along with Registrar General of India. But those who will get benefits would be only identified by the Plan Panel. As report in Mint says, “While the Planning Commission estimates the number of poor in the country, the ministry of rural development identifies the poor. The processes used by the two are different: the Planning Commission estimates poverty based on consumption, while the BPL census uses socio-economic characteristics such as household assets.” Therein lays the anomaly. Though data would be determined on a different basis, the information from it would be extracted from it using totally different criteria.

This only shows serious lacunae in Government policy making at the highest echelons of the governance. The editorial in the Mint bluntly puts it like this,” On the list of this government’s most serious lapses in policymaking, this one should rank somewhere near the top. The below poverty line census, due to its methodology approved on Thursday, will identify more poor households than officially estimated. But, because the government has also decided that the official estimates will serve as a ceiling, the additional poor families will not benefit from poverty alleviation schemes. In other words, the government will pick and choose who is to be officially poor and who isn’t. India has always had trouble with the ways and means of defining poverty and identifying the poor. But Thursday’s decision says something about the government’s confusion over the political handling of poverty. It is almost as if the aam aadmi’s government was telling some of its votaries: “You may be poor, but you ain’t poor enough”.”

More than Rs. 612, 000, 000,000/- (Rupees Six Hundred Twelve Billion) is spend annually by the Government on welfare of poor and how much actually reaches them is the mystery of the millennium. As it is no state secret that government programs for welfare of poor are usually not in sync with actual requirement and often the money flows out through the bureaucratic leakages. If they are not, the schemes provide incentives for diverting the resources meant for poor, for example, in National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (or loot if you prefer) monies are given for digging up pits and filling them up and calling it work.

Now if to this determination of poor, if we add in the factors of religion and caste, instead of a portable solution to this chronic problem, it would only provide a heady cocktail to the political parties, dry gunpowder which can be lightened up by smallest spark. Further, Supreme Court in many occasions has pulled up Plan Panel for putting a ceiling on the number of poor in the country as if putting a ceiling would end India’s poverty problem. The Mint reports that in one such instance the Honorable Court observed,” The bench made the critical remarks while dealing with a PIL filed by Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) complaining about large scale corruption and irregularities in the PDS mechanism of the country. Questioning the plan panel rational in fixing 36% as the percentage of BPL families in the country, the bench said, “It is astonishing as to how you can fix 36% people in the BPL category in 2011 by relying on the 1991 census data… How can you fix such a limit when the per capita income varies from state to state?... The bench also questioned the Commission for fixing the per capita daily income of Rs. 20 in urban areas and Rs. 11 in rural areas to determine the BPL category…How can you justify fixation of this meager amount when even in the rural areas the amount is not enough”, further the Bench also extolled Deputy Chairman of Plan Panel to file a comprehensive affidavit in this regard. Now with such arbitrariness in determination and selection, isn’t the government is playing with the taxpayer’s money.

Milton Friedman once quipped about government spending,” There are four ways in which you can spend money. You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, why then you really watch out what you’re doing, and you try to get the most for your money. Then you can spend your own money on somebody else. For example, I buy a birthday present for someone. Well, then I’m not so careful about the content of the present, but I’m very careful about the cost. Then, I can spend somebody else’s money on myself. And if I spend somebody else’s money on myself, then I’m sure going to have a good lunch! Finally, I can spend somebody else’s money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else’s money on somebody else, I’m not concerned about how much it is, and I’m not concerned about what I get. And that’s government.” With such anomaly at the highest level which in fact will direct expenditure of billions of rupees, done with arbitrary manner, is it worthwhile to ask, whom the government is trying to please, itself by claiming poverty is down, its finances by claiming they are doing things efficiently or the electorates by providing benefits to chosen few and beating its chest to the rest about reduction in poverty.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” writes George Orwell in his famous book ‘Animal Farm’, today a poor might say, “All poor are equal, but some poor are more equal than others.”

References:-

1. Mint, “Quick Edit | Uncommon incertitude”, May 20, 2011

2. Mint, “UPA courts trouble with BPL census”, May 20, 2011

3. Business Standard, “Cabinet approves BPL census”, May 20, 2011

4. Mint, “SC slams govt over fixing BPL criteria”, April 20, 2011

I am not here, but I did not die

2011-05-20T14:03:00.001+05:30

While changing the template of my blog, I have observed one thing; since 2009 when I started regular posting, my posts have progressively decreased. This story is same across by photo blog. Many times you might have seen the I write apologizing myself for not writing at all, or even trying to reason out for the same. But today it might not be the case.

My last post was on the 25th day of March 2011, it was a poem which I wrote a year back and which I feel is haunting me presently, anyhow, but the point is, even there it was not something fresh I wrote, it was from my records and I just pasted it. It is true for many of my posts, especially poetry, where I have shared something I wrote long back and stumbled upon them as I didn't have anything new to share. Even the last story I wrote was in November 2009, almost a year and half back. I am not apologizing for not writing, neither reasoning out my fallacies. One thing I have learned from the churns and twists of my life is that nothing is certain, especially when one sees certainty, at the very immediate moment the most uncertain thing happens, washing away everything, leaving a clean slate.

It is on this clean slate that new stories are started, and it is on this slate old memories are shared. It is from this clean slate I wish to venture again. In this new venture, there might be lack of continuity and again the same thing might be repeated once again. But as it is the human nature to try and to think, this wheel won't stop. From now on, many of you might find the contents boring as there would be more business and law items, but as I said the wheel must keep turning. Otherwise it will rust in the sands of time.

In conclusion, I must say, even though I might not be writing lately but:

I am not here, but I did not die.

Regards

Tarun Mitra

She was like a bright light blinding my eyesight

2011-03-25T09:00:00.002+05:30

She was like a bright light

Blinding my eyesight

It was when I first saw her

And had something moved forever

She was a delicacy of delight

And even for an untrained eye

It was very hard to escape

Her innocent presence-everyday

Like bud of a flower

Readying to get blossomed

The fragrance she radiated

Entranced me forever

And as the days passed

My shyness in me elapsed

She approached me for a talk

As I was taking my walk

It was dream come true

Which can be felt by lucky few

Thought we talked only law

I saw her without a flaw

Impressed- that was she

By my knowledge and ingenuity

Little she’d noticed she’d me over

That her beauty had a follower

We met now quite often

For one reason or another

Sooner she’d the hint

Why I’ve mouthful of mint

It wasn’t tobacco I deceived

Her presence is that besieged

The me in me from myself

Just for her from herself

And then one day with a cusp of courage

I acknowledge her the beauty she is

Her face, her hair, her body gestured

In accordance with me

As if like a silent communication

She knew that I meant for her

Never did she approved or disapproved

The love I have for her

Just for her one glimpse

I willingly wait for eternity

And whenever she came

She bought joy to my sordidly

I wish if this could go on

Till the last moments of time

But time cannot be held hostage

To human passions, emotions and pride

And one day

She walked away

Away she went

Without giving a clue

With no reason assigned

She walked out of my life

Away with her newer self

To a new world with newer friend

Feigning ignorance of my presence

She loved company of her new friend

I tried to see her from different ways

From net, mobile and bouquet

Roadblocked all my way

Heartbreak came without delay

Why did she do it? I say

Wasn’t I brave enough to say

The deepest words of my love

Or she’d always looked other way

Brimming with vagrant hatred

The brightest light turned dark

The black hole of my emotions sucked

The delicate portion of my heart

Cursing myself for this cowardice

I killed the poet in me

But the poet’s pen refused to die

On the paper it cried

The void in me remains unfilled

After years of endeavors and tries

Every time our eyes met

A piece within me dies

Why did she do it? I often ask

Just I was un-brave

Or it was other one she craved

Killing me again and again

The Prince Charming gets his Princess

But Romeo poisons himself and dies

Life is never romantic fiction

It is a fact that seldom cries

There will be a judgment day

When lives will be put on scale

That day I’ll ask her

Why did she walk away?

But waiting for the final pyre

The poet still haven’t died

In spite of limitless tries

On the paper the pen still cries

“She was like a bright light

Blinding my eyesight.”

January 26, 2010

Meghe Dhaka Tara (Cloud Capped Star)

2011-02-17T17:10:00.004+05:30

I am no film reviewer; neither on this case I will try to review the movie. After all a diamond remains a diamond even if an untrained eyes dismisses it as just another stone.

The name “Meghe Dhaka Tara” or the “Cloud Capped Star” appears first time in the movie in a letter written to the protagonist, in which she is described as an cloud capped star by her lover. This movie is directed by great Ritwik Ghatak, who along with Satyajit Roy and Mrinal Sen, can be considered as doyen of Bengali Cinema. It is the same Ritwik Ghatak, who wrote the script of Dilip Kumar starrer “Madhumati”. More about him can be read in the incorporated links.

“Meghe Dhaka Tara” along with “Komal Gandhar” and “Subarnarekha” completes a Calcutta trilogy, depicting the plight of victims of partition and subsequent atrocities in East Pakistan. Though I have not watched the last two, but the first one has left a deep impact on my consciousness.

This is a story of selfishness and of being parasitical. Neeta, the protagonist of the movie, works her way to her death, only to see her family happy. His, older brother, Shankar, a budding musician, only one to understand her plight, but cannot do anything as he has to do his riyaaz, apart from listening the tantrums of being unemployed and eating on the salary of his younger sister. Her brother, Monty, and sister, Geeta, are two other characters who are at their best are interested in her salary for getting themselves some shoes or saree. Her mother always keeps whining and her father, a school teacher, is more interested in Wordsworth and Keats. Finally, her lover, Sanat, a former student of her father, unable to getting a scholarship for research, ends up in a job and marries her sister.

The movie begins rather slowly, and as it progresses, it gathers a speed with sense of irony and injustice. A family which is almost completely dependent on the income of its eldest daughter, and its member whose fancies is also met by her, irrespective of her own genuine needs. He the battle to see her family happy and contented, Neeta sacrifices her own future, her own beau and her own life.

When the question of marriage arose in the house, Neeta’s mother directs her father to marry of Geeta to Sanat, the reason was if Neeta, even if she is eldest is married, on whom they are going to survive. Geeta, even after her knowledge of Sanat’s relationship with Neeta, seduces Sanat and later taunts her sister “Not everyone have patience to wait”. Sanat, who thought of becoming a researcher, cannot hold on to his own principles. Monty, given the first chance of living the house leaves it. Shankar, after surrendering to taunts and watching her sister Neeta, leaves for Bombay, only to return later.

When Monty gets hospitalized, Neeta, despite of her falling health, gives her best to restore her brother’s health. During this time, Neeta realizes that she should have protested the injustice done to her, she should have thought about her, but then it was too late and she has some work in her hand. When Monty comes back, entire family is contened because he is reinstated and his salary has increased apart from getting some compensation, but no one asks about Neeta who makes it possible. Neeta now stays in lonely room, doing her chores on her own.

When Shankar returns after gaining fame and fortune in Bombay, his family puts a long list of demands before him, mother asks from a two storey house, his sister Geeta (who is was pregnant) asks for a necklace for her new born, only Neeta fails to meet him. And when he meets Neeta and finds that she was suffering from Tuberculosis and is at terminal stage, he is devastated. He breaks this news to his family, who at their best only can offer their sympathies. His father, a senile old man, on listening this cries “I accuse” to which he replies “to whom” signifying all are guilty in this manslaughter. He leaves the home for booking a sanatorium for her diseased sister.

In between, taking the view of the upcoming new born, the mother persuades the father for asking Neeta to leave. Father, with tears in his eyes, packs her belonging, and gently tells her to go as her breath is venomous, she is free now, and they can only give her their sympathy. On her way back, she encounters Shankar, who takes her to the sanatorium, in the hills, where she always wanted to be. In the climax of the movie, she clings on her brother and cries “Dada ami bachte chai” meaning “brother I wanted to live”, with all her emotions, all her truthfulness all her honesty, her plea echoing through the hills of Shillong.

The movie itself is melodramatic and it is given a surrealistic effect by providing sounds of lashes at the scenes where Neeta is undergoing emotional churning. Though, nowhere in the movie it is the mentioned that her family is refugee, but it can be presumed, given their appearances that have crossed the border. The characters portrayed in the movie, I would plainly say, have a direct or indirect resemblances to real life. An average Bengali can easily find within his family or within his knowledge a person gung ho about ‘English’, a male member committed to ‘football’ or a female member in love with herself. But for me story resembles like a quote from the Victor Hugo’s master piece ‘Les Miserable’ “They belonged to that bastard class formed of low people who has risen, and intelligent people who have fallen, which lies between the classes called middle and lower, and which unites some of the faults of the latter with nearly all the vices of the former, without possessing the generous impulses of the workman, or the respectability of the bourgeois.”

The characters here where once intelligent people who became the victim of their circumstances. Now, they would feed on anyone who is different of them. Any one who earns is food for them and once he or she is finished, they throw it out, just like any garbage is thrown out. Many of the watchers will find the traits of feminism in this movie. However, in my point of view, it applies to anyone whether male or female.

At the beginning of the movie, Neeta’s slipper breaks as she was heading home, she hides it and kept walking, Shankar sees this and ironically at the end another girl’s slipper breaks down, and she does the same, Shankar was there watching it, thinking of seeing a deja vous of Neeta.

For the last scene click on the this Youtube link

February 17, 2011

Just My Thoughts…..

2011-02-04T10:15:00.003+05:30

Just My Thoughts…..

January 24^th, 2011 will always remain as a memorable day in my life. Though I passed my CS Final on August 2010, got my MSOP done on January 14^th, 2011 and was finally admitted member of this esteemed institute, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, on January 20^th, 2011. But it was on January 24^th, 2011 on which I was allotted my membership number, culminating a long and arduous battle. As I said, it has ended a battle, just a phase, not the war.

For the last few months, I have not shared anything in my blogs, whether it is this one or Target Aim Shoot, either I had refrained myself or I was too lazy to share anything. It is a feeling that has become a common fixture in my character in 2010. The world has also meanwhile turned into quite a smutty place, with each one of us from every strata of society dying to gets its pie.

Whether is corruption in the government, or in the roads, or in the media or even stupid reality shows. We have metamorphosed into an eternally corrupt society which accepts the basic tenet that if something is above for free then it must be welcome. We can see murder and pretend nothing happened, we may even enjoy it, cherish it and relish its memories later. Of course, you can argue that I’ve being cynical, but just honestly, take a minute out and look into the mirror; you will definitely find the answer. Alas! The word ‘honesty’ no longer figures in the dictionary anymore.

But still there is some sanity, or some faint resemblance of it. We all want to move and we do move, but at which direction, we do not know. We are rather unclear about the destination and unsure of the path we have taken. We go on complaining but we seldom try to find the problem in the first place itself.

Sorry for diversion but just cannot help it, you just can’t blame god and government for everything. Coming back to me, I have joined twitter few months back, and I’d found it rather too fast for my palette. It just like a quickie or a blind date where it happens and ends within few minutes and only one realizes is the sensation of something that had happened. It is too fast for my sub-conscious and sometimes elicits response you just don’t want to give. But I’ll be there slowly in my own way, although I find it too overwhelming.

Meanwhile, I will be doing more off technical writing here than just sharing of my memories, poetry and stories. But I finding it would be more fruitful to share what I have learned. It is indeed difficult to maintain two different blogs or third one would be even tougher. However, I will be writing some literature (or gibberish as you may rate).

‘

Is all is well in the world? No it isn’t. As I said, the war had begun now and many of my MSOP mates can concur with what I said. MSOP has been a great platform to make new friends and those 15 days were very special for me, I was just like passing out parade were each participant jelled like a family. Now, we many be in different parts of the country, but we will never ever forget that once we all got together out of compulsion of statue but have to leave with a heavy heart.

February 4, 2011

The Microfinance Muddle

2010-12-05T10:37:00.005+05:30

The saying goes ‘the whole is more than sum of parts’ and when it is applied to the Microfinance institutions, it couldn’t be more appropriate. After all, it is the small foundation of microloans upon which their empires of millions are being built.

It is not the criticism of the business; in a capitalistic economy everyone has the right to do ethical business within the framework of law. Such endeavor is entitled for its benefits, that is, profits. However, a business whose foundation is usually based upon service of the downtrodden without any expectation of profits and this very fundamental character of being not-for-profit gets altered with growth of business surely raises eyebrows. It is the business of Microfinance, where such thing has happened and is happening. It not evil though, provision of credit to the poor, banking to the unbanked. But it is the way and manner of conducting of business which puts this sector into spotlight.

The model of microfinance is not unique to India; it first gained prominence when it was introduced in Bangladesh by Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus. As success has got many relatives, from there it spread across the world from Mumbai to Mexico City touching as many rural and urban poor who are in need of credit.

Microfinance can be defined as provision of broad range of financial services like loans, deposits, payment services, money transfer, insurance products etc to the poor or low income households, for their microenterprises and small businesses, to enable them to raise their income levels and improve their living standards. But what differentiates it from normal banking is its willingness to provide credit without any collateral and for taking such risks it charges rate of interests, which are normally twice or thrice the bank rate. The Microfinance Institutions or MFIs usually bets on the reputation of its customers, because irrespective of any hardship the poor will payback. It is a business of informality, personal touch, relations and contacts, therefore not surprisingly given the scale; millionaires can be made out this very basis of small loans.

In an editorial in The Economic Times, Delhi Edition, Mr. Arvind Panagariya, Professor at Columbia University and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, expounded that there are three players in the microcredit market; the Self Help Groups or SHGs which are principally promoted by the government, the Microfinance Institutions of MFIs which are either NBFCs or Body Corporate or NGO or a not-for-profit enterprise and the local money lender. These three constitute the entire spectrum of microcredit to the needing masses.

SHGs works on the principle of applying collective wisdom of the group and peer pressure by which it tries that credit is productively used and loan is repaid. MFIs can be in form of NGO, not-for-profit enterprise or an NBFC, it accepts almost no collateral and since it seldom gets any help from the government it charges interests which can be twice or thrice of bank rate. Local money lender can be any person who may not be registered with any authority and provides credit at a high rate of interest with or without collateral.

From an analysis of the characters of these players it can be deduced, as Dr. Y.V. Reddy former Governor of Reserve Bank of India puts, that MFI is essentially a leveraged money lender, whereas the local money lender normally lends out of his own funds, MFIs are actually borrowing monies from depositors, bankers or from shareholders, private equity funds etc and lending the same. SHGs on the other hand depend primarily on government, and given the political compulsions that ruins a democracy, the government usually shows an eagerness to waive loans. This very tendency creates a moral hazard which leads to non-payment and when a financially strapped member of SHG approaches another SHG for loan it makes the entire structure of SHGs weaker and steroidal. This in turn also gives an impression that for profit MFIs are sound, hiding their weaknesses and coercive practices.

Having come this far, it would be prudent to focus on the type of customers on which MFIs usually cater. Usually at the fringes of the society, they are primarily unbanked and do not have any recourse to credit. Even if they have any, it is usually the money lender who can charge high interest and is coercive in recovery of his loans. These people rank really low on creditworthiness and solvency. On these people MFIs with their borrowed money bank upon.

I am not suggesting that poor do not have any right to grow or they do not have any right to do business, but easy credit is a tempting hazard and that is why more and more people are finding themselves drowned in perpetual debt trap. There can be two reason for this, firstly there is a stiffer competition amongst various MFIs to gain new members, irrespective of their solvency or credit history, and secondly the sources of funds of these MFIs. Since sources of funds of MFIs are banks who lend at commercial or market rate and investors who ask for good return, MFIs have to charge an interest rate which is usually charged on credit cards. Further, there are many MFIs in the market with similar sources of funds all wishing for good return on investment. These very pressures usually lead to cost control amongst the MFIs which can only be done through outsourcing and coercive collection practices.

MFIs cater a market which banks do not touch, that is, people with low solvency. Ultimately, as Mr. Reddy points out, it is some sort of sub-prime lending. This is type of lending where the credit is forwarded to person who have low ability or have no ability to pay back. As a MFI grows in size and institutionalizes, it’s very basis of informality and intimacy between the borrowers and lender ceases. In addition, when a MFI hits the stock market, it is then entrusted with newer responsibilities to governance, return, compliance and performance.

This very sector of microcredit is unregulated, that is, there are no standards of maximum interest to be charged or to whom loan is to be provided. Often it has been found that people, who have obtained loan from one MFI, take loan from another MFI for repaying their first loan and fall in debt trap. This practice plagues the MFIs with the same disease with plagues the SHGs. This story is same across the world wherever MFIs operate and have resulted in converting a boon into bane.

An effective regulation of the sector, in letter as well as in spirit, is the necessity of the moment. Already it is been speculated that many MFIs would shut shop as their sources of finance, that is the bank loans, have dried up and government diktat of controlling the interest rates would lead to loss. It is imperative that the sector is needed to be regulated but such regulation should be only from one authority, which will give some predictability and clarity to this sector. Multiple regulators can only act as nails to the coffins of this ‘sunrise’ sector.

It is a season of scams and scandals, and in this we are lost in the maze of Niira Radia, 2G and CWG. Why not? Once exposed they give us a good punching bag to trade punches without being hit back, and if there is any sense of ‘justice’ left we might even get a scapegoat. But just take out few minutes of time to think about this, whatever may call it, I’d prefer to say muddle, which directly affects our banks, economy and the very person who brings our milk, washes our dishes or even produces our food. This muddle affects them directly, and if you don’t think about it now, few months we might again be arguing. What is government is doing about poverty?

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfinance

2. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_52/b4064038915009.htm

3. http://microfinance-in-india.blogspot.com/

4.http://www.bsp.gov.ph/downloads/regulations/attachments/2001/circ272.pdf

5.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments--analysis/Getting-it-right-on-microfinance/articleshow/6979476.cms

6.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/For-profit-MFIs-worse-than-money-lenders/articleshow/6973551.cms

7. http://www.livemint.com/2010/11/22232535/Hollowness-in-banking-a-major.html

Reach up and touch the sky

2010-11-17T11:18:00.003+05:30

I am not writing regularly these days, not even in my diary. So here goes an old poem not shared earlier. Hopefully by next month I will be able to write some article or short stories.But for now I am sharing a poetry written on 2006, 5th March to be precise. Hope that you will like this.

Reach up and touch the sky

They’ll try to pull you down,

They’ll try to push you in,

Regardless of challenges you face,

Reach up and touch the sky.

They’ll say there’s no ground beneath your feet,

They’ll say you’re flying too high,

Regardless of what they say,

Reach up and touch the sky.

They’ll say a lot of things,

Which may impinge your thought process,

Regardless of this insinuation,

You should always move in your way.

They’ll try to cow you down,

In every, nook and corners of life,

Better be ready to face the challenge,

And lead your way upright.

In the end of the life, you’ll find,

If you’ve followed your path,

If you’ve faced your challenges,

If you’re unbowed,

You’ve surely, reached up and touched the sky.

March 5. 2006

Home

2010-10-27T22:02:00.000+05:30

A little girl asked

“Auntie, how do we make a home?”

Auntie answered

“Using clay, bricks and stone”

And she went to her chores

But I wondered.

Is it the clay, brick or stone

Which makes a home?

Or something more than stones

A man,

A woman,

Some children,

And some family,

Bound together

in the bonding of love.

It may not be of clay.

Leave alone gold and stray.

Leave away the iron mikes.

But must compose of love,

For love, which bonds together.

For love, powerful than iron mikes.

For love, which makes a straw,

worthier than glittering gold.

Makes a home sweet home.

January 31, 2006

Back Again

2010-09-22T00:14:00.001+05:30

Writing after really long time, it has being more than two months. But why it is still hard for me to write. Why there is no inspiration in spite of full of seasons. I don’t know but in this one I will share few things that have held me for last few days.

It has been really long, for the first time since I have started regular blogging that a month has gone without a post. The story is same for my both blogs. So what is it that held me, lethargy, laziness, work or anxiety, or probably mixture of all?

Before I began, I give my sincerest apologies to those fellow bloggers whom I have not read during this period. I am sorry, but I cannot help and those I have read, thank you for reminding me that I have to post.

What is blogging? Well, when this concept was invented this was supposed to be some sort of online diary, before it evolved into some powerful medium. Blog was primarily meant to be a diary, so it first comes to diary.

Diary keeping, a habit to keep records of daily happenings of our lives, so that one day we could read them and try to evaluate and relive those days. I started maintaining diary possibly after my 12^th, though not regular, but still they are able to provide me the insights of my mind during that period. Many of my poems that you have read here were the pieces from those papers. But I must again admit that I was never regular.

I have started blogging out of curiosity of sharing. I was exposed to this tool from the newspapers and faint articles of the revolutions that it was brining. It was supposedly a cyclone at Orissa which bought this technology to my consciousness. It was an enduring picture of a person with Ham radio and another person with laptop trying to trace relatives of the victims that has being etched in my mind. If this tool was such powerful, then what good that it can do to me? I thought and started my first blog.

My first blog was a disaster, it never got any reader. The reason may be because I never knew the tricks of getting readers or increasing hits. I kept posting, without even having a reader for it. Eventually, my old e-mail account to which the blog was linked got hacked in July 2008 thus ending my first tete-a-tete with blogging. Although, I made myself available a new e-mail account within few days, but it wasn’t till 2^nd October 2008 that I started this blog and rest is history.

But today, as I write down this, after more than two months, it’s not the history that has prompted me, but the retrospective vision of my past in concurrence with my present. Life, it is said that evolves continuously and during one such transition I caught myself during last few days making me difficult for me to pen down something, and there were other reasons directly connected to my situation present.

Today, as I post this draft, am a qualified Company Secretary, and it has being a journey of almost seven years and innumerable examinations, long hours of arduous study and patience. It’s been almost a month since my results were declared but alas as I said, my present also has a dubious role to play for not updating you on this.

Now, it would not be coincidence that I started keeping diary when I passed out my higher secondary examination, a same period when I joined this course. Going through the course of my life, I have found numerous instances where I have been alone, dejected, lonely and defeated but I survived. There has being instances where I have seen (and still seeing) my peers leaving me behind and I trudging along on the same broken path, but I have survived. I have seen time when everyone I knew was having a cool time, partying and I was peering over books. I have seen times when people who studied with me in the same course passed out and qualified, and I failed to make a mark. Gosh! I have seen a lot, and still I survived and today when I have passed I can at least safely say I have failed, but I was never a failure.

Now, please don’t ask about what Company Secretaryship is all about, kindly google it. It is professional degree at par with Chartered Accountancy and Cost Accountancy and is managed by an Act of Parliament. It is the actual Corporate Governance course available. However, very few people may know that. But for me it has been a journey of sorts with more than its fair shares of ups and downs. And on retrospective I might say c’est vie.

After reading these lines, you all might be angry, and may ask “Why the hell now, after a month?” For this I would simply say, and as I have said, my present. Its push, pulls and pressures has its own role to play for stopping me from not writing. But now as I have written, I will try to be more regular.

After my result last month (it was 25^th Day of August) I wanted to write a post, about my journey till now. But not anymore, goal should always be at front of you and not backwards.

Now before I conclude this long write-up, which started from my brief history of diary keeping and blogging and to my present qualification. I must say, they both were intertwined. They both started at a period when I was at the edge, they both helped when I was falling down from the edge. They both challenged me and kept me going. It has being a long journey, I retrospectively sometimes I feel I should have finished it long ago, but alas! Now as I have, I am going for another one. Goal should always in front.

Death in Installments

2010-07-27T00:00:00.002+05:30

This one has its inspiration from a news item I was forced to watch on India TV. Hopefully I have done justice to the emotions

Death in Installments

A boy jumps into a river

“Wait for the moment” the presenter says

The river was raging

10 seconds – will he live

15 seconds – will her survive

20 seconds – will he die

25 seconds – looks at his friends

They’re petrified

30 seconds – he is struggling

Or is he tired?

Or the river got better of him?

32 seconds – he disappeared

35 seconds – he reappears

Is this a miracle?

40 seconds – no one in sight

1 minute – whether he is dead or alive?

Where the current have taken him?

What can we do anyway?

It was death

Presented to you

In installments

Written on June 28^th, 2010

Beast of Burden

2010-06-30T22:49:00.003+05:30

Beast of Burden

I carry

On my desiccated back

The loads

Of people-over the mountains

Over the hills

Through the valleys

For a living

I am not tired

I am not retired

I am not old

Age cannot bar me

How can it?

If load ensures

My kin’s daily meal

How can it?

If load ensures

My mere survival

How can it?

If load became

An inseparable part of my life

Remove it

And my breaths collapse

Remove it

And my bones crack

Remove it

And my blood drain

I am a Beast of Burden

For ages I am there

For ages I will be

I am a beast, not a human

I am not a beggar

I’ll never be.

This is my first posting for the month of June 2010 and one after a long long time. Indeed there was some slackness on my part but also it would be pertinent to mention that I was busy with my life. I was following only few blogs (apologies to others), but Delhi heat and power situation can be unforgiving.

The picture was taken by me on my trip to Mussoorie. It was taken on 11th June, 2010 and now it seems a long time ago.

Award for me

2010-05-19T22:40:00.003+05:30

Well I must confess it is my third/ fourth award. But honestly I don't remember when I was awarded the earlier one. Secondly I was blissfully unaware of rules therefore I just said thanks to the person who awarded me. My awards were given by Megha and Nalini, both wonderful bloggers.

My this award is given by Karan, who happened to drop in my lonely blog and regularly shared his view. Thanks a lot buddy.

Now as rule of accepting the award I must forward it to my other fellow bloggers, I would like to give this "Cool Award" to

Megha for great stories and great photos

Nalini for great poetry and great photos

Tavish great blog mate and too regular

Gyanban needs no introduction

Anulal for heart rendering poetry

Mridula for encouraging me into blogging

Thanks again Karan, because it is for you now that I am posted again.

Death of Emotion

2010-05-02T13:09:00.004+05:30

For the last few days its being easier for me to write poetry (though sporadically) than articles. Lets see whats next in store.

Death of Emotion

His heart clenched

When he saw her on board

A wishful prayer

Of God bought forth

She walked inside

Took a seat facing his back

He kept turning

To figure her outta pack

It’s being few months since

He’d last had a glimpse

The place was same

But the time different

But this time

T’was a long haul

He kept turning

As history strolled

They’d talked once

He’d always remember

Days of adolescence

Were full of adventure

They’d walked together

Talking ‘bout world

As one’s fancies flew

One’s was unruffled

He confided his love

As his nature was so

He paid a price

She forget him soon

They met twice again

But she didn’t ‘cognize

As his heart clenched

Her beat fine

Today when she board

His emotions soared

And gave a shriek

Of an animal getting caught

It’s being long time

He consoled himself

The death of emotion

is consolation.

April 16^th, 2010

Web of Life

2010-04-25T11:28:00.000+05:30

Web of Life

Those who spin the web of life

May have never thought about strife

That exists between man and man

When every man gives the best he can

Little knots of this web

Loosened by the lessee itself

Who has never pondered himself

The shelter service the web provides

And yet he is hell bent

On destroying the creation

Of owner of heaven

Those who spin the web of life

May 6, 2005

For the one last time

2010-04-22T15:28:00.003+05:30

It have being callous not to write about it. But what to write about, Dantewada represented all what is wrong with India's security apparatus. The 'MASSACRE' of 76 Jawans is the grim reminder of fact that the nation is still not united and there is still a fire in the belly. But I am more or less appalled with the general reaction of blogging community, who failed to mention it. When bomb exploded at the Bangalore stadium, we sprang into action writing pieces, when Pune happened we where shattered, but why on earth our reaction is so different when it comes to massacre in Dantewada, Silda or Orissa. Why are we such callous about maoist violence. Just because it doesn't affects us directly or it is just not glamorous. In this incident of Dantewada I have seen many news pieces but not a good reaction of city slickers. We are too busy with IPL tamasha.

Now, after this short but true lecture, I present the poem I wrote about the slain Jawans, not the only ones who died at Dantewada, but the one at Silda, Orissa, J&K and any other part of the country fighting the insurgents. It is the least I can do.

For the one last time

For the one last time

Her cell-phone rang

“Take care of kids” he said

And the line went dead.

For the one last time

He unlocked his gun

Aiming for the target

Bullets have him overrun

For the one last time

He prayed to god

He thought of his loved one’s

Till a bullet stuck his jaw

For the one last time

He took a deep breath

Taking cover under a tree

Landmine tore his leg

For the one last time

He took an aim

Killing a few

Then he was slain

For the one last time

He hurled the grenade

The usual thud

Then he found six coming

For the one last time

He took her picture out

Holding it to his heart

Falling! His hand held it tight

For the one last time

He feared for his life

Firing at all direction

One got is balls out

For the one last time

His life went through his eyes

Childhood, youth, manhood

Laid there, in blood

For the one last time

He wished to live

Amongst the dead

He gathered his ‘tines

For the one last time

He gathered his dreams

He wanted to be an artist

Battlefield became his sheet

For the one last time

He wept to live

The battlefield’s sympathy

Bullet through his brain

For the one last time

He waited for death

Miles away from home

His brothers made him bled

For the one last time

He saw his blood

Nothing was different

Between their flag and his blood

For the one last time

He blew the whistle

The final attack

Bayonets on barrel

For the one last time

They called for help

And nobody came

Laying their bodies to rest

For the one last time

The class war claim

The lives of poor

Whom the class represents

For the one last time

They came back home

Draped in flag, packed in coffin

The dead were somber

For the one last time

Their widows cried

The future was bleak

The promises hollow

For the one last time

They were criticized

For their tactics and strategy

Their sacrifice unnoticed

For the one last time

The Nation outrage

The dust settled

On wilderness came IPL

For the one last time

They turned in grave

Asking for the vengeance

Crying on decadence.

Legal Tangle

2010-04-18T09:34:00.002+05:30

While waiting at a government office for getting the work done I wrote these few lines just for passing my time. The work was not done and the lines are before you.

Legal Tangle

It is something called legal tangle

Size more confusing than woman’s bangle

If the problem is countered at wrong angle

It becomes difficult to untangle the tangle

It’s much easier to break the bangle

Inner Strength

2010-04-11T14:02:00.003+05:30

Another old one from me, can't help. Sunday is the only holiday. This one was written way back in 2007. Hopefully by next week will be able to add something new.

Inner Strength

My eyes look tired

My face look wrinkled

It gives an older than age looks

However my determination is not broken

Nor did my inner strength

Yet another week..

2010-04-08T23:21:00.002+05:30

It is Thursday night 2330hrs, tomorrow is few minutes away, and I sit here, with drowsy eyes and drained out mind trying to write something, or least of it meaningful, to keep my this blog atleast alive. Indeed it is difficult.

Is it poverty of thoughts? Or drought of ideas? Or, is it just another plain laziness which had plagued me earlier? No, neither of them, I am just tired. After spending close to 10 hours at the office and 3 hours in commuting and that to by using public transport (even it is Delhi Metro) what is left of a poor soul of 24 year old. And to add a cherry to this cake I don't have Saturday off, with Sunday comes and goes life seems to be struck a High Tension wire.

Enough of whining, I chose it, or it was a hobsons choice. Whatever it was, decision is entirely mine. Anyhow coming to penning my thoughts, I think I have already explained why the idea don't get converted, not an excuse, but try walking in my shoes.

Be careful what you wish for, because some where in past I might have prayed for this and the Higher Power seems to be using LIFO in granting wishes. Anyhow, coming to the point.

But what point, this point has no point at all, just varied coordinates which I joining with my eyes closed. So excuse me if you had gone through this torture, Good bye for now, and hopefully we will see you on Sunday

Divided they Stand

2010-04-04T09:36:00.002+05:30

Life is like million loose blocks

Divided they stand, united they fall

So don’t make your life with loose blocks

Cement it with good cement stock

This piece was originally written on November 9th, 2004. Do share your views. The picture you see was Clicked by me January 5th, 2010.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Book Review

2010-04-01T07:12:00.001+05:30

On the very onset I must admit I am not a great reviewer of books, or any other thing for that matter. As I do believe since no five fingers are same, things are different from other. However, I also believe that nothing is always or never, hence this article.

I should say I have being forced to write this article by two compulsions, first is the compulsion of writing and of not posting for a considerable part of time and second one is the compulsion book itself. Many of you might be aware about the movie with the same name “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” starring Jack Nicholson, which won him his first Oscar. The movie was based upon this book by the same name written by Ken Kesey.

A little googling and you will easily find the story and other detailed research about this book and the movie also. But as I said, I am not a reviewer, I can only try to make you see but made me pick up this book and ultimately read it.

Picking up this book was not easy, with few bucks to spare, I was thinking about the return which I should expect. It was book fair, and as I had already explained in previous article I was not in a great mood to roam around. I decided to stick it out within few stalls, and for this one it was Penguin. This book, along with few others was under an offer, and as far as I can remember it was under Rs.200, a tempting offer for something which is marked £9.65. And secondly, the words “anti-establishment” commented in the back of the book. I gave it a second minute thought and decided to go ahead and make the last purchase for the day.

Something which attracted me towards this book was not the cover but the halo surrounding the story which was actually established by the movie itself. Though I haven’t seen the movie, but the reviews I read, and the other such supporting proofs made my mind tick that there must be something about it. And when I saw the book and corroborated the facts I knew, it seemed to be prudent enough to give it a try.

Who is insane? Who is mad? Who decides the conduct in the society and conduct of the society? Is it you, me or the society? What type of conduct is actually thought to be desirable in fitting into the society? There are no straightforward answers to these questions. This book does not provide those answers; this book only reinforces those questions. It puts those questions in a manner that either you will put the book down in disgust or you will be compelled to ask your own conscience these questions. And the answers are not easy.

This book in a manner ask those questions, not through the tongues of the persons whom we called ‘sane’ or ‘good’ but through the mouths of ‘insane’ and ‘criminal’. It asks question about the value of laughter in the gloomiest of the situation. It asks question of being free from any type of bondage. It asks question about being different. It asks question of being free and being non-submissive. It asks question of masquerading autocracy in the veil of participation. And finally it asks the question of the price one has to pay for being different.

This book is narrated by a person who has being displaced by the state, from his traditional and ancestral living, for some hydroelectric project, this person has gone through the trauma of seeing his tribe and family disintegrating and the tragedies of second world war as a conscript in Europe, and finally ending up in asylum. The repeated use of shock treatment and other such method makes his speech and views confined to him.

But this book is not about the narrator. It is about a criminal, who wishes to seek change for others. Because what he sees and feels is wrong. This book is about a nurse, which rules her ward with a toffee enameled iron-fist. It is about humiliation in public which she dishes out by just mere use of words in order to correct the patients. It is about her who feels an asylum is institution for insane.

Finally, this book is not about the asylum itself. Only through the context of place, it raises questions about what I called is ‘hound mentality’

I am a no great reviewer. But I must recommend giving this book atleast one shot. This book is written by Ken Kesey.

100th Post

2010-03-24T23:53:00.002+05:30

So therefore at last.

Shrugging of my laziness

Resting my logic

Breaking my promise not to babble online

Ultimately I am writing my 100th post under a spell of painful swollen left leg which I have endowed for 3 days now and finally have decided to get to doctor morrow.

I thought a hell lotta things to write in this one, Rave, Rants, poems, views, diatribe but lastly settling for nothing..

Don't ask me how it happen (my leg if you care) coz I just don't know, one evening while getting printouts I began to hurt and on reaching home it was swollen and painful. And today I limped my way back home and morrow I have to limped my way to office. Anyhow.

So what have changed in its world. Nothing really! People are still fool, government is still screwing people, IPL tamasha have two more actors (i support Delhi though), world is going x yz, Google showed middle finger to the middle kingdom, and March is terribly hotter in Delhi than ever, and my indiranking plummeted to 69 on account of non posting.

Ufff...so much tension...smile and relax..U are still living

It has being a great journey till now. For all of those you out there who actually read before comment, thank you..you made me write better..and those who think I write shit, well my friend sometime mirror shows our own image and we fail to recognize it (no offence though).

This is my 100th Post see some different in 101

Why should I write?

2010-03-13T21:22:00.002+05:30

I don't clearly remember why'd I began writing. Probably to diffuse tension which kept brewing in my brain, and by writing I mean writing not only blogging. I am quite unaware when this habit caught me and challenged me to give my best. But as time passed, and life grew, today I am compelled to ask myself "Why should I write at all?"

It is not that I accidentally stumbled upon writing. I used to write some parody, some speeches in my school days but they were few and far between. I graduated to diary writing during my first and second year. But discontinued regular writing soon, though I still keep a folder and use to pen my thoughts there often, but that too have reduced a lot after I started blogging.

Now coming to blogging, I must say I'd some good and some bad experiences. There were few good experience like some of my mediocre stuff got more attention and some bad experience like some of my better researched stuff suffered badly. Part of life I can say to myself. But...

Why should I write? it is the question I am asking myself, It is not about the readers only. But can it bring about any change. Will it affect the world even by an iota. Will it effect anyone's thinking by a tiniest bit. Will anyone disagree and lead to an healthy argument to keep me engage. Or will anyone even care.

It is my 99th post, and I don't know what I will post for my 100th.

Death wish

2010-03-03T23:47:00.002+05:30

Again a poetry of mine. For last many days I am not feeling to write anything, though there are many things to write upon. But call it my sheer laziness or just chance. Hopefully by next week there would be some article or short story. For now enjoy (if it is) my poetry which I actually wrote on April 22, 2006.

Death wish

After my death

Don’t take chances

Burn the body

Bury the ashes

As poet in me

May rise again from the grave

Or walk away from the funeral pyre

But even though

I still may live

In the lines of my poems

In the music of my songs

Running through my paragraphs

With every set of human emotions

Hunger, happiness, rage, anger

I may live

I the morning breeze

In the drops of dew

In the rays of sun

In prit-prat of rain

In silence of night

In twinkles of star

In the shine of moon

Or I may live

In your hearts

Yours minds might forget me

But they’ll be a permanent address

I may not be there

But they’ll be the address

You may come as you like

And float through my lovely lines

And remember the man with whom

You took no chances

So after my death

Don’t take chances

Burn the body

Bury the ashes

Happy Holi

2010-03-01T10:25:00.003+05:30

My Self Potrait (cropped for privacy) during last holi

Wishing you all a Happy Safe and Prosperous Holi

Drink but please do not drive after that

Flirt but do it within a limit of decency

And enjoy the festival of colors with full gaiety

No Candles for Sitting Ducks

2010-02-18T13:15:00.001+05:30

The outrage is apparent, so is outpouring of grief and gush of anger in its various forms like poems, articles, condolence messages, debates and criticism. Those who perished in Pune were not at any fault. They had only gone there, unsuspectingly, to enjoy their meal and have a great time. It was Saturday night, a valentine weekend, and enough reasons to celebrate. But little did they know that their lives would come to such abrupt ending, a single fulmination and all their dreams lay splattered on the ground, with its color changed to red. And never in their wildest dreams would they have wondered that so many people would remember them and light candles in their grief and in protest of what grievers dub as complicity of government.

Two days later, in quaint little town of Silda 170 KM from Kolkata and barely 11 KM from Jharkhand border, 40 maoist armed with automatic weapons and driving in motorcycles and cars invaded police camp massacring 25 unsuspecting, unprepared and untrained policemen. This entire orgy lasted only for 15 minutes, within which the camp was set on fire and weapons were looted. The ferocity of this attack was such that only skeletal remains of camp and bed remained, many were roasted alive. The Camp was middle of a crowed town, it was unprotected and aptly one newspaper described the situation of the policemen as ‘Sitting Ducks’, the one waiting for the crocodiles to come. Policemen had the modern weapons, but were not trained. When the lightning stuck, they were not ever in their uniforms. Yet not a drop of tear was shed for them, not candle was kindled for those ‘Sitting Ducks’.

When the tragedy at Pune stuck, within few hours the blogosphere was up with news. After one day, poems, articles and condolences flowed in. But here where 25 people were killed even after 3 days, not a single piece of news, not even a single sling of emotion.

Josef Stalin had once said “Death of a person is tragedy, death of many is statistics”, it seems for the nation it was a tragedy at Pune and it was mere statistics at Silda. As a nation has our callousness escalated to such levels that we easily differentiate between terrorism. If it happens to us or of our ilk then it is a tragedy, an apparent failure of government machinery. And when it happens to those who fight for us, nothing, just because they are expendable or it is just that they belong to different strata of society or they just added to the statistics.

The incident of Pune can easily be attributed to the sources across the border. Protest meets, peace marches can easily be organized against a known enemy, bashing him up would be easy, and to much extent have became our favorite pass time with both public and media regularly taking a jibe. But the massacre of Silda is an act of an enemy within, why no protest against it, why no peace marches asking them to give up weapons. This enemy is more dangerous than one across the border. This enemy is fed on the hunger, desperation of people. This enemy has raised its ugly head to tell us that since we don’t care they’ll end us. This enemy talks about revolution, which can be simply stated as power to the holder of guns. This enemy only believes in democracy of terror and has pact within each separatist organization whose motives are to rip apart the country into various fragments, to deny the idea of India. And this is the enemy we are complicit of ignoring.

The members of Eastern Frontier Rifles came from poor families, the one who cannot afford to send their children to fancy engineering, management or medical colleges. In stark contrast with those who perished at Pune, many of whom were planning to visit abroad. The families of EFR men cannot afford media, unlike those of Pune who can raise their voices through various forums. Does it make the lives of those who protect us expendable?

Our Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram while inaugurating Chief Minister’s Conference on New Delhi on August 17, 2009 said, “….Let us take the average constable. He is perhaps the most used, misused and abused person ever to wear a uniform. He works, on an average, 12-14 hours a day; generally seven days a week, often throughout the year. Since he is drawn from the common stock of people, his behavior and attitude reflect that stock; only feeble attempt is made to improve his behavior or change his attitude….He is perhaps the most reviled public servant in India. From a violator of traffic laws to a rich man whose family member has run over several hapless persons sleeping on the pavement, everyone assumes that the average policeman can be cajoled, bribed, bought over, threatened or bullied into submission. The people’s estimate of the average policeman is low; the self-esteem of the average policeman is even lower. It is this police that is our frontline force to provide internal security; and it is this police force that we have to work with” True words isn’t it. And it has being made truer by our own acts. It is very easy to salute those Jawans who are awarded at Republic Day, but it is very difficult to understand the situation of those policemen who beat our streets daily. And when they are massacred we just don’t care.

If our attitude continues like this, when we are choosy to grieve for our brethren, especially those who protect us, rest assure that one day we will end up as ‘Sitting Ducks’. Don’t say what they do? Because it is such field where failures are noted and successes are only part of duty. Today when you will grieve for the departed souls of Pune blast, just a simple request shed a tear or two for those Silda policemen and all those dead whose voices fail to reach us through popular media. They are not just statistics, they are not ducks.

I am Distressed

2010-02-14T13:14:00.002+05:30

I hate censors and believe people have right to know and right to say. But sometimes power corrupts and that is what I am seeing in my blog for last few weeks.

I love comments, whether they contradict my stand or they support my stand. I always enjoy a good debate, a good discussion, because ideas flow when we discuss and contradict. Therefore living up to that principle I had disabled word verification and enable anonymous commenting in my blog. However the response I got from few rotten one's has left me distressed and angry.

Being in Delhi, or India or any part of the world for that matter, we use slangs in our every day communication. Slangs are a part of culture, a manner by which we fume out anger or even shower love or crack a joke. It is good if it is used within limits and within a specific circle of people. However, it loses its taste when it misused, i.e., used in public forum where things are being discussed between people who have never met each other. This writer also have many juiciest of slangs up in his tongue but he seldom used them while discussing some important or not so important things with some unknown. This applies to blogs also.

As a blogger reading others blog I strive to keep my comments withing the limits of decency, and I also expect that people should follow the same while commenting here in my blogs. Even if I use an abuse I never direct it towards a particular person, it just forms part of a general statement, but as far as possible I try to avoid the language which I used amongst my friends.

But for the last few days I am getting dose of the medicine which I didn't applied to anyone. I was getting Anonymous comments on many of my articles, but the one I got on my post related to Tiger Conservation has crossed all the limits of decency and has forced me to enable moderation.

The person in question (I can safely assume he is not a gentleman) firstly posts, as anonymous, comment "NICE" for which he gets my response "Thanks but please give me your name". A good conversation always warrants knowledge of name. And In response I get a good dose of Delhi's Slang which then is followed by a slang-fest. I have to bring his family in the question.

This person without any shred of doubt is a coward, he was first using an Airtel Connection of Delhi and when I point out the same this smartass began using proxy server to post comments and asking me which country he is from, as if he thinks he is the only intelligent person remained in this world.

It seems that he has taken a good record of me and has put me in his reading and is having a real sick fun of abusing me in this public forum. Now he is using the name of 'Dick' to comment since I have disabled the anonymous commenting. His comment on last post has being deleted, it seems that he wishes me to get me to his rotten level. I will not oblige him.

Now for the records, if there is tiniest possibility that I know this guy/gal in person then he/she can safely presume goodbye to our friendship is there was any.

I follow net-etiquettes and I also presume others to follow the same while commenting. Slang is good, but it is a double edged sword, be careful while using it in public forum.

"REPUTATION" might be a 10 letter word but it takes life time to earn it, and just a spur of a moment to lose it.

Thanks

Tarun

Tagged so here I am

2010-02-12T14:54:00.002+05:30

I was tagged by Sanand and here we go with some fun questions:

1. What is your current obsession?
Getting myself training

2. What are you wearing today?

Pajamas and T shirt…the usual for me

3. What's for dinner today?
Only My Mom knows
.

4. What's the last thing you bought?
Bananas

5. What are you listening to right now?
The Fan of my CPU

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
I think he is a fantastic blogger and lawyer

7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
I always wish for a home, not a house. And wherever I find love that in my home.

8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?
T-shirts, cargoes, jeans, a bottle of water and electricity

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Anywhere where I could have good picture.

10. Which language do you want to learn?
Every single one….why put myself under any limits

11. What’s your favourite quote?
There are many, so single favorites. But this one, from Kaminey, might not suite your palette, I am using this one quite often these days “yeh kutti duniya badi haramzadi hai aur yahan ke log bade kaminey hai”

12. Who do you want to meet right now?
No one in particular.

13. What is your favourite colour?
Blue.

14. Give us 3 styling tips that work for you.
Nothing has worked for me yet, and if I put in honesty, it has only kicked my butt. But can’t help being good.

15. What is your dream job?

Army man or a warrior

16. What’s your favorite magazine?
No favorites, I read whatever I like

17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?

That makes 5000 buck (INR) hmm…a good hard disk

18. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?

Anything which I don’t like :P

19. Who according to you is the most over-rated style icon?
Every high class darjis having their stores at swish street of every Indian city

20. What kind of haircut do you prefer?
Well I am balding, so, that makes thing up. But when I was not I loved military cut, real short.

21. What are you going to do after this?
Read about Intellectual Property Rights

22. What are your favorite movies?
There are many, not a freak, but list is long, like The Bridge over River Kwai, many in various languages..

23. What inspires you?
When someone tells me it cannot be done and I know I can do it

24. What do your friends call you most commonly?
Tarun or Kaminey :P

25. Would you prefer coffee or tea?
Black tea.

26. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?

I go silent and breathe.

27. What makes you go wild?
Backstabbers, liars, pompous know-it-alls, those who take credit of someone else’s work and people who try to cut you down

28. Which other blogs do you love visiting?

Many blogs, can't think of just one.

29. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Chocolate, sweets…name them and I’ll have it

30. How many tabs are turned on in ur browser right now?

None, drafting this one on word now

31. Favorite Season?

All of them, every season is special

32. If I come to your house now, what would u cook for me?

Depends upon what you Eat J

33. What is the right way to avoid people who purposefully hurt you?

Let them have their pleasure, and smile, because deep inside you, you know they are stupid

34. What are you afraid of the most?
My anger.

35. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

I need a shave

36. What brings a smile on your face instantly?

A piece of Honesty and good humor

37. A word that you say a lot?
What the f***

38. When was the last time you did something nice?
I am a nice fellow J

39. What would you do if you were made President of India for one day?
Stay at Rasthrapati Bhavan, because Prez is only titular head of state. And click few images

40. Do you Know who Master SHIFU is?
No idea! But if I break the words it makes Shit+F*** :P

I would like to thank Sanand for tagging me. I wish to tag the following bloggers with the same questions:

Gagandeep New kid in blogosphere

Shivani New kid in blogosphere

Mridula

Megha

PS: I was first tagged by Megha...but at that time I still cannot figure out what the tagging is all about...leave our comments here..:D

Left Alone

2010-02-11T11:06:00.002+05:30

I wrote this piece almost 5 years back November 17, 2004 to be precise, the time when I actually realized I can write, I somewhat feel like this even now, do leave your comments

Left Alone

I am in the middle of the ocean

Left alone- nowhere to go

Sky is clouded- I can’t see stars

I couldn’t find my way home

I see no star, no light, no hope

To guide me out of this lonely sea

I’ve lost all my gadgets

I couldn’t find the distance

I’m left with only one piece of cloth

Is it a night?

Or a day turned dark

I’m struggling for life

Amongst approaching shark

I’m fighting hard

I’ve lost sight to time, day and date

Month and year I’m stranded all alone

I’m in the middle of the ocean

Left alone- nowhere to go

Tiger Conservation and Man’s dependence on Land

2010-02-06T11:15:00.006+05:30

Couching at the comfort of our homes against mainly China-made computer running on American software sipping coffee from the beans collected and processed in Karnataka bought from a franchise of British retailer’s shelves in our respective cities powered by either thermal or hydro power it is very easy and cool to lament the fate of tigers in our country. It is rather uncomplicated to raise a voice by merely a click of a mouse and join a chorus of many like us who are concerned about their own and their future generations’ ability to see tiger in open jungles. But have we ever reflected or to be more precise pondered about the implications of our decisions on our fellow human beings, on the jungles, on the animals and on the ecology on a whole.

This furor about Tiger Conservation has being sparked off by a campaign by Aircel (a telecom company) and WWF (an wildlife fund) showing the desperate condition of a young cub waiting for his mother who has being poached by the hunters. This video has evoked many emotional responses from the viewers across the spectrum ranging from moist eyes to poetic lines to instant manifestation of rage. Their website asking for support has become an instant hit with more than 30,000 showing their support on the last count. I to submitted to my sentiments and registered my support and called in for further support.

However, stung by my own inquisitiveness and bitten by eagerness to quench the insatiable thirst of knowledge and to produce some good article on Tiger Conservation I searched for some more information. The results, though were from the usual place, was surprising. Surprising in the sense that what I has got is much more than conservation of Tiger itself.

To see conservation of Tigers in isolation would be a folly and to impose any direct approach of conservation would be disastrous. On the very onset we had to examine various factors that lead to this current situation in order to come up with a solution which just and equitable.

Man and animal both depends on the land, therefore the friction between to the two becomes inevitable. History of tiger hunting follows the same path, initially done to regain land for agriculture and to protect their domesticated animals. Later, it became a sport. As a sport hunting of tiger was linked to valiance of the hunter. This had a reason, because it all started with killing by hands, then by weapon like sword and then by bow and arrow. When guns arrived at the scene, tiger hunting was still seemed to be seen as the sports of brave, even though an entire entourage of servants, helper and guides used to accompany the master and his guests, and had the responsibility to set-up the game. As shown in the short story “Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger” by HH Munro, it had rather became a trivial sport of amusement, a quick road for self gratification.

The people who were the part of this game and who guided the Sahibs were the poor villagers or tribals who lived by the forest. For everything they depended on forests, from food, fodder, wood, everything, in fact their very survival depended on the forests itself. Illiterate and with far from civilization, they killed the animals only for food or clothing or for mere survival; not for commercial exploitation and enjoyment. They have being there for thousands of years, doing the same thing. They treated the forests as their rightful property, until industrial age gave rise to increased dependence of humans on the lands.

From the times immemorial trees have regularly being felled for claiming land for agriculture, whether by these forest dwellers themselves or by other. But by the advent of 18^th century, felling proliferated with the advent of Industrial age. Products of the forest had multiple commercial applications, timber, lac, gum, shellacs, skins & hides, almost anything extractable had some commercial application. Further, land on which these forests rested, had enormous quantity of mineral wealth, like coal, gold, iron-ore, copper etc. All these resources led to enactment of various legislations targeted towards streamlining of revenue and the resources towards the imperial masters. Legislations like Indian Forests Act, 1927 were enacted with the sole purpose of levying duty on timber and helping in transit of other forest produce. The main assumption of this specific legislation (and other ancillary laws) was “Local communities were incapable of scientific management and that only a trained centrally organized cadre of officers could properly manage forests”. By “Scientific Forest Management” it is only meant sustained yield of timber and nothing else, it was not related to preservation, leave alone conservation. These legislations effectively made the people of the forests tenants of the very lands of which they were masters. Thereby making their very existence precarious and the necessity became the mother of invention.

Necessity to survive led these people to plan out games for the Sahibs, to grab lands for farming and for hunting animals that came into their new domain. With heavy dependence on land by humans leading to shrinking of forest covers the wild beasts came out in open and became a menace, or game that has to be controlled. And there began the struggle between the man and animal, results of which we are seeing now. But it is not only the animal which had the hard bargain. There are the people of forests, the tribals, the adivasis, and other marginal dwellers who had being and are still be exploited in the name of ‘public good’. First there were the Imperial Masters and now state actors powered with Imperial Legislations but changing the mask of timber extraction into the mask of public good. It was then with only few thousands of Tigers were left the Project Tiger was launched.

Project Tiger is one of the world’s longest running conservation projects, envisaged in the year 1973; it was initially meant for 6 years and was limited to 9 different ecosystems in India. Its main objective was “to ensure the maintenance of a viable population of the tiger in India and to preserve, for all times, such areas as part of our national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of future generations”. The report on which Project Tiger was based was remarkable as it not only showed political realism of the day but also provided an exhaustive blueprint of management systems, administrative framework and legal provision. Even though beginning was clear-sighted, the results are not rosy.

A task force of Indian Board for Wildlife notes in its report in 1983 “growing degree of apathy and indeed, antipathy, towards wildlife among different classes and sections of the public”. Indeed, this antipathy is the direct outcome of fight for survival between man and animal. It is the result of increasing dependence on land. Having pushed people first out of the forests and then to the brink and then into the poverty have a direct bearing this antipathy. A hungry stomach seldom sees any reason and it scarcely submits itself to the logic. The very forest to which they are custodians becomes their prey.

But they are not to be blamed alone. As said earlier, the laws that were made to be subservient to the business interest were kept as they were, and after independence only minor changes were made. The Forests Officials who were supposed to be statutory protector became ad hoc lords of the forests. In collusion with the mafia, big businesses and with the help of police they attacked the tribals and other forest dwellers uprooting them from their lands, so that the forests, or whatever left of it could be used by them. And whatever remained, invited the wrath of the tribal who are now being pushed to the brink. Poaching is one of the outcomes of this flawed system.

At this juncture I can be accused of diverting from the topic. I started with writing about Tiger Conservation but ended up taking cause of tribals and other adivasis. However, somewhat I find these all things interlinked. This current campaign is based upon a survey done in 2008, in exact terms it gave the following results, minimum limit of 1165 maximum limit of 1657 giving an average of 1411. Make no mistakes, minimum is 1165, the number 1411 is just ploy to fool ourselves. The report (Tiger Task Force) also points that leaving the local people out of the benefits of the Tiger program is also one of the major causes for this crisis. The report points out “local people, who lived in the territory of the tiger, were left out of the benefits of the programme. They were made illegal settlers in their own land and denied even their basic needs. These ignored people increasingly turned against the tiger. Their contribution in sharing the ecological space of the tiger was never recognised. They continued to lose their livestock, crops and lives to wild animals, but were rarely properly compensated”.

The rehabilitation and relocation of local populace inside the National Parks and Tiger Reserve are rarely done in proper, unquestionable and ethical manner. Though by virtue of few new legislations deforestation have being controlled but the degradation of the forests continues unabated. In the densest forests of the country lies enormous mineral wealth, flora and fauna, but these same forests houses the poorest people of the nation, who after years of exploitation have turned into naxalites. Left winged terrorism amongst tribals in India is only manifestation of lopsided development and conservation efforts where we have failed to recognize the problem and instead focused on managing the situation. There has being cases where the naxals have encouraged the tribals to kill the tigers, there are also cases of tigers being killed out of retaliation. All this is due to alleged failure of the government machinery and too much extent us.

Amidst this enormous hue and cry from the Indian Middle and Upper Middle class to save and revive the remaining Tiger population one thing that is being ignored are the methods that are to be used for such conservation. Though we are being told to raise the awareness by anything but the reason “for enjoyment of future generation” is good or ethical enough, because it is for this enjoyment of hunting and tourism that we have our major animal wealth. Should we raise the question what steps are to be taken for such conservation and what implications it would have on fellow human beings?

One Mahatma once said “There is enough in this world for every one’s need but not for everyone’s greed”. In today’s world we need our daily goods; we need electricity water, paper, computers and many other things. All of these needs directly affect our forests and then the tiger. Dams submerge forests for water and electricity, trees are felled for furniture, agriculture and plantations, forests are dug up for iron, copper and other minerals. Till when our greed will last?

China once had largest population of tigers in the world till 1950’s when it declared them pest and had them wiped out of its landscape. By 1970’s it exhausted its quota of tiger bones used in traditional medicine and turned to importing. The US, UK and other great preacher nations have tarnish record of preserving animal wealth of other countries. Now it is up to us that what record we should have. Should we submit to blatant orthodox conservation practices or should we take our people on board to our development? This question is what we need to raise now.

On this current campaign, though it might be done with good intention, I cannot help myself asking; Is it in response to similar campaign regarding trees by a rival telecom operator? Or it is done with a real intention to make a change.

To conclude I will just quote these line from English poet William Blake

“Great things are done when Men and mountain meet

This is not done by jostling in the street.”

References:-

1. http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/status_of_tigers_in_india_2008.pdf

2. http://saveourtigers.com/pdf/66%20tigers%20dead%20in%208%20months.pdf

3. http://forestrightsact.awardspace.com/myths.htm#mozTocId177407

4. http://projecttiger.nic.in/TTF2005/index.html

5. Indian Forests Act, 1927

19th Delhi World Book Fair 2010

2010-02-01T00:14:00.007+05:30

I was thinking about this post on January 30th itself, but my Computer surely do had other plans. I'd thought this one to be detailed post but by now I have drained all my juices of literature and will just put out the facts plainly as possibly.

I went to 19th Delhi World Book Fair on the first day itself, ie, January 30th,2010. After a series of yes,no,yes, no at last I was able to make it to the fair on the first day itself, though alone. The Saturday was distressing for me and I do required something good to happened, so even it was 4 PM I decided to keep myself away from experimentation and stick to the basics of book buying, trusted brands, trusted names and back. For the first time in many years I'd kept myself from experimentation. For this I'd reasons, these were, time and money.

I had being going to Book Fair (in Delhi whether National or International) since the year 2001, the year I changed my school and had to travel by bus to reach my new school. Then also, as a student of government school, with trademark violet trousers and white shirt without a tie, I went there alone. Sometimes being looked with suspicion or just as any other ignorance, seldom being treated as a customer unless I picked up a book to purchase. As years passed with uniform giving way to jeans something I found seldom changed. May be I am not smart enough. Anyhow.

For a Bibliophile like me, Book Fair, whether big or small, is like a Kumbh Mela, a must visit for self purification. I enjoy wandering, rather lost, within the books. Though I won't count myself a voracious reader, but still intentionally or unintentionally I end up reading a lot. Many of my friends might call me "pakau" for the "gyan" I usually give out might be result of readings. Coming back to the topic, for last 10 years a lot have changed. Bus has given way to metro, uniform to jeans, and some more cash in pocket. But what has not change, is the venue and organizing.

Though touted as one of the biggest book fairs at least in Asia (my assumption, possibly wrong), organizing still leaves a lot to desire to truly make it something. Creaking hall, littered streets, card board pieces everywhere has become ubiquitous with Pragati Maidan. This time it was even worse, with 3 different fairs being held there at that time, Book fair was tucked away at a different corner, leaving the visitors a lot of ground to cover and a lot of questions to ask to reach there. Though entry was free for school children in uniform accompanied by a teacher during weekdays, I entered there for free, and that too without any security checking. I just flouted a small loophole, entry was free for other two fairs, I entered one of them and then walked onto the Book Fair. I have a reason for this, no body knew where tickets were being sold and officials at the designated gates were asking for it, one of them sent me to a gate only to sent to another gate, then I asked a gentleman about entry and he told me this idea, he'd done the same. And I did. But there holds a lesson for ITPO and NBT, use some brain while scheduling fairs and properly advertise where tickets can be sold. Mere advertising for the event is not enough.

From the Fair I entered it was long walk to the book fair as it was tucked away to another corner. And since I was not thinking about experimentation I decided to stick to my field of books from established names (a decision I don't like to repeat in future but circumstances were such) viz. Law and Fiction. I visited stalls of Lexis Nexis, Universal Law House, Taxmann, Rupa & co (of books not baniyans), Penguin India, Oxford and some others, but these were I spent maximum time (apart from walking around).

Well as I said, organizing was shoddy and many things were still not available to participants and with uneven flooring you just cannot called its international, to my surprise many NBT/ITPO officials were very helpful. They help me located few publishers I was looking for. If NBT/ITPO people are listening there is a lesson for them, while organizing please put things segment wise for example, law at one area, management at another, instead putting them up haphazardly. Though it may not be practically possible every time, but it should be done as far as possible. Secondly enough space must be given to the visitors to actually navigate from one stall to another. And proper maps must be put up at every place at least to give proper directions.

Coming back to the fair itself, since I was alone, I'd little chance of clicking pictures. You can be viewed suspiciously if you are clicking things alone (and if you are in black attire as I was in). Anyhow there I see motley of human emotions, facebook friends meeting for first time in blood and bones, an upcoming writer making a splash with a pretty upcoming reader (read girl) with her mother, dealer complaining lack of service, children asking to many questions, and the hero of the events books and a lot of them. You could easily lost in them.

But I had something in my mind, only few specific things and back and so I did. But I can fairly say the visit, even alone, clearly removed the stress out of the distressing day. I hoped next time I would be able to give more time (usually I visit the fair twice, but this time I am not seeing me doing that) and with better camera (moon was beautiful on Saturday) and hopefully with at least a friend or two to accompany me (condition: mental compatibility about reading otherwise day would become hell with both pulling different strings).

So go on and visit, because it is worth visiting, it is on till February 7th at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, and if you have kids, carry them along, they could have a thousands books to cheer.

Tarun

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On a bright sunny day

2010-01-29T12:02:00.003+05:30

This poem occurred to me yesterday and as it happens I penned it down. Do tell me whether you enjoyed it or not

On a bright sunny day

When lovers stroll their way

I rest my ass on grass

With the book which is crass

With the sun hitting my face

Without sun-screen in this case

Thinking about the test

I lay my book to rest

There were green all around

High pines look me down

I thought taking a walk

Only to get some real shock

There she stood in pink

The color she wanted me to drink

A guy was holding her hands

The one who wore grey pants

They looked happy and gay

As they began to sway

I was left in lurch

I moved toward the perch

I want to hear their talk

As they talked and walk

He said he is a vet

As I hid my silhouette

It was a blind date

But was on my wedding cake

Cupid’s arrow did struck

My heart bled, and their fluffed

Dejected- I turned back

I needed my book to relax

I reached the grass where I rest

I have to prepare for the test

There was a book once

But now there was none

A swine took it away

Spoiling my fine sunny day

Soon my cell-phone rang

From there she pang

Her disapproval of mine

A bungee from cloud nine

Losing my book

Losing my girl

Flunking the test

I became a jest

On a bright sunny day

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The March of the Republic

2010-01-28T01:30:00.002+05:30

Amidst all raves and rants, slumber and celebrations, whining and winnings for the last few last few days I was torn apart into two parts to what to write about the Republic Day. Topic was clear, but reasons weren’t.

To celebrate the day by poetic travail with patriotic piousness would be amount to lying to my own beliefs and ideals. And to rip apart into small shreds this imperfect democracy would tantamount to treachery as this very imperfection has surprisingly stood the test of time. Adding on to this conundrum is a book written over 60 years ago, amended more than 100 times, fought over ever since it came into being and still in spite of all still retaining its basic structure guaranteeing the integrity and continuity of the Republic.

In order to get over this confusion, I resorted to read as many articles I can about Republic day; sadly none fit the bill and provided the missing block. Most of them either written by commentators, political scientists, critics, professors or plain journalists either criticized the shortcomings of this imperfect democracy or plainly or rather vulgarly flaunted the naked patriotism. Everyone talked about the Republic, hardly anyone wrote about the book and its continuity. There were talks about corruption, nepotism, politics, but not Constitution. For a citizen while talking about the nation, the problems and its cleavages are the first thing noticeable, but the book which provides for the panacea is not talked about. I am not saying that the Constitution is the panacea, but it provides for the process of panacea.

So what is Constitution? A simple Wikipedia search will put the meaning in this way:

“A Constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that enumerates the powers and functions of a political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of a government. By limiting the government's own reach, most Constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people. The term constitution can be applied to any overall law that defines the functioning of a government, including several historical constitutions that existed before the development of modern national constitutions.”

Therefore it can be safely said that Constitution is a set of rules which determines the conduct of a nation, its government and its people. It put limits to the powers enjoyed by the government and also determines the scope of sovereignty of a nation state. And more than that it guarantees its people, who bestow it upon themselves, that they have certain rights which cannot be taken from them.

Indian Constitution is one of the longest in world, having approximately 395 articles divided into 22 Parts and 12 schedules. It took two years eleven months and eighteen days to draft and was adopted by Constituent Assembly (not parliament) on November 26, 1949. It became applicable on January 26, 1950. The date of applicability was mere symbolic as it is on January 26, 1930 Congress demanded Purna Swaraj or complete independence.

Just like the country itself, the constitution itself is mish-mash of various other constitutions across the world subjected to Indian conditions intelligently worded and subjected to judicial interpretations. Structure of the Constitution is derived from Government of India Act, 1935, Fundamental Rights is inspired from American Bill of Rights enshrined in American Constitution, Directive Principles of State policy is from Irish Constitution, principle of Cabinet Government and relations between Executive and legislature is largely drawn upon British common law (there is no written constitution is Britain), Union-State relation is similar to that of Canadian Constitution and parts regarding trade, commerce and intercourse is inspired form Australian Constitution.

The Constitution operates as a fundamental law. The government organs owe their origin to the Constitution and derive their authority from, and discharge their responsibilities within the framework of the Constitution. Constitution is not to be construed as a mere law, but as the machinery by which laws are made. A Constitution is a living and organic thing which, of all instruments has the greatest claims to be construed broadly and liberally. Any change or amendment in the Constitution can be only done within the ambit of the Constitution itself, without any interference with the basic structure of Constitution. Such powers the Constitution gives to it organs that any change by one organ to detriment of other organ can be rendered useless by the other organ.

The pervasiveness and vastness of the Indian Constitution is such that the final solution to every separatist cause in this vast country with multiple grievances has fallen within the purview of the Constitution. The social cleavages, the wounds in name of every –ism had it solution within the Constitution itself. Hadn’t this being intelligently worded, rigorously parsed, and morally universalistic guidebook of sheer class, India would likely have Balkanized into thousands of splinters by now. But it isn’t, and its credit lies not only to this book but also to its drafters whose foresight helped in management of the largest democracy of the world.

B.R. Ambedkar is known as the father of Indian Constitution, rightly so, but he was not the only one, there were many others. It composed from apart from leaders like JL Nehru, Dr. SP Mookherjee, Sardar Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, people like BN Rau an eminent Jurist, SM Saadullah Muslim League leader and Premier of Assam, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, MA Ayyangar first Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, NG Ayyangar, AK Ayyar thrice Advocate General of Madras, G Durgabai a criminal lawyer and feminist, TT Krishnaswami, HC Mookerjee, KM Munshi founder of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, NM Rau from Orissa, PB Sitaramyya and many others who participated in the debates, gave suggestions, protested and asked questions. It is the collective foresight of these individuals that today we have a nation that in spite of problems is still united, still not every constituent of this union is taking up arms against another constituent, still courts are moved whenever there is a problem.

If you have read the preamble of the Constitution it goes like this:

WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and opportunity;

And to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Read it carefully, it says WE give it to ourselves this Constitution to secure US of JUSTICE, LIBERTY, EQUALITY and FRATERNITY. On each of this word revolutions happened, on each of these words theses are being written and these we give it to ourselves and forget.

Today, almost all of us complaint that we failed to secure all of these, today corruption is rampant, today India is lying low in HDI, today politicians have eaten into the very fabric of this nation, our laws are weak, true. But ask yourselves have we forgotten what we gave to ourselves.

Somewhere I read we have managed to protect the process of democracy but have failed to do justice to its spirit, I wish I could disagree. Our laws our constitution hasn’t failed us, but we have failed it.

Ask yourself how you celebrated the Republic Day? The answer would be in this form:

“Happy Republic Day to you, well I watched the parade, listened to patriotic songs, watched patriotic music, waved flag, felt great about the country blah-blah”

Now I ask this one, on a bright sunny day when temperature touched forty degree centigrade did you went to the polling booth located at 10 minutes walk from your home to exercise your franchise, or did you just chose to give your feet a rest during this one day. At any day you called your fellow countrymen with a slang or abuse based purely on his or her racial feature, categorizing him or her as a foreigner. At any time, as an employer, you rejected a person just because he belongs to certain caste or tribe. At any time you paid a bribe you thought you are doing the right thing so that thing could be easy. At any time you flaunted about the contacts you have. If yes in most of the cases, then take my sympathies, but the truth is you haven’t celebrated the Republic Day.

It is not just the show of patriotism, cherishing the each and every moment of it. It is not the parade, but the ballot. It is not waving but asking question. It is not just about chest thumbing, but of being accountable.

Till now, it was the foresight of the founders which have steered us from all the trouble, but from here it will be our foresight to take us from here to where we wish to go.This march of the Republic is still incomplete. The way is there, so there is means, but the person marching is in tatters. So pick yourself up and march. Because undoing it would just be lying to ourselves, after all we gave ourselves this constitution.

References

1. Constitution of India with selective comments by PM Bakshi

2. Goodyear India V. State of Haryana, AIR 1990 SC 781:(1990) 2 SCC 71, paragraph 17

3. Minerva Mills Ltd V. Union of India, AIR 1980 SC 1789:(1980) 2 SCC 591

4. Keshavananda Bharati V. State of Kerala, AIR 1973 SC 1461: (1973) 4 SCC 225: 1973 Supp SCR I

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_India

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constituent_Assembly_of_India

8. http://www.zeenews.com/news598978.html#

9. Mint, Delhi Edition, January 26,2010

10. Guidebook of Nation, Sreeram Chaulia, Financial Express, January 26, 2010

Celebrating 60 Years of the Republic

2010-01-26T13:56:00.003+05:30

Amidst all raves and rants, shouting and sloganeering, jeering and protest, peace and unrest, I wish all of the Indians their Republic Day. Remember, in spite of all of shortcomings, we still are able to voice are concerns, without being sabotaged just because of that book, written over two and a half years, over 60 years ago, determining that we became citizens and not merely subjects. Cherish this moment

Life is full of Contradiction

2010-01-23T01:27:00.003+05:30

After a Political commentary, I am back. But this time with an old poem of mine. My mind is going through certain phases, which though conducive for ideas but not for application. As I put my mind in order, here I present a poem I wrote in November 24,2005. Why did I write it? Honestly, I don't remember. But it does reflects my state of mind then. Pound me if you don't like it.

Life is full of Contradiction

Life is full of contradiction,

It’s not just any make or buy decision.

Decisions other take may seem hollow,

But decisions we take we seldom follow.

We know the difference between right and wrong,

But we always tell ourselves ‘what’s wrong with wrong’.

For future, a grand life is what we dream,

In reality, we can’t even afford an ice-cream.

So we may ask ‘what’s wrong with our decisions’,

Are they usually mired with contradiction?

No, our decisions are right,

But premises are wrong.

With contradictory premises we cannot get along.

So get a clean thought and clear mind.

So as to face the ultimate and not resign.

For what turn life may take we don’t know.

As with every good life a contradiction follows.

© Tarun Mitra

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Legacy of Jyoti Basu

2010-01-19T23:35:00.004+05:30

It is one of the obituary is which not suppose to be like one. But the person for whom it is written deserved this. There are very few parallels in history for this person and his acts. Very few people in this world have being such systematic. Systematic in eating into very roots of which it is a fruit. But this fruit was infected, like many others and from various other trees, by a foreign pest.

Criticism is one of the easiest things to do. It is very easy to find faults and point it out. But what do you do when you know the person in question lead a massive decline in a state, and a society on a whole. I am referring to Jyoti Basu (1914-2010) the longest serving Chief Minister of any Indian state, and practically ruled with an iron fist.

As respects poured in, after (finally after rumors of two weeks) his death, describing him as a great leader, great communist, a visionary and an honest person. It is the appropriate time to reflect what is his real legacy is and question ourselves, are we drowning ourselves and the truth in the barrage of emotions?

Politicians are like chameleons, they change their colors depending on the situation. That can explain the praises bestowed on him by the politicians across the spectrum. Sonia Gandhi described him as “A Towering personality” which he was, towering over the destruction of Bengal. Prakash Karat remarked “he taught communists how to work and serve the people” yes, indeed he did, the terms ‘Gherao’,’bandh’ would have become a part of Dictionary only because his students comrades applied it in the streets of Bengal, Kerala, Tripura and other parts of India with or without any valid reason. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said “...He played a significant role in organizing left and democractic movement” organizing left, indeed he helped by politicization of educational institutions, banning of English teaching till fifth medium (can be explained from the fact that he even could not write in Bengali because he was not provided Bengali education at St. Xavier’s) and growth of SFI (by even enrolling school children into its ranks), but growth of democratic institutions? Well if you count illegal migrants, a bottle of local liquor brew, a sari and 20 rupees note before elections as democracy, then absolutely, under his regime rigging of election (as it is actually called) acquired new degree of sophistication.

Bengal once was the most industrialized state in India; every multinational present in India had an office or a factory here. Pandit Nehru once quipped “what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”, by jove! India didn’t think Basu as Prime Minister of India during tumultuous nineties otherwise the nation would have same fate as Bengal had under his regime. Flight of industries began in 1960s as a direct result of Naxalism and militant unionism. But it was under his regime that CITU created a vice like grip over the industries, resulting in stagnation and lastly the flight. In the name of protecting the workers, his fellow comrades made them useless. Calcutta was supposed to be aviation hub of South Asia, but militant unionism killed that very opportunity itself. Jute industry, a green industry, declined under his rule. And those businessmen, who remained, became oligarchs, with virtually no one to challenge and with alleged patronage of the Party.

He was credited with land reforms and rejuvenation of Panchayati raj in Bengal. Holds true, situation in rural Bengal was really pathetic then. Land was redistributed, panchayati raj instituted and the Party gain prominence and that to such extent that any voice of dissent coming out of the fellow villages is met with two ‘b’, butcher or bribery. Offices of Panchayati Institutions doubled up as Party commissariat, and its godowns doubled up as arsenals, with weapons which policemen can only dreamt of. Singur, Lalgarh and Nandigram are the fruits of the seed sown in by left front under the demagogue of Late Jyoti Basu.

Kachan Gupta, a journalist writing in The Pioneer and his blog aptly observes

“Uncharitable as it may sound, but there really is no reason to nurse fond memories of Jyoti Basu. In fact, there are no fond memories to recall of those days when hopelessness permeated the present and the future appeared bleak. Entire generations of educated middle-class Bengalis were forced to seek refuge in other States or migrate to America as Jyoti Basu worked overtime to first destroy West Bengal’s economy, chase out Bengali talent and then hand over a disinherited State to Burrabazar traders and wholesale merchants who overnight became ‘industrialists’ with a passion for asset-stripping and investing their ‘profits’ elsewhere. A State that was earlier referred to as ‘Sheffield of the East’ was rendered by Jyoti Basu into a vast stretch of wasteland; the Oxford English Dictionary would have been poorer by a word had he not made ‘gherao’ into an officially-sanctioned instrument of coercion; ‘load-shedding’ would have never entered into our popular lexicon had he not made it a part of daily life in West Bengal though he ensured Hindustan Park, where he stayed, was spared power cuts. It would have been churlish to grudge him the good life had he not exerted to deny it to others, except of course his son Chandan Basu who was last in the news for cheating on taxes that should have been paid on his imported fancy car.”

When I was a kid, my father told me about Bengal, about trams and metros and about communism, my father is no way communist but in 70s it was a fad and he was attracted towards it. I went to Calcutta more than 20 years ago (it was my first and last visit) and have no memory of the place except the laidbackness of a metropolitan which I witnessed for the first time. In comparison with Delhi in 1989/90/91 (I don’t remember the exact year) Calcutta was overwhelming, yet there was something which I felt, even as kid, was not right. As I grew up more disinterested I got about the state from which I only inherit my culture and mother tongue, but on retrospection kept comparing between the Delhi and Calcutta, between capitalism and communism, in spite of the disinterest I somewhat was unsure. However, when I changed my school to a Bengali school I first came into contact with the Bengalis from the state talking with then I realized how have the Mr. Basu and his cronies have trivialized the state. One day of my friend then boasted me about a super-specialty hospital ‘fully computerized’ that has being built in Calcutta to which my other Bengali friend (another Delhitie) coldly replied “only one, here in Delhi almost every hospital is computerized”, end of debate, but beginning of introspection in my mind. One of my uncle’s friend visited Calcutta two years back and gave his observation to us, “Products there is good, so is creativity and craftsmanship, but attitude is disgusting, every street corner, young men who should be working is talking about dada(Sourav Ganguly) or the Party. People just don’t like to work, if it pays on Sunday I would have opened my shop but here no….Delhi is much better, people at least work hard”. This entire attitude, I believe, is an outgrowth of ideology of gherao. An ideology defended by the man himself.

Somewhere I read, “A statesman thinks about the next generation, whereas a politician thinks about the next election”, Jyoti babu might have never thought about the next election, but his views about the next generation was sure myopic. Today Jyoti babu is no more, like any other communist he has donated his body (a tradition amongst communists showing aversion towards religion but in fact serves no end). Thousands have thronged ~~Calcutta~~ Kolkatta for his shes jatra (last journey) crying, saluting over his body. But sadly enough, no matter how great ~~statesman~~ politician he was he has left a legacy which a people of Bengal should rather forgo and forget.

Reference

1.http://kanchangupta.blogspot.com/2010/01/destroyer-of-west-bengal.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+AgentProvocateur+(Agent+Provocateur)

2. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/basu-presided-over-bengals-industrial-decline/108880-37.html

3. Mint, Delhi Edition, Dated January 18, 2010

4. Mail Today, Delhi Edition, Dated January 18,2010

3. Photo Courtesy, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Jyotibasu.JPG (Covered under GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

Only in India

2010-01-17T23:53:00.004+05:30

I took this picture at Tilyar Lake, Haryana. Well I need not say much about it. It happens only in India.

Here you can also check my other two photos taken at Tilyar Lake

Post of Jan 10

Post of Jan 17