Counterproductive!

People are now sandwiched between price rise of fuels on the one hand and excesses done by the political parties to lodge protest against such hike on the other.CITU called 24hr-transport strike which was virtually 'Banglala bandh' in a few hours' notice against price hike of petrol, diesel and cooking gas that put people to maximum possible hardships. Couldn’t it be called offering people reasonable time so that they were not at least taken by surprise by the suddenness of such Bandh call? Did it dilute the protest that was intentended to make?Reportedy two other bandhs are in the pipe line on the same issue- all India bandh by four Left parties and a Bharat Bandh by trade unions. Isn’t it sheer madness-three consecutive bandhs on the same issue? As the issue is the same a single Bandh could be called on the same day by different organizations jointly. A bandh affects our economy in a big way and put people in extreme difficulties. But who cares for economy and plight of the people either? What actually occurs is Bandh as a democratic weapon of protest is blunted by repeated use or misuse and people get disgusted. It alienates public from the movement against the issue on which the bandh is called. In other words whole efforts by the political parties prove counter productive.

Cabinet Meeting!

(1)Rlyway services!
Son: Dad, train journey is increasingly getting unsafe and uncomfortable as well!
Dad: Wait only a few months and journey will be safer and comfortable again, my boy.
Son: How are you so assured, dad? Will the Maoists stop sabotaging railway services?
Dad: No, my son. Railway minister will be the Chief minister of Bengal.

(2)Ad!
Son: Dad, why has the shoe company chosen Didi for their ad?
Dad: They like to display Didi has been fighting against CPM for long with their same shoes on, but the bottom of the soles still has not a little eroded!

(3)Cabinet meeting!
Son: Didi’s attended only 5 cabinet meetings since she became Rly minister.
Dad: Didi believes in works and not in words, my boy!

Honour-Killing

Though there’s nothing honourable in killing one’s kin to save the so called pride and prestige of one’s family, it’s called honour killing. Misconceived perception of honour and barbaric medieval mindset lead to these murders. Incidences of this ghastly act are mostly prevalent among some ethnic groups in North India and to some extent in Bihar also.Intercaste or intereligious marriages and even intragotra marital relations commonly provoke honour killing. In south India honour killing is significantly rare and what’s most heartening, in Bengal honour killing is an unheard of phenomenon. Imagine, mass agitation that followed Rizwanur Rahman’s post marital unnatural death. High ranking police officials were hauled to court and put behind bars. CBI enquiry was also held to unearth the truth regarding his death. What’s more, CBI probe could not satisfy the court which has ordered enquiry again. Had Rizwanur incident occurred in a Haryana or Rajasthan family in North India, he might have been honour-killed and perhaps nobody bothered about it at all. What’s most shocking, honour killings are on the rise and administration has failed to contain them within the existing legal frame work. Things have gone to such a pass Supreme court has intervened and Parliament is going to enact legislation having more stringent legal provisions to combat the menace.Perpetrators of these heinous and gory incidents in the name of saving their honour deserve to be awarded the severest of punishments law can afford. If the British could ban the Sati in the 19th century in the teeth of stiff opposition by the religious fanatics and people with vested interest, why can’t our government ban the barbaric act of honour killing in the 21st century? What’s needed is strong determination and good will to do away with this most inhuman and uncivilized act in civilized society.

Operation Cleansing!

The new mayor of KMC is the most pitied man. Even before taking oath he fell over board to get down to work so that kolkatans are not marooned in rains. But after assuming office he himself is now marooned- not in water, of course, as rains are yet to show up but in multifaceted scams in the corporation. There ‘re corrupt people every where, not an honest man to come across, except the Mayor himself, though Kabir Suman claims otherwise, definitely with some malafide intention.Perhaps Mayor is now in a fix-will he cleanse the Augean stables first or kick start civic activities in full swing in the interest of the Kolkatans who’re long starved of good work? Choice is really difficult. If he chooses the first option, it might call for more than a full term as a Mayor. That apart, there lies a lurking risk that he might himself be involved in a scam during the Operation cleansing which might be an issue of enquiry to the next Mayor, provided he belongs to the opposition. So it’s better to go in for second option as mounting public expectation of making Kolkata London is too high particularly for those who would have never any means to make it to London. Let their dream come true!

Bizarre Ad!

Land acquisition Policy!
Son: What’s at present the land acquisition policy of Left Front government?
Dad: First acquire people’s mind, then acquire their land! Never mind if it takes a few generations.

(2) Goals galore!
Son: Dad, how did North Korean goal keeper miss the ball as many as seven times?
Dad: It’s other way round, my boy. The ball missed him seven times rather!

(3)Bizarre Ad!
An ad reads: Bus-burning is our forte! We send our fleet of expert burners to the spot on call by any political party. Rate depends on percentage of burn! Hire now, pay later!

Bengalis' Football

Bengalis are by nature very emotional. They can emotionally identify themselves with any thing that’s their favorite. Now is the turn for world Cup foot ball. Bengalis have inherent love for football all along and before cricket was not as popular as now all their hopes and aspirations hovered around football in the arena of sports and games. Then East Bengal and Mohun Bagan football teams were their icons. Normally, people of East Bengal , now Bangladesh, nicknamed as Bangal, were supporters of East Bengal and West Bengal people called Ghatis were fans of Mohun Bagan.However, there were many exceptions too. On the days of matches between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, tension ran high among the fans of the two teams. The hard core supporters of the team that conceded defeat were so emotionally upset that they skipped even their dinners. On the other hand in the opposite camp the fans celebrated victory over their dinners with hilsa fish or prawn depending on which team had won-East Bengal or Mohun Bagan.However, with the passage of time this kind of madness and passionate support for team of their choice among the fans has much waned as has been much thinner between the line of demarcation between Ghatis and Bangals , thanks to growing matrimonial relationship among them. Still Bengali soccer fans are mainly divided between supporters of East Bengal and of Mohun Bagan.

Perhaps, advent of electronic media might be responsible for Bengalis’ decline in their zeal for home football. Electronic media, in fact, brought them the opportunity to enjoy world class soccer. They can now see to what lofty height football has reached compared to the standard of football their home teams play. True, Bengal has produced many great footballers, but India now ranks 133 in world football and has the remotest chance of making it to World Cup. It’s now just a day dream ! So Bengalis, ardent lover of football, can not but go almost frenzied when World Cup is held every four years. They even lay awake whole night to see football matches for days together. Some also take leave from their place of work to enjoy world cup, so obsessed they’re with the best tournament of the globe. Earlier most Bengalis were supporters of Brazil and Pele' was their idol But it was Maradona magic that fans are now chiefly polarized between Brazil and Argentina and Maradona is now as adorable as Pele', if not more to some soccer fans.Bengalis’ passion for football is unbeatable and would remain undiminished for all time to come.

Hog-tied!

The picture of hog tied dead body of a Maoist young girl killed in encounter with the joint forces in Jangalmahal being carried by two Jwans shown in media looked most distressing and inhuman. It looked like a prize kill being boastfully carried and displayed way back from hunting game. In the first place, media should avoid exhibiting such sickly scenario, may it be a stark reality, as it adversely affects any sensitive mind. Secondly, minimum respect should be shown to a dead person, however deadly he/she was when alive.Unfortunately,the dead bodies of the accident victims particularly the unclaimed ones are also carried more or less this ugly way. It’s a common sight dead bodies wrapped with polythene and tied with a bamboo pole are carried in full view of public Here difference between animal body and human body is totally obliterated. Truly, death is a great leveller.

Learning a Lesson!

La Martiniere School Episode:
It’s extremely unfortunate that only 13-year old boy of La Martiniere school, the most prestigious and one of the oldest academic institutions in Kolkata, committed suicide after being caned by the headmaster. It’s argued, quite reasonably, the boy was so traumatized after being caned that he took his own life. The incident occurred 3 days after the caning episode and nothing untoward happened at home in this brief period of time that might lead the boy to commit suicide, claimed the guardian. However, the headmaster admitted to his caning the boy but does not agree that caning is the cause of the boy’s suicide. He’s also promised never to use cane again in future. However, he’s been sued by the boy’s father for abetment of suicide of his son. Case is subjudice, but prima-facie the headmaster is guilty of caning a student, which’s categorically illegal as per supreme court’s verdict prohibiting corporal punishment in academic institutions. It appears caning is a normal practice at this institution as in many other schools, though legally banned. It’s true, the headmaster couldn’t even dream that a student could commit suicide because of caning. But unfortunately it happened. Other academic institutions where meting out physical punishment to students is a regular phenomenon must take lesson from this most shocking episode of La Martiniere School.

How to Show off !

(1}Theft!
A: Why do you keep so many ornaments at home? I see, you’ve kept so much of cash too. Can’t you keep the jewelleries at your bank locker and cash at your bank account?
B: I’ve kept most of my jewelleries at my locker.
A: Why are still so many here?
B: See, if there’s theft at my house, next day reporters will publish , in particular, amount of cash and jewelries stolen in news papers.
A: So what?
B : Why? Won’t the amount of cash and jewelleries stolen from your house reflect your financial status?

(2) Power-cut!
A: I’m really fed up with load-shedding!
B: Just purchase an inverter.
A: Already I’ve purchased one.
B: Then why do you grumble? Your problem is solved!
A: Not at all!
B: Why not?
A: I can’t run my washing machine, micro-oven, air-conditioners, mixer-grinder, geyser, refrigerator, room-heaters in winter, water-pump, vacuum cleaner, electric iron etc. with my inverter at home.

Not Foreboding Well!

Never before guardians were so up in arms against punishment meted out to their wards in school as now. Supreme court has prohibited physical punishment which include caning ,ear or hair pulling, standing up on the bench, kneel-down outside class room etc. Marked rise in incidences of corporal punishments reported from different states triggered the court verdict. Notwithstanding this verdict, however, this age old practice of yielding corporal punishments in the above forms still continue in most of the academic institutions. However, teachers who have to enforce discipline in class have their say too. Some times there’re so unruly students in classes who cannot be tamed simply by counseling or persuasion. They need stricter measures which make them behave properly at least in the larger interest of the students. But it’s no denying the fact some teachers are temperamentally so rude and irritable that they fail to hold patience and take to punishing the errant student physically even at the drop of a hat. Mercifully, they are minority but are unfortunately at the root of such judgment pronounced by the court prohibiting corporal punishment in its minimal form. Now guardians too have become very sensitive on this issue. Ours are nuclear families where children are born and brought up in utmost love and affection. So parents can’t bear with their children being physically punished for their misdeeds, may it be by their teachers. Students too feel hurt even when teachers rebuke them for their benefit. It’s resulted in increasingly deteriorating relation between the teachers and the taught even from school. It doesn’t forebode well for our society.

India and World Cup Football

Son innocently asked his father,’ When will India play World Cup, dad?’.’ In the leap year, my son’, father quipped. The joke might sound crude and cruel, but it’s true. As a football playing country, India’s position is pretty low- it ranks only 133. Now that India will take part in World Cup is nothing but a day dream. It’s true no game is as popular as football and almost whole world love to play this game. But what’s wrong with India, a nation of 120 crore people, that has never played the most prestigious tournament of the world? .If our neighboring nation China could participate in World cup, although it fared badly, why not India? The answer is pretty difficult. Some suggest lack of whole hearted initiatives on the part of sports administration of our country in this regard might be responsible for such a sorry state of football. We focus all our attention on cricket and treat other games including football with step motherly attitude. Perhaps, it’s not true. Football primarily requires a lot of physical strength .Indians genetically lack it compared to those in other countries which play football remarkably well. Not only football, now it lags behind many nations in Hockey too, which also demand a good deal of physical ability. India was once reigning champion in Hockey when fewer countries played the game. But its down slide started when more and more countries with stronger physical ability and fitness joined the fray. Their superior skill out played the Indians. Same thing has happened in athletics too particularly where physical strength matters. So it's doubtful if greater efforts and attention only could raise the standard of Indian soccer to make it qualify for World Cup. Sorry to say, it’ll be a wild goose chase!

Mayoral Drama!

Appetite is good, but too much of appetite is bad . Similarly it’s true to appetite for work. Mayor designate of KMC is so work-hungry and at the same time so concerned about the plight of the residents of the city in forthcoming monsoon he seems to have forgotten that he’s yet to be officially elected as Mayor and started behaving like real Mayor. He yielded Mayoral authority much to the embarrassment of the officials including the municipal commissioner who couldn’t disobey him at least for courtesy’s sake. However, out-going Mayor couldn’t afford to appreciate the move of the Mayor designate as a genuine concern for the city dwellers, particularly when unprecedented sour relation prevails between the ruling party and the opposition, and took it as usurpation of his authority, though rightly from legal point of view, as existing Mayor and reacted adversely. Thus an unwanted drama was enacted much to the amusement of public and unnecessary harassment of civic officials. However, it could have been easily avoided if the Mayor designate could bear with till he took over charge as Mayor. Perhaps, such a bad beginning does not augur well for future functioning of KMC.

Homoeopathic way!

(1)Homeopathic way!
Patient-Doc, I have been under your treatment for long but as yet I’ve got no relief.
Doctor- See, though I’m an allopath, I follow homeopathic way.
Patient-What’s that homeopathic way,doc?
Doctor-I treat the patient and not the disease!

(2)Grills!
A: Why have you not put grills at windows of your flat?
B: I don’t stay here.
A: So what?
B: I rent out this flat to those who like to commit suicide
by jumping out from window sills.

(3)Diabetic Sweets!
Buyer-Have you diabetic sweets?
Salesman-Yes, here all sweets are diabetic.
Buyer- What do you mean?
Salesman-Simple! Here sweets have high sugar content.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Perhaps no words are sufficient to deplore the court verdict on Bhopal Gas tragedy. Sentences of two-year imprisonment and a fine of one lack rupees for each of the seven accused, that too after judicial proceedings of long 25 years, is not only sheer mockery but also grave insults to injuries of the victims. Way back in 1984 leakage of lethal gas from fertilizer factory of Union Carbide, an US based company, took toll of thousands of lives and maimed many more for life. The deadly gas didn’t even spare the babies in mothers’ wombs who were born deformed and diseased. When such was the magnitude of human tragedy, so meager is the punishment meted out to those whose negligence was responsible for this macabre incident. What’s more, the Chairman of Union Carbide fled India to US, now reportedly residing in New York, got off Scot free. Even his name didn’t figure in the legal proceedings. Incidentally, CBI in whom normally many of us repose all faith and believe it can solve however complicated a case may be investigated this Bhopal gas tragedy. It may be pointed out judges pronounce judgments and quantum of punishment based on evidences put forward to them. If the evidences are so framed that they warrant lighter punishment, judges have nothing to do. So it’s CBI to blame for their inability to handle the case properly and judiciously for reasons best known to them as a result of which the victims of one of the greatest industrial disasters was virtually denied justice after quarter of a century. What can be more unfortunate than such a farcical judgment?

Winning Back Voters

That Left’s withdrawal of support from UPA under the leadership of Prakash Karat was the cause of the decline of the Left’s strength as was manifested in their phenomenal electoral reverses in Lok Sabha poll is not true. Many factors including Nandigram and Singur episodes ate into the vitals of the party and made it hollow within, which the leadership failed to realize because of their obsession with overwhelming majority earned in 2006 assembly poll. Withdrawal of support that resulted in formation of TMC-Congress alliance only laid bare this truth. Party is so alienated from masses and people are so determined to see change of power, now it’s almost impossible to check the downslide, whatever efforts are made by Left leadership to win back voters. However, political scenario might change if after coming to power TMC supremo fails to deliver goods as expected. Her style of functioning, mercurial temperament and monolithic nature of the party might assure the Left they’d not have to be left out of power for long.

Mammoth Committee!

While electing prime office bearers like Mayor, Deputy Mayor and others of Kolkata Municipal Corporation(KMC) Didi has shown her political acumen with an eye to assembly poll in 2011, although she’s primarily considered loyalty of the person concerned to her. But what’s interesting, she’s formed a mammoth advisory committee consisting of as many as 95 members , which’s likely to burgeon in future if need be, to offer their valued suggestions to the councilors for smooth and effective running of the corporation. Such a committee ,let alone so big one, is unique in history of KMC. What’s interesting too big a committee has too few a person who have technical knowledge and expertise about services of civic bodies,for example, water supply, sewarage etc. That apart, this committee has no legal standing and and so its advice or suggestion is no binding on the corporation. What’s more, if members on the committee would enjoy any honorarium like those in Didi’s railway committees remains to be seen. In fact, Didi likes to follow railway model every where. So she’s formed a 20-member committee in Bidhannagar civic body too. However, it’s difficult to imagine how a 95-member KMC advisory committee would function in tandem to aid and advise equal number of TMC councilors. Will not too many cooks spoil the broth? However, only consolation is there are not too many ‘cooks’ in proper sense here, the most are by- standers.

Up-rooting Corruption

Retired bureaucrat-turned-politician Debarata Bandyopadhyaya now heading the post poll 20-member advisory committee formed by TMC supremo to aid and advise Bidhannagar civic body seems to have deemed it primarily necessary to unearth scams in the civic body and cleanse administration. However, it’s nothing new as whenever change of power takes place, new administration almost routinely makes such declaration. It’s no doubt a welcome move if seriously embarked upon but it’s easier said than done. So deep rooted is the corruption, it’s very difficult and if not impossible to clean the Augean stables. It’s no wonder while making a drive to uproot corruption, administration itself might be tainted with new corruption. In fact, corruption is a hydra headed monster and we’ve almost accepted it as way of life. It might sound very pessimistic and reek of defeatist attitude but it’s true. Any way, wish you Mr. Bandyopadhyaya all success.

Hung Civic Bodies!

(1)Grammatical!
Son: According to Queen’s English ‘to be in the committee’ is incorrect. But unless you’re in the committee how would you work, dad?
Dad: You’re correct, my son. So most of the committees fail to work.
Son: That is why Didi’s railway committees have failed to work properly, dad. Perhaps the same fate will be of civic committee of Bidhannagar too.
Dad: It’s very likely, my son.

(2)Craze!
Son: There’s a mad craze to oust Left Front from power.Didi’ll soon rule the state.
Will not the Left be back to power again, dad?
Dad: See, Didi is not as irresponsible and discourteous as the Left to cling to power for so long. I’m sure she won’t over stay!


(3)Hung civic bodies!
Son: Dad, there’re so many hung civic bodies, but Didi won’t admit it.
Dad:Didi likes to say in those civic bodies Trinomool Congress means Trinomool+ Congress.

Quitting Railway Ministry!

What may come, majority of people have decided to see Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister of Bengal after 2011 assembly polls. No uncertainty principle, nor the well known adage ‘there’s many a slip between the lip and the cup’ would stand in the way. It’s now as certain as rising of the sun in the east tomorrow.Mamata Banerjee too is as certain as the electorate. Left Front also has left all hope of regaining even a part of their lost ground, let alone stay in power after 2011.So it’s high time Mamata Banerjee could quit railway ministry and devoted whole time to prepare her party to her heart’s content for assembly poll. It might sound a discordant note that she failed to do justice to railways which call for much more attention than she could afford to offer because of her organizational activities in Bengal to groom her party to perform impressively in Civic polls. It’s earned her bad name too. Hers is a monolithic party that needs her whole time attention and it’s too a very responsible job. Two such responsible jobs can’t be done simultaneously by a single individual doing equal justice to each job. So she has to chose between the two. It’s no denying the fact she used railway ministry in populist way to woo voters and admittedly she achieved success to some extent though unfortunately at the cost of railways. Now she has the golden opportunity to impress electorate by rendering desired services to people through so many civic bodies she’s won. If she hands over railway ministry to someone else and no harm that ‘someone’ might belong to her party, she would do justice to Indian Railways and to her as well.

Matter of Time Only!

Congratulations to TMC supremo on her party’s spectacular success in civic polls! The ‘wind of change’ that started blowing since last Panchayet elections and routed phenomenally the ruling party in Lok Sabha elections has kept blowing in civic polls too unabated. Unless some miracle happens, voters’ psyche’ is unlikely to change and the ‘wind’ will continue to blow undiminished till 2011 Assembly polls. People are determined to bid farewell to Left Front which has been in power for 33 yrs. Admittedly,long stay in power does not augur well for democracy as it corrupts the party in power. Left front is no exception. What’s now apprehended TMC might insist on earlier assembly elections based on the Left Front’s abject electoral reverses in civic polls though argumentatively only 20% of total electorate participating in municipal polls can’t decide the mandate of the total electorate. That apart, constitutionally assembly election can’t be advanced unless State govt so desires. Imposition of Prez rule is also now fraught with legal complexities. So without making unnecessary fuss, it’s prudent for TMC to wait till assembly polls are held in due time. Now it’s matter of time only for them to be in state power.

Unfortunate!

Bapi Dhar's Death
Such is deep rooted her hatred against CPM, TMC supremo can’t believe a CPM worker can be a normal human being endowed with good qualities. To her all CPM men are no less than a perfect rogue or an antisocial element. It’s so generalized a fact, it warrants no verification or proof either. So when Bapi Dhar, a CPM worker, shot unprovoked by a cop at polling booth, was battling for life at hospital, she too shot her tongue freely against Bapi calling her a ‘notorious criminal’ who had been rightly served by the cop. She also didn’t dither to add had not the cop shot him, the cop himself would have been killed. Normally, in humanity’s or at least in courtesy’s sake one refrains from making such serious allegation and that too without verification against a man in death bed.TMC Chief had denied that little bit of mercy to the unfortunate fellow who later succumbed to bullet injuries at the hospital. What’s interesting, people cutting across party lines including TMC workers were all praise for Bapi Dhar for his philanthropic temperament rarely found today. They all roared in protest against such inhuman behaviour from one who’s expected to rule the state in days to come. Isn’t it unfortunate?