Kisanji's Death

Any death is unfortunate.Similar is Kisanji's although he has been cause of deaths for many.He believed in ideology 'political power comes out of the barrel of the gun'.It precisely boils down to the concept that state power could be captured through violence only.How far this idea is relevant in a country like ours is a different story.But we've seen the poorest of the poor falling victims to such an ideology in Jangalmahal.Many innocent people have been mercilessly killed.People are terrorized at gun point to obey the diktat of his party.Incidentally, the Maoists were losing their support base among people of Jangalmahal primarily because of the promises galore of developments and job opportunities made by the new govt, however, knowing fully well that such promises are difficult to implement for lack of funds.Any way, people believed govt and helped the joint forces with tips about the whereabouts of Kisjenji.However, it's a surmise and might sound too naive..

Another theory envisages that Maoists in Jangalmahal have got disorganized because of internal dissension.Of late, surrender of Maoist leaders lend credence to such an assumption.What's more,the leaders who've surrendered to govt were in contact with police for a long time and might be a source of information for cops.

There's an old saying: one murder makes a villain and thousand a hero.So Kisanji's a hero to many.Association for Protection of Democratic Rights(APDR) has claimed Kisanji has not been killed in encounter.He has been instead first arrested and then murdered.Many people have,however, shared this view.They think circumstantial evidences apparently suggest such probability.So APDR have claimed proper enquiry in this case.Kisanji;s mother,a 86 yr.old cancer patient, has decided to file a suit claiming that her son was murdered in cold blood by police at Calcutta High court.

Now it's true Maoists' movement at Jangalmahal has received a jolt for Kisanj's death.On the other hand joint forces have received a shot in the arm for this hard earned success.

APDR's Contention

APDR's( Association for Protection of Democratic Rights) vehement protest against the present govt's refusal to permit the organisation to hold rally at Metro Channel on the ground that the venue has been preoccupied seems irrational.Nor our revered writer Mahasweta Devi's contention that the present govt is a fascist one does sound very rational.Perhaps in a fit of rage she uttered such a strong word to mean the authoritarian attitude of the present govt.What's more, CM should have also shown more restraint while reacting to such an allegation either.Situation has gone to such a pass probably because APDR consider the story of preoccupation of the venue is cooked to desist them from holding rally at Metro Channel to discuss issues like withdrawal of joint forces from Jangalmahal and unconditional release of prisoners that would embarrass govt as Mamata Banerjee herself made such demands when in opposition.Incidentally,govt offered two other alternate sites for APDR's rally.

However,if APDR's contention that govt has deliberately not allowed to hold meeting at Metro Channel is true, the trend is obviously ominous.In democracy every individual should be allowed to speak his or her mind even if it's not acceptable to govt.In the event it's not done one might have the premonition that an authoritarian rule is staring us in the face.

In Jest Only!

(1)Pass-fail
Son:Dad, they've decided to do away with pass-fail system up to class VIII in schools.
Dad:Yes, son.It makes no sense to keep both the systems.
Son:Why dad?
Dad:See fail means not to pass.So they keep only one system-pass.

(2)Wounds of love
Son:Dad,it's hardly six months since TMC-Cong govt was formed when Cong complains of assault on them by TMC.
Dad:These are only wounds of love for cong, my son.

(3)Joint forces
Son: Dad,whom does Didi refer to when she says 'joint forces' in Jangalmahal?
Dad: Simple! CPI(M) and Maoists combine.

Didi's Performance

Didi's an inexhaustible storehouse of energy.Hers is a dynamic personality both in figurative as well as in literal senses.She's always on the move untiringly traversing length and breath of the state.She's always after bringing about change almost in every walk of life-cultural, social and administrative.Well being of the state seems to be be-all and end -all of her life.In fact she single handedly rules the state.Hers is the last word in every matter.In her govt no minister dares take a decision even in a petty matter without consulting her.Nor do they ever fail to mention her as ' Our leader Mamata Banerjee so desires' in any public utterance .Such an unwavering allegiance to the leader is uniquely rare in any party.So she stands accountable to the successes and failures of her govt.

In such a short span of time since she assumed office as Chief minister it's difficult to pronounce upon the performances of her govt.However,she claims success in many spheres in record time.Unfortunately it's difficult to agree with her on this count.As for instance, in hills though peace is now prevailing but the recent maneuvering of GJM to form GATA in collusion with some leaders of Adibasi Bikas Parisad even after passing of GTA Bill lends. support to speculation that GJM would relaunch their movement for a separate Gorkha land in near future.At present all political parties in hills boycott the upcoming civic polls alleging that democratic atmosphere is not prevailing in hills due to autocratic attitude of GJM.

Next, for situation in Jangalmahal the less said the better.Didi's strategy to bring peace in Jangalmahal by developmental activities is unlikely to yield results.Nor has proved the peace talk with the Maoists through interlocutors a wee bit fruitful..Maoists rather non-nonchalantly take to their killing spree as usual.Now have they more consolidated than ever before taking advantage of Didi's decision to put the activities of Joint forces partially on hold.In fact, Jangalmahal is fuming.

The return of Singur land to the unwilling farmers,Didi's pre-electoral promise, is now locked in litigation.No body knows when the legal battle will end and the unwilling farmers would get back their cherished land.

Didi could not make public the so called 'secret treaty' with Tatas made by LF govt for legal
hurdle.It was also Didi's pre-electoral assurance.

Truely speaking Didi's yet to provide us good governance.In fact, her govt is a prisoner of indecision rather.It takes decisions and later rescinds it itself.For example.for admission to schools it initially did away with lottery system as introduced by the earlier govt as 'it might inculcate a sense of gambling in young minds'.But it's now revised its earlier decision and come back to square one.To remove Dalatantra(political hegemony) from arena of education the the new ordinance from Education Ministry pruning the representation of students, non teaching staff etc from senates and syndicates of universities of the state has triggered debate in academic circle.

Didi likes to change the old order and brings in some thing new.This dynamism is really commendable.But before changing the old system some home work should be done.In fact,justice hurried is justice buried

Didi now more depends on administrative heads like BDOs,SDOs DMs rather than on the elected members of Panchayet for developmental activities in districts.Her move is likely to destablise our Panchayet system.So all political parties including her ally Congress vehemently oppose such activities.

Health services are now in total disarray.Admittedly, they were no better earlier.Crib deaths are recently so rampant parents fear to visit hospitals.But govt each time claims such deaths are nothing but normal.True,hospitals are not always to blame.They can't bear the brunt of patients.Human negligence is also a factor too.So total overhauling of health services are extremely necessary.Didi's encumbered with so many responsibilities that she can hardly do justice to them.So people truly demand a full time Health minister.Would Didi provide one?

I

Taking people for a ride?

Mamata Banerjee's stance on petrol price rise:

Now Didi is put on the spot over petrol price hike.In last twelve months petrol price has increased as many as eleven times, perhaps a record till date.Hike in petrol price boosts up prices of other essential commodities also which are incidentally already too high.As Trinommol Congress is one of the biggest allies of coalition govt at center,it should share the responsibility of fuel price rice.But Didi does not like to do so as it might affect her popularity and CMP would take this opportunity to score a point over her.So she's gone in for vociferously defending her position by vehemently protesting against such rise in petrol price. She's also pleaded that her party was kept in the dark in this matter.She's even threatened to pull out of UPA in protest but refrained from taking such a drastic action because it'd topple the govt.

In fact, last year UPA govt took the decision in its cabinet meeting to decontrol the prices of fuels and left it to market to determine them. Didi was then Railway minister. For some reason or other she skipped the meeting. She, however, didn't later on object to the decision taken by the union cabinet either.So Didi was legally a party to the decision to decontrol the price of petrol.Now how could she claim petrol price has been hiked without taking her in confidence and threaten to part with UPA govt on this count?Isn't it an attempt to take people for a ride?

Scanning Media

The Press Council Chairman's remark about the journalists sound too
harsh and too generalised.Almost all professions are manned by
mediocre people- the talents are always few and far between.All
professions have sincere and honest people and at the same time very
dishonest and insincere guys.So our fourth estate is no exception.
Journalism is in fact a very noble profession and it's a very
challenging and reponsible job too.

Unfortunately journalism has lost much of its sheen over the years.Now
it has become like any other profession.Both print and electronic
media, definitely not all, have ceased to behave responsibly and
honestly.Media should be objective in dessemination of news without
indulging in subjective assessment.In most cases views dominate
news.For print media there is leader page to analyse the story in
their own way.But still the correspondent pronounces his views while
catering the news.Some times the same story is telecast or printed in
different ways in different TV channels or news papers.It confuses the
readers or viewers rather than bring home to them what has exactly
happened.Often stories are tailored to suit the convenience of the
media house.

Sadly,media,particularly the regional ones,are now more or less politically
polarised- a section takes the onus of defending the ruling party,
sometimes brazenly and others indulge in crticising the govt at the
drop of a hat.They hardly take a neutral and dispassionate stance that
they're supposed to do.So press is more often than not accused of
partisan outlook.Press Council Chairman's view that electronic media
should be brought under the ambit of Press Council perhaps deserve
support from all corners.

Once paid news was unheard-of a phrase but now it's so common that
sensible media people are scared of it.Nevertheless there is no
dearth of honest, fearless and dedicated journalists who make no
compromise with truth and never fall short of calling spade a spade.
Hats off to them.