Solace in Statistics

Train accident at Sainthia:
Mamata Banerjee might find solace in the statistics of railway accidents and causalities there from as furnished in media. She’s in the 5th position even nudging forward her sworn enemy Lalu with more casualties and accidents to his credit. She’s also behind her other adversaries too who’re now highly critical of her performance as railway minister. She’s lucky enough that a section of media has fallen overboard like her coalition partner Congress at State and Central levels to ward off the salvoes now being fired at her. But whoever comes to her rescue under no circumstances Mamata Banerjee as a railway minister can disown the responsibility of the tragedy and try to pass the buck to others as is her wont.It would have been better if she did offer to resign as a railway minister in view of two major accidents in short span of time at least for courtesy’s sake, which would certainly Monmohan Singh refuse to accept. Perhaps Miss Banerjee couldn’t believe the Prime minister that far!

Vananchal Express Tragedy!

Train Accident:Perhaps never before in the history of Indian Railways accidents took place in such quick successions that has made passengers immensely panicky of train journeys. Perhaps never before a railway minister tends to find scapegoat each time after such mishap, let alone try to go to the root of the problem. Nor ever we find a railway minister who tries hard to win friends and influence people by introducing one train after another without caring if the existing infrastructure could bear the burnt of the extra load.. Have we ever found a railway minister who simply wishes away a major railway tragedy by hinting at conspiracy hatched by the ruling party simply to get political mileage knowing fully well who might have engineered the mishap? “No noble thing can’t be achieved by humbug’’, once said Vivekananda. So by gimmick and sham surprises people can’t be duped for long. In fact, we wish a Railway minister should ever offer to resign at least for courtesy’s sake after two major railway accidents which took toll of a large number of precious lives with in two months. Let us condole the deaths of those who boarded the ill-fated train and pray may their souls rest in peace.

Child rights and NCPCR

‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ is our age old practice. So it would take time to abandon this habit and adopt new ways of taming the erring or unruly students in classes. Corporal punishment has been illegal, nevertheless even now incidences of such punishments are reported. However, ordinary cases of physical punishment are still now generally ignored even by students and guardians as well, but they react vehemently when it goes to the extreme. That teachers are entitled to mete out corporal punishment to errant students are infact ingrained in students’ and guardians’ psyche, so they normally don’t protest if it’s not too harsh even in elite schools. However, recent case of suicide of a student in La Martiniere For Boys school has changed the scenario and made students, guardians and school authorities more sensitive to corporal punishment. Principal of La Martiniere has promised not to wield the rod ever again and school too has cautioned the teachers against any physical punishment.However,National Council For Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) has demanded removal of the Principal and withholding of two increments of three teachers.

Intervention of NCPCR is praiseworthy in elite institution like La Martiniere,but does it equally take interest in ordinary institutions where Child rights are violated? What action do they take against an establishment that employs children as labourers, which is a cognizable offence under law. What step does it take when a boy in a tea shop or restaurant is abused and beaten at the drop of a hat by the shop owner? Does it think about a boy who is used as bonded labourer all day long and paid a pittance at the end of the day by the employer? Definitely answer would not be that encouraging as in case of La Martiniere or the like.

To Director, AIIMS

To Director,
AIIMS.
Subj: Morning walker

Dear sir,

Perhaps you’re aware a gadget called Morning Walker has been selling in the market for a long time. It’s claimed to be a health gadget which is capable of curing host of diseases and to this effects ads are also slapped in leading dailies and magazines in a big way. What you need to do is to rest your legs on its vibrator in lying posture and this vibration will act as cure-all. You’ve not to take the hassles of doing morning walk unnecessarily, sponsors or manufacturers of the of the gadget so claim. What’s perhaps most shocking and surprising too, they also claim good effect of the machine has been satisfactorily tried on as many as 4000 patients by AIIMS. Do you endorse their claim? If not, why don’t you please communicate your views to people through media and disown what they claim as the matter involves public health? The gadget is supposed to do more harm than good. Incidentally, the machine cost as much as Rs.7000.0

The matter is brought to your notice in public interest. Please do the needful. Thank you.
Yours trully,
Dr.Ujjal.K.Pal.
Kolkata

Reply to above letter:

Indian Medical Association-Hqs

Dr. Ujjal K Pal




Dear Dr. Pal,





We acknowledge having receipt of your email dt. 16th June, 2010. We wish to inform you in propriety that Indian Medical Association (Headquarters) has not endorsed any of the products of M/s. Spaceage Healthcare including Morning Walker. Any such alleged false claim has always been disputed by IMA HQs by way of sending legal notices. The recent publication which has been sent by you was not within our knowledge. But since you have pointed out the same, a notice has alredy been sent to M/s. Spaceage Health Care to restrain them from claiming any alleged endorsement by IMA HQs or any of its state branches. In any case, none of the state branches are authorized or entitled to endorse without following the procedure and informing the National Body which itself also ensures the procedure to be followed so that no incorrect statement is to be made to mislead the public at large.



This is for your information & record.



With kind regards,



Yours sincerely,





(Dr. Dharam Prakash)
Hony. Secretary General

No bright days ahead!

If no miracle happens, it’s more or less certain Left front would bow out in 2011 and there’s nothing to lament over it. Left front has been in power for long 34 years. So enough is enough. It’s high time it could call it a day and sit in the opposition bench. In fact, it should have happened much much earlier were there an eligible opposition as in Kerala.But now the question is if we’ve really found that ‘eligible’ opposition in Trinomool or in Trinomool and congress combine. Or, would we invite them to replace the Left as because we feel bored with the latter or long stay in power has made them as corrupt, arrogant and self complacent as possible? Do we feel the ‘new party’ in power would be honest, modest and dynamic? Have we till date seen such signs and symptoms in their activities and behaviour? On the contrary, we have seen almost all the vices of the ruling party in the opposition. In addition what we’ve got as ‘bonus’ is the display of spirit of non-cooperation by the chief opposition party in every respect. At present there is no governance, nor has the ruling party any command on administration, particularly on police administration. So in many places free-for-all state prevails. Such a state will continue till assembly polls but no body can ensure law and order will be restored after that. Situation might deteriorate further there after. Who knows what stance the new administration will take on Naxals?If the present view is adhered to we might see the re-run of early seventies. Any way, rest assured we’ve no bright days ahead!

Medical insurance

Cashless Policy: Medical treatment has become so costly it’s gone beyond the reach of the middle class to be treated even in a very common private hospital, let alone those which are reputed ones. However, medical insurance has made it possible to have a treatment even in reputed hospitals particularly for its ‘cashless policy’ system. In absence of this cashless policy , you need to cough up the entire expenditure of the treatment and wait long for reimbursement of the bill you’ve paid by the insurance company. In that case you would obviously be compelled to opt for your treatment in a cheaper hospital that might not be able to provide you adequate medical facilities that you require to save money. But what’s very unfortunate, most of the big private hospitals unscrupulously charge a patient exorbitantly high amount in case of ‘cashless policy’. Normally, patients with insurance policy have to pay always much more than those who have no such facility and it has been a rule rather than an exception. Insurance companies now contend that they have to incur heavy loss on this count and already decided to do away with this ‘cashless policy’ in big hospitals in four metros much to the inconveniences of insured persons concerned. In case of medical emergency it’s difficult to procure money at a short notice and so patients would henceforth immensely suffer despite being insured. In fact, it’s an unholy nexus between hospitals and third party administrators(TPA) which is responsible for the present predicament for medically insured persons. Under these circumstances govt should come forward and intervene to ensure justice to the sufferers.

New Pay scale at Pvt Tech Colleges

Implementation of New UGC Pay Scale at Pvt Tech Colleges:
It’s the duty of AICTE to see to if private technical colleges have proper infrastructure and duly qualified faculties. But if it’s properly and regularly done with all earnestness and sincerity far better technical education students could have had from these colleges. In reality, many such colleges lack proper infrastructure, particularly they want in duly qualified faculties. True, in engineering few students join teaching job after pass out but enquire how many of these colleges give their teachers proper salaries? In most of the colleges teachers are under paid despite being duly qualified. New pay scale(6th pay commission) for teachers has been announced in last October, but not a single college has implemented it as yet and no body knows when that auspicious day will come when they will get their salaries in new payscale.But all the general degree colleges(govt ,private and sponsored) have been enjoying new UGC scales long since. Then how could you expect the private technical colleges would get duly qualified teachers or students after passing B.Tech would opt for doing M.Tech to join teaching job? Unless a college has properly qualified faculties, it can’t afford to impart standard education to students. Unfortunately, the technical colleges are in fact money making institutions rather than academic institutions in the real sense of the term. What’s all the more unfortunate, many technical colleges intentionally take B.Techs to pay lower salary and make greater profit.

Discourteous

Only a few days back Urban development minister Asoke Bhattacharyya and KMC Mayor Sovandev Chatterjee were seen discussing developmental work of Kolkata, seated together. It was really a very rare spectacle one normally comes across in our state where leaders belonging to chief opposition even hate to see the faces of those in government. Perhaps, it didn’t spring surprise to many when a MOU was signed between KMC, KoPT and RITES over riverbank facelift project in Kolkata in absence of any one belonging to state govt. In fact, no minister, nor any officer of the local govt was at all invited on this occasion, though the Central Minister Pranab Mukherjee who’s supposed to be a gentle man having regard for democratic norms apart from being personally stickler of courtesy in general was present there in his official capacity. How is a project that concerns a state taken up without taking the concerned state in confidence? Even if it’s legally permissible, it’s not ethically admissible. How is all decency and decorum so easily gone to the winds? What lessons would our youth take from such incidents? What message do our politicians convey to their electorate by such blatant display of discoutesy?Definitely, our forthcoming days won’t bring us any good tiding.

Working Together

It’s nice to see Asoke Bhattacherjayaya, the urban development minister and KMC Mayor Sovandev Chatterjee in the same frame. They sat together and made discussion about the developmental work of Kolkata . Mayor told the press such working together was necessary in the interest of Kolkata, the Capital of West Bengal. He’s also pointed out they depend on each other, so they should work in unison, although they belong to two different parties with different ideologies. In fact it’s what it should be. Unfortunately, such an incident is an exception rather than a rule in our state. Here ruling party and opposition are not even on speaking terms, let alone they work together. But it’s not the culture of our state. Here, all along ruling and opposition worked together, as is done in other states, at least in case of developmental activities. It’s only a few years since such an antagonistic attitude between govt and opposition in every sphere of work developed. Truly speaking, this attitude is more prominent with the opposition than with the ruling party. So unless this mindset is changed our state will continue to suffer as now in future too.

To Editor,TOI

A blatant flattery!
Of late, the way you hype Mamata Banerjee is very ridiculous and it’s reached the stage of blatant flattery. What’s true, you eulogize or criticize her she would be the Chief minister of Bengal after 2011 assembly polls.People’ve already determined to see her in power. You’ll rather do her good if you find her shortcomings and point out her weaknesses so that she can make amends and be a genuinely good administrator to deliver goods to the state. Don’t blow her minor work out of proportion to satisfy her. Our state has suffered a lot and it can’t afford to suffer more. Please try to guide her by constructive criticism of her work in the interest of the state.

Bandh!

(1) Teaching a lesson:
Teacher: Who said ‘What’s in a name’?
Student: Shakespeare, sir.
Teacher: Who contradicted it?
Student: Didi, sir.
Teacher: What did she say?
Student: What’s not in a name?

(2)Law of Nature!
Son: Didi accuses joint forces are helping CPM in the name
of flushing out Maoists in Jangal Mahal.
Dad: How?
Son: Joint forces are, in fact, evacuating the villagers and CPM are
occupying their place.
Dad: It’s quite natural, my boy.
Son: Why dad?
Dad: Because Nature never tolerates vacuum.

(3)Bandh!
Son: Political parties have called bandh to protest against price-hike
of fuels.
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: Dad, do you think it’ll help check the price-hike?
Dad: Definitely not, my son.
Son: Then what’s the utility of such bandhs?
Dad: It would at least save fuel for a day, my boy.

Harsh and Ugly!

Diego’s Men Booted Out Of World Cup By Clinical Germans- such goes the headline of a leading English Daily of today to indicate the miserable defeat conceded by Argentina to German yesterday. Though to boot out normally means to throw out but in the present context it sounds harsh and looks ugly. In fact, use of such a phrase smacks of poor taste particularly for a daily which boasts the largest circulation at home and abroad . Isn’t it very unfortunate?

To Keep a Clean image

Didi’s trying hard to keep a clean image of her party . She’s reeled off do’s and don’ts to her followers. She’s asked them to behave properly with people and do their duties in panchayet and civic bodies honestly and sincerely with an eye to serve the interest of public. She’s asked them to give an account of their works which she will herself see to. She’s expressed unhappiness over the functioning of some panchayet samities and asked the office bearers to be more careful and sincere. But normally all such good advice fall on the deaf ears of the workers almost in all political parties. They continue to go their own way as usual. Particularly, they can’t afford to be honest and transparent in monetary affairs. Only a few months back Kabir Suman MP of TMC let the cat out of the bag by accusing a TMC leader, even by name, of lack of honesty in financial matters. Only a few days ago Didi’d to warn her very trusted and close associate, an honourable member of Rly committee too, against raising subscription in her name. If such is the morality of top leaders of the party, how can one expect honesty and integrity from its caders?Only relieving feature is the cadres are not that fortunate as leaders in respect of handling money matters and so they might afford to be more honest than their mentors. Another annoying feature is Didi’s a monolithic party where she’s the queen of all she surveys. So how can she monitor herself alone what’s going wrong with her party and bring the wrong doers to book particularly when she’ll come to power? Another disturbing trend is many opportunist elements have already switched over their allegiance to her party sensing there might be change of power at state. So it would be almost an Herculean task for Didi to keep her party even minimally clean in days to come.

Fare-hike Drama!

Rise in prices of fuels is a routine phenomenon. Similarly routine affairs are the protests lodged by the political parties demanding refrain from such price hikes. However, their demand is more often than not obeyed more in defiance than in compliance. This time, of course, the hike is pretty high and it would help raise the prices of essential commodities which are already too high. So protest is more intense than on earlier occasions as is evident in row of bandhs called by political parties. But what appears more or less certain is the center is unlikely to budge from its decision an inch as the position of Monmohan Singh govt is now quite stable. So now the transport operators would demand fare-hike and the transport minister as usual initially out right reject their demand. Then will start a tag-of-war between the operators and the minister over the issue. Owners of the pubic transport would threaten to withdraw their vehicles from roads. If notwithstanding the threat the minister sticks to his stand, transport strike might take place. But happily it won’t continue for long. Only after a day or two the strike will end as the minister would agree to raise the fare, may not it be to the extent the operators have demanded. It’s a very common scenario in our state, may be in other states also. In the present context here’s an humble suggestion. Just prepare a ready reckoner indicating rational rate of hike in transport fare with fuel price-rise in consultation with the operators to avoid enacting the same drama on every occasion of fuel price-hike.

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?

Damage Control!

Normally Maoists own the responsibility of their action by making declarations through media. But in the case of Jnaneswari express tragedy they keep silent and a section of PCPA, which’s also a Maoists’ out-fit, rather claimed it was done by CPM to confuse people,particularly before civic polls. A section of people was really confused initially, but media reports have dispelled that confusion. Magnitude of tragedy has compelled Maoists not to admit to what they’ve done as they would lose the support and sympathy they’re now enjoying, though unfortunately, from a section of people. It’s no matter if Maoists confess to the present inhuman act that has surpassed their all previous records of brutality, this dastardly act has sufficiently eroded their support base and no damage control device they’re reportedly trying to embark upon would help them in any way.

Shame!

What followed the Jnaneswari Express derailment that cost nearly 150 innocent lives and left many more injured is utterly shocking. While primary investigation points to the fact that the ghastly incident might have been engineered by Maoists, a section of so called intellectuals went over board to accuse CPM, of course without mentioning the name, of having perpetrated such heinous crime to malign railway minister and reap benefit in Civic polls in a Press meet convened by them. Their logic was CPM could be the only beneficiary of such a gruesome tragedy. Incidentally, many of the proponents of such a theory are drawing hand some honorarium by virtue of their being on different committees of the railways because of their proximity with railway minister. Perhaps, never before any member of the civil society overtly stooped so low for personal gain or went to such an extent of slapping so serious and wild an allegation on a particular political party to show allegiance to party of his choice. To call them intellectual is doing sheer injustice to the very word ‘intellectual’. Nor can they be termed Member of the Civil Society for their uncivilized behaviour.Let us leave it to people to determine which category they belong to.

Jnaneswari Express Tragedy!

Luck ultimately betrayed us. After a series of minor accidents a major railway accident took place at early hours today . Bombay bound Jnaneswari Express was derailed near Jhargram resulting in high casualties.Loss of lives might exceed hundred and number of wounded people would be many more. It’s suspected to a sabotage done by the Maoists, though the railway minister has never named Maoists as its perpetrator. She rather thinks it as a conspiracy to discredit her as a railway minister and has demanded CBI enquiry to unearth truth, though CID has already started investigation. One of her close associates has even gone to the extent of saying that the sabotage has been done to keep her otherwise busy before Civic polls which are only a few hours away. Her adversaries too are not in a mood to spare her for this tragic incident before elections. They also indulge in scathingly criticizing her for affording much less time and attention than required to her job as a railway minister. Some saner political personalities, however, have appealed to all to keep this human tragedy over petty politics. Common people too cutting across any political belief are averse to cashing in on such a gruesome incident, which they think is more tragic than tragedy it self. Pray, let good sense prevail at this critical juncture.

Statue of Liberty!

(1) Hard reality!
Commit not suicide at public places. People won’t mourn your tragic end. They’d curse you for dislocation of their work schedule.

(2)Correcting Dementia!
Patient-Doc, am I suffering from dementia?
Doctor-Yes, I know it.
Patient-How, doc?
Doctor-That day you forgot to pay my fees!
Patient-Can’t it be corrected?
Doctor-Yes, of course!
Patient-How, Doc?
Doctor-Simply by paying double fees today!

(3)Statue!
Son-One’s statue is made after one’s death.
Dad-Normally, my son.
Son-There’s statue of Liberty in USA.
Dad-Yes, my son.
Son-Is there no liberty in USA, dad?
Dad-I don’t know, my son!

Sublime Education!

(1)Sublime education!
Principal- At our institute we offer Sublime Education.
Guardian-Sir, what’s this Sublime Education all about?
Principal- Here students take admission and then sit for
examination.
Guardian-But what about teaching?
Principal- It’ optional! Students generally opt for ‘no class’. So this intermediate stage is virtually absent. Hence this education system is called Sublime Education.

(2)Tea!
Client-Why have you served almost cold tea?
Boy- It’s Darjeeling tea, sir. It gets cold as soon as it’s
prepared!

(3)Govt Service!
Good-He was in service.
Bad-He’d to retire in due time.
Ugly- He couldn’t differentiate between service life
and retired life.

Allegation!

Allegation!
(1)Allegation!
Son: Dad, in her poll campaign Didi’s alleged CPM’s hatching a plot to trigger communal riot.

Dad: It’s useless to make fuss over such statement, my boy.

Son: Why, dad? It’s a serious allegation!

Dad: If you believe it then you should also believe Kolkata will be made London and North Bengal Switzerland if Didi comes to power.

(2)Water tax!
Son: Dad, Didi’s promised she won’t levy water tax if she wins KMC poll. But how is it
possible? Levying water tax is Center’s directive!
Dad: She knows 2011 assembly election is the waterloo of the Left front. Then it will be
‘water easy’ to wave water tax.

(3) TV screen!
Do you like to show your face on TV screen? Then have a spat with a bus conductor. Luck favouring, you will be manhandled and soon find your self in a TV studio narrating your woes to the viewers.

Vacuum Cleaner!

(1)Riz’s Marriage!
They say marriage is made in heaven. But, perhaps, Rizwan’s marriage was made in hell. So he’d to wallow in hellfire right after marriage till death rescued him!

(2)Court!
Son: Dad, High court has ordered to reinvestigate Riz’s death as a case of murder.
Dad: I think he committed suicide, my boy!
Son : How are you so sure, dad, while court thinks otherwise?
Dad: As he moved alone though he’d apprehension he could be murdered!

(3)Vacuum cleaner!
A: Floor is shinning like a mirror! How do you keep it so spotlessly clean?
B: I use vacuum cleaner.
A :I too, but mine is not so clean!
A: For better result I use broom too!

To Editor, TOI

Plain Living!
Dear Sir,
Thank you for highlighting Mamata Banerjee’s plain way of living as is evident in her not using expensive and pompous railway saloon which she’s entitled to as a railway minister unlike her predecessors who regularly used it and some times some of them even ‘misused’ it. It’s a glaring example of plain living and high thinking of a mass leader of her stature whose mainstay is Ma, Mati and Manush.I speak of her high thinking as she now thinks nothing less than Chief minister’s Chair in 2011 assembly election. But what you’ve skipped to mention in your effusiveness to show her frugal living despite being a cabinet minister is she seldom stirs out of Kolkata which is her ‘homeland’ even during parliament in session or railway men on strike at Bombay just to save govt money that will be spent for her journey.
Thank You.

Derailed Services

Not a day was left when Mamata Banerjee did not introduce a new train. Now not a day passes without any untoward incident happening in Railways. It ranges from derailment to stampede death due to delayed announcement at platform.Complaints about dearth of water, quality of food served, dacoities due to absence of security staff in railway compartments and host of other grievances are now a days too common. In fact, at present passengers are denied the basic amenities they earlier enjoyed ,let alone get better services than before as promised by Railway minister. Every thing seem to be in a mess!

No noble deed can be done by humbug, said Swami Vivekananda. It’s true to the letters in case of Indian Railways at present. New trains were introduced but no care was taken if the infrastructure was adequate enough to bear the brunt of added services. Things were done in a hurry to please people and win votes particularly in case of West Bengal where the spic-and-span metro services are also in disarray. Railway tracks too are not properly maintained particularly at places where new services have been introduced. It’s our good luck that major accident has not yet taken place. Pray, luck be with us in days to come!

To Editor,ToI

Marichjhapi Incident!
Dear Sir,
Thank you for exhuming Marichjhapi episode which was no doubt an inhuman and ghastly incident that took place long way back. I can’t but appreciate your perfect sense of timing to bring the issue back to life. In the political scenario when Civic polls are only a few days away and Congress and Trinomool are engaged in blame game over seat-sharing fiasco that might concede political advantage to the Left in polls, your heart, all on a sudden, starts bleeding for those ill-fated victims at Marichjhapi and you revisit the episode to rekindle the memory of those who’ve forgotten the incident and enlighten those, particularly the younger generation, most of whom happen to have no knowledge about it. I do believe you’ve no intention to show a particular party, which some detractors say is not in your good book for reasons best known to you, deliberately in poor light just before elections to give electoral advantage to other parties in the fray .Perhaps, you’ve resurrected the Marichjhapi incident now in the memory of those who suffered inhumanly and exemplify what honest and unbiased journalism is!

Sandwiched!

What is most unfortunate, a section of people are denied the barest necessities of life and have to even feed on ants’ eggs even after 63 yrs of independence. When they’ve started revolt against this injustice and abject deprivation being meted out to them, administration has awakened to reality and made knee jerk efforts to make amends. The saddest part of the story is that their movement against age long exploitation has been hijacked by some formidable force whose main aim is to wrench state power at gun point in the guise of saviours of the downtrodden and the hapless sufferers continue to suffer more sandwiched between their deliverers-administration on the one hand and self style crusaders on the other.

Underdevelopment

Naxal Movement!
Underdevelopment is the root cause of Naxal movement. So it should be first addressed to tackle this movement. Such statement has been cliché, though none would contest it. Sonia Gandhi too has vented such opinion though P.Chidambaram looks upon it as primarily a law and order problem particularly after the Dantewada carnage by the Maoists. But what’s to be noted, it’s easier said than done. How would you perform developmental work in utterly disturbed arrears? The govt officials or NGOs who’d carry out some pro-people activities in underdeveloped Maoist dominated region dare not venture into such areas for fear of life. Nor, can they do their job peacefully even if they start a project for utter lawlessness prevailing there. So before embarking upon developmental activities, law and order must be restored to bring in a congenial ambience to do work in the locality. True, if the plight of the people, many of whom even live in sub-human condition, could have received attention of the administration in due time and their condition be improved, the Maoists might not have made dent there. But it’s no time for blame game. Effective measures should be taken to bail out of the present predicament.

Normal Posture!

(1) Early Poll!
Son: Dad, why does Didi speak of early assembly polls if Left’s defeated in civic polls?
Dad: You know, my son, outwardly Didi hates CPM more than any body else
but at heart she’s the party’s well wisher. So Didi scares CPM with ‘early assembly polls’ so that it can work hard and fare well in civic polls.Didi, infact, does not care a fig for petty civic polls!

(2)T20 world Cup!
Son: Why has India fared so badly in T20 world Cup?
Dad: Perhaps it’s due to the hang-over of IPL that just preceded T20 world Cup.IPL’s much more an amusement than cricket. Our players were far more in entertaining mood than in playing form.

(3)Normal Posture!
Son: Dad, they say consecutive successes turned Dhoni’s head!
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: Now successive failures would turn Dhoni’s head opposite way.
Dad: Yes my, son.
Son: Now Dhoni’s head is at normal posture.
Dad: I don’t know, my son.

Ignoring Reality

In her inaugural campaign for civic polls at Shyambazar yesterday(May 12) perhaps Didi was so swayed away by emotion that she promised to hold assembly election with in three months after the results of civic polls are out. She’s confident of thumping victory in municipal elections. Her confidence is well appreciated but giving bluff to people of early poll is equally depreciated. She’s well aware under normal circumstances assembly poll can’t be legally and constitutionally advanced even if her Central Govt so desires.Gullible voters might believe her but the knowledgeable public would see through her bluff. On Singur issue too she has promised when she‘ll come to power she’d return 400 acres of land from Tata’s abandoned project site to the poor land losers who refused to take compensation from state govt at her behest. But she fully knows it can’t be done under the existing law of the land. Isn’t it very unfortunate for a politician like her who boasts honesty, integrity and transparency in her politics and policies unlike the Left whose arrogance and rampant corruption are mainstay?

Civic Polls

(1)Tagore!
Son: Dad, on 150th Tagore anniversary day why did all parties rope in the poet in their civic poll campaign?
Dad: Only to give a poetic touch to their prosaic job, my son!

(2) Compromise!
Son: Dad, why have Congress and Trinomool decided not to attack verbally one another in civic poll campaign?
Dad: It’s called ‘Verbal Alliance’, my son. They will run out of invectives against CPM if they use them among themselves!

(3)Status!
Son: Dad, Pranab Mukherjee’s come here to campaign for Congress in civic elections.
Dad:It's a prestige issue,my son.
Son:Why dad?
Dad:If Trinomool has a cabinet minister to campaign for it, then can Congress stay behind?

(4)Closer!
Son: Dad, do you think Congress and Trinomool would form Jote at assembly poll?
Dad: Very likely, my son. It’s really difficult to bear with pang of separation too long!

MPs' Salary-hike

The proposed five fold increase in pay and that too at one go for MPs is really fascinating.At present what they’re enjoying as perks and allowances along with their normal pay (Rs.16,000.0/month) is no mean amount. In parliament, barring a few members who actively participate in day's proceedings , the rest sit idly and some are even literally caught napping. However, they serve a very useful purpose when voting takes on an issue in the House. In fact, they help the govt in crisis by their numerical strength. These honorable members believe in poet Milnton’s philosophy ‘They also serve who stand and wait’. However, it doesn’t mean MPs’ salary should not be hiked in these days of skyrocketing prices. But it should be raised rationally and not notionally!

Changing face of Cricket

Fortune favours the cricketers to make fortune overnight. Fortune turns their heads too so that they can’t turn bat and ball properly. Now India has almost called it a day in World Cup T20.However, India’s proud of its rare distinction of winning the first World Cup T20. Like Heisenberg’s Uncertainty principle, in cricket Glorious Uncertainty principle very much prevails .So here win or loss is equally glorious as ‘uncertainty’ makes a team winner and loser. Any way, cricket has undergone a sea-change with time. Once it was a 5-day game, then it reduced to one dayer and subsequently a few-hour match. Like instant coffee or tea, there might be instant cricket in days to come. What’s interesting all these forms co-exist and are almost equally popular. Of course, as our life has been very busy day by day 5-dayer Test or Classical cricket is not as popular as before like classical songs and music. They have a class of viewers or audiences of their own. In terms of overs, semi-instant cricket are in two formats- 50-50 and 20-20. Instant crickets to come must be of still lesser overs. Much controversial Lalit Modi introduced 20-20 cricket in a new package called IPL.Interestingly,along with IPL has come slave trade, though in a bit new form, that earlier was almost extinct in our society . Here, the cricketers are sold directly in auction and the highest bidder can buy the cricketer of his or her choice. However, the bidding money is given to the purchased cricketers. Thus Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla along with other share holders are jointly owners of all the cricketers purchased in auction for Kolkata Knight Riders. Thanks to Modi he’s made the cricketers simple commodities and Cricket more an entertainment than a game! Changes are taking place in the world of cricket so fast, it’s really difficult to keep track and equally tough is to make count of money flowing.

Burglary

(1)Suicide note!
A man committed suicide and left behind a note that reads: I hold no body
responsible for my death.However,I could die earlier if I did not marry so
late.

(2)Aim in life!
Teacher: What’s the aim in your life?
Student: To be an engineer!
Teacher: Explain why you like to be an engineer.
Student: As number of seats in medical stream is too low!

(3) Burglary!
Reporter: Salt Lake is now Burglars’ paradise! What are you doing?
Cop: We are keeping constant vigil.
Reporter: But burglaries are on the rise!
Cop: They work their work, we ours!

Dress Code

There is a popular saying ‘Eat according to your own choice, but dress according to other’s choice’(aap ruchi khana, par ruchi parna).But High Court has disapproved of this dictum. Some lady teachers of a Girls’ High school at Singur hauled the School management to court for imposition of dress code for teachers. High court has given verdict that teachers are entitled to wear dress of their own choice. This judgment is a good dressing down to the enthusiasts of dress code. Some over zealous people have been unnecessarily making row over dress code for long. Happily, the court verdict has put an end to this dispute. However, it does not necessarily mean dress code is bad and should be done away with in all spheres. In some services dress code is a must as it has necessity and utility. Again, liberty to wear dress of one’s won choice does not mean to put on something which looks indecent. But who’ll judge what’s decent or indecent? It’s another question which can trigger a never-ending debate!

Split!

(1)Split!
Son: Dad, Subrata Mukherjee has claimed CPM has engineered split in Trinomool-Congress unity.
Dad: Don’t pay heed to him, my son.
Son: Why, dad?
Dad: He himself is a split personality! He’s now vice-president of TMC as well as president of INTUC, West Bengal unit.

(2)Unparliamentary!
Son: Dad, speaker’s reprimanded TMC Chief whip Sudip Banerjee in Parliament for using abusive language against CPM MP Basudev Achariya.
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: Sudip refuses to admit he used any unparliamentary word.
Dad: Sudip’s correct, my son!
Son: Why?
Dad: CPM and Trinomool are now at war. There’s nothing unfair in war, my son!

(3)SEZ!
Son: In last T20 world cup India could not even enter SEZ.
Dad: In India SEZ is a controversial issue. How is it related with cricket,
my son?
Son: Dad, it’s not Special Economic Zone as you refer to. In cricket it’s
Super Eight Zone!

Narco Test

Supreme court’s verdict that Narco Analysis, Polygraph and Brain-mapping tests can not be done on an accused unless he or she gives consent must have made human right activists happy. But it’s made the investigators of crime equally sad. Though not accepted as evidence in court, theses tests help in investigation. Court considers this test unconstitutional as it infringes one’s fundamental right. Does not the crime perpetrated by the accused affect the fundamental right of the victim? In modern times, crimes are done in a very sophisticated way so that their detection prove very difficult by traditional method. Perhaps, so to say, regular research work is done on how to execute criminal act flawlessly to escape detection. So investigators have no option but to use scientific tools to track down criminals. That apart, there are terrorists who are criminals with certain conviction, may it be wrong. They’re much devoted and dedicated to what they believe to be true. These band of criminals are very difficult to tackle and to extract confessional statement from them by conventional procedure is a Herculean task So non-conventional and innovative methods based on modern sciences may need to be adopted. But if they’ve no legal sanction, many criminals might not be awarded punishment they deserve for lack of evidence. If application of these modern methods are left to the consent of the accused, it’s any body’s guess that no accused would agree to face these tests. Admittedly, these tests are not full-proof but it can help the investigation in some way or other. So SC’s verdict merits reconsideration .

Marriage Aniversary!

(1)Marriage anniversary!
A: Married for years he’s never observed marriage anniversary!
B: Perhaps he doesn’t like to show off.
A: No. He always prefers annual marriage to marriage anniversary!

(2) A born swimmer!
A: He’s a born swimmer!
B: Yes, he learned how to swim while in mother’s womb.
A: Are you joking?
B: Never! Don’t you know a baby remains in water-sack in womb?

(3)Mistakes!
Dad: Always try to learn from mistakes, my son.
Son: Dad, do you mean the more I make mistakes, the more I would
learn?
Dad: Excuse me, I’ve meant nothing, my son!

(4) Similarity!
A: Do you find any similarity between Subrata Mukherjee and Kadambini of Tagore’s short story?
B: Yes.Kadambini died to prove she was alive while Subrata quits Congress to prove he was with Congress!

Change-over!

(1)Left!
Son: Didi says Left’s days are numbered. How many days are left for the Left?
Dad: Only a couple months are left before Didi writes off the Left!

(2)Wind of Change!
Son: Dad, is wind of change now blowing as hard as it did during Lok Sabha
poll?
Dad: It’s blowing rather harder!
Son: How do you know, dad?
Dad: As TMC is fighting alone with the Left!

(3)Change-over!
Son: Subrata Mukherjee’s going to join Trinomool tomorrow.
Dad: Like Subrata himself people too are confused about which party he exactly belongs to. Now it becomes clear he is still now in Congress and from tomorrow he’ll be in Trinomool.

International Freedom of Press Day

Freedom of press is a myth. So is International Freedom of Press day a hoax. Press is primarily guided by the ideology of media house it belongs to. So news and views are tailored to tow its line of thinking. Some print and electronic media do this job so brazenly that they seem to serve as the mouth piece of a particular political party or vested interest. Thing has gone to such a pass that the Press council has to censure media for dissemination of “Paid News”- paid information presented as news. In such vicious milieu, the readers and viewers are utterly confused. They can’t tell between truth and untruth. Press is a very powerful tool to form public opinion. So it can guide as well as misguide people. If media don’t behave impartially and responsibly, it would do immense harm to society and journalism as such. It would lose all credibility to its readers and viewers.

Fall-out of Seat-sharing Failure

Belying all speculations seat-sharing between Congress and TMC in KMC poll has failed. In view of spectacular success in the last Lok Sabha poll, TMC is confident of repeat performance in municipal elections too even if it goes alone. So from the very beginning TMC put the congress at the receiving end. But TMC’s failed to recognize situation has much changed since Lok Sabha poll. Many people who earlier extended unstinted support to it in Lok Sabha poll are now in two minds in view of its disturbing and questionable activities. So perhaps its popular support that reached all time high during Lok Sabha election is gradually waning. That apart, Congress has a vote bank of its own that is unlikely to swing in favour of TMC.The mess that continued before efforts to make seat sharing a success came a cropper would also have an adverse impact on the voters. So it’s very likely TMC would suffer a set back in forthcoming Municipal polls However, the blame game between TMC and congress regarding failure of seat-sharing will continue till coming assembly election. In case TMC does fairly well in civic polls, which is not very likely, it’ll be difficult to forge an alliance between TMC and Congress in assembly election. But if TMC fares badly , it’ll come forward on its own to have an alliance with Congress with out much bargaining. Only electorate know what’s going to happen!

Political Dementia!

(1)Live-together!
Son: Dad, why has Jote formation between Cong and TMC failed in civic polls?
Dad: I think, many of the members of both the parties consider ‘live-together’
unethical and immoral too!

(2)Loss!
Son: Who would be the most gainer for failure of Jote formation?
Dad: Obviously Congress!
Son: Why?
Dad: As TMC would suffer set-back in civic polls and concede more seats to
Congress in Assembly election without much bargain.

(3)Dementia!
Son: How did Shibu Soren vote for UPA during Cut motion in Lok Sabha?
Dad: It’s due to ‘political dementia’- a pathology many politicians suffer from!

A New May Day

Message Parlour extends its heartiest thanks and good wishes to all of its readers and well wishers on the eve of May Day or also called International Workers’ Day. Way back on May 1,1886 workers won their legal right for eight-hour work day after prolonged struggle. Prior to it they’d to work twelve to fourteen hours daily. Interestingly, although the heart of their movement was in Chicago, May Day is not recognized in United states along with Canada and South Africa.

Perhaps, while not recognizing May Day United States could foresee eight-hour work day might stand in the way of progress of IT and ITes which need just the reverse of what the workers achieved long way back- only eight-hour non-work day. Joke apart, it’s really inhuman to make one do work for inordinately long hours like a robot. Those who can stand the physical stress of long working hours coupled with mental stress of fulfilling target set by the company are fortunate, but the rest are destined to burn out early. They ultimately become mental and physical wreck. At present May Day has no significance, whatsoever, to these ‘human robots’. However, a day may come when these forced workaholics, mostly victim of circumstances and exploited by money power, would rebel en masse against unspecified long working hours and move for a reasonable period of work a day that’s congenial to human system. Hopefully, their employers too would concede to their demand, may be with all reluctance, and a new ‘May Day’ will be born for these white caller personnel.

Bandh-A Weapon Of Protest

Yesterday’s Bharat Bandh was practically eventless. Such is normally the nature of what the opposition say state sponsored bandh.These bandh are primarily of ‘Veg’ nature where as in Non-Veg bandhs, normally called by opposition, public transports are burnt and as a result violence erupts, police chase the miscreants who freely and fearlessly throw both veg and non-veg missiles, sound pollution far exceeds the permissible limit and city streets assume the look of battle field. However, the bandh-enthusiasts are not to blame for this lack-luster nature of govt-sponsored bandhs as they find no public vehicles to set on fire on roads to create a violent ambience that would trigger a chain reaction.Notified much earlier that bandh will be held, people normally reschedule their programs and keep themselves shut indoors enjoying a state sponsored holiday. Only the unfortunate few who have the exigency of stirring out really get in to trouble.However.what’s unfortunate such almost incident free bandhs starve the media of fodders for news materials. They only go on chanting as on earlier occasions that bandh can deliver no goods and rather do immense harm to our economy, which’s partly true. It’s no denying the fact Bandh is a democratic weapon of registering protest, but frequent use of this weapon has made it blunt. It’s not fault of the bandh itself, fault lies with those who use it on frivolous ground. True, yesterday’s bandh won’t decrease the price of essential commodities today, but it would send a message to the appropriate authority that people are not taking this abnormal price-hike lying down.

Seat-Sharing!

Efforts are being made in full swing and on war footing to arrive at a solution in seat-sharing by Congress and Trinomool in forthcoming municipal and Kolkata Corporation elections. As on earlier occasions this time too its a breath taking drama, where nerve-wrecking suspense prevails all the time regarding success of Jote formation particularly for those who are determined to throw the Left in the Bay of Bengal in the next Assembly poll. This time however, cong cadres are more belligerent in favour of respectable seat-sharing as are evident in the incidences of their violent out burst at party offices. Nor are they in a mood to listen to their leaders for forging a Jote under any circumstances. The Pradesh Congress leaders too are reluctant to have a Jote by any means either .Apparently, in the present circumstances if TMC does not relent in conceding more seats to Congress or Delhi does not actively intervene , Jote formation would be a remote possibility.But predicably,this exciting drama will continue till Sonia Gandhi pulls down
the curtain on this issue- obviously in favour of Jote.

Bandh!

(1)Relief!
Son: Dad, why do the political parties call Bandh?
Dad: Mainly considering those in unorganized sector.
Son: Why? They’re most affected in Bandh.
Dad: That’s financially! But they get a day off and relax.
It’s beneficial to their physical and mental health, my son.

(2)Preference!
Son: Dad, which bandh do you prefer –Bangla Bandh or Bharat Bandh?
Dad: Bharat Bandh, my son.
Son: Why, dad?
Dad: It helps national integration, my son!

(3)Benefit!
Son: Dad, in your opinion how are people in general benefited from bandh?
Dad: True, people are not directly benefited but they’re benefited indirectly as
they get mental satisfaction.
Son: How?
Dad :They receive thanks and congratulations in abundance from Bandh organizers at the end of the day for making Bandh a grand success even if it’s a total flop!

e-Panel Discussion

Panel discussions on TV channels are very common now a days. Discussions range from football to food grains. However, some panelists are common. They take part in all sorts discussion and offer their ‘valued’ opinions at different channels. They are almost know-all. They hop from one channel to other with in a very short span of time to participate in discussion, whatever may be the topic. They never feel ill at ease even when a viewer in a phone-in program put in a very embarrassing question. Nor they parry any question however difficult it may be. Some panelists are so busy, one might think they stay at TV studios all the time. Panel discussions are held out side Studios too. You’ll see these common faces there also. You’ll find an academician of a reputed institute at almost each and every discussion most of which are far away from the topic he is supposed to teach at his premier seat of learning. One might wonder how he could afford so much of time at discussions in electronic media! It’s better he could spend this time in pursuit of knowledge in his field of specialization. It's a sort of obsession or addiction to present one self on TV screen to innumerable viewers irrespective of the occasion he fits in or not. He might be to some extent a victim of Narcissus complex.

Match-Fixing!

(1)Match-fixing!
Son: Dad, they talk of match-fixing. But what’s it all about?
Dad: You’re too young to understand it, my son!. Any way, it’s simply
selection of bride or groom for marriage!

(2)ICL!
Son: Dad, IPL is the brain-child of Lolit Modi.However, he initially conceived it as ICL and later changed its name, reports news agency.
Dad: Correct,my son! Modi first thought of Indian Currency League(ICL)and changed his mind later on to name it International Payment League(IPL) to broaden the field of money flow!

(3)Stone Age!
Son: Didi’s almost daily laying foundation stones at some place or other.
Dad: Perhaps, Stone Age is round the corner, my son.

Doggedness!

(1)Seat-sharing:
Son: Dad, haggling over seat sharing between TMC and Congress
still continues. Can’t they find a easy way out of such a situation?
Dad :The only easy way-out is Congress men to join TMC en bloc, my son.

(2)IPL!
Son : Don’t you think Modi’s doomed?
Dad : My son, as cricket is a game of uncertainty, so is the cricket related scam.
You can’t say who’ll win till the last salvo is fired.

(3)Doggedness!
Son: Why doesn’t Kabir Suman quit Trinomool after so much of humiliation?
Why is this doggedness?
Dad: Perhaps Suman likes to pursue dog in the manger policy, my son!

Reading between the headlines

Unlike other news TV channels, which overtly betray their tilt towards ruling or opposition parties, as are evident in their presentation of news and views, Tara News, of late, tries to dish out news and views in more or less unbiased manner.To be frank, now a days particularly when Press council has to censure media for catering “Paid news”, honest journalism stands virtually a myth.

What’s unfortunate there’s no unmixed good. It’s no exception for Tara News too.I like to refer to a program titled Headlines beamed in morning slot(7.30am&8.30am) where news items in the front page of different news dailies of the day are analyzed by a veteran and reputed journalist. Regrettably, while discussing the news items most of the times the journalist concerned can’t help speaking his mind bluntly in favour of a particular political party and primarily of its Supremo.Sometimes it seems he’s brokering(excuse me for using such a harsh term) for her party and earnestly wishing its success in the next assembly poll. Its no harm to be a sympathizer or supporter of a particular political party, but TV channel like Tara News, that is apparently making an effort to maintain neutral stance in dissemination of news, is not the right forum to betray news analyst’s bent of mind, to be precise his one-track mind. It tarnishes the image of Tara Newz and does more harm to journalism in particular which has already sustained much harm, thanks to some unscrupulous gate-crashers in its arena.

Travel Agency!

(1)Lucky!
A: I envy him!
B: Why?
A: Luck smiled on him just before his child birth.
B: But so far as I know his only son is a notorious criminal!
A: What you don’t know he was a posthumous child.

(2)Crime!
A: See, crime does not pay!
B: But I beg to differ.
A: Why?
B: It at least pays to some news TV channels.
A: How?
B: They dramatize crimes and telecast them to enhance their TRP.

(3)Travel Agency!
Agent: If you travel with our agency you’ll always feel as if you’re
at home!
Client: Then why should I spend so much of money to travel with your
agency? I’ve better stay at home.

Knights!

Gone are the days of kings and queens, Rajas and Maharajas.So gone are the days of Knights who fought for the king armoured and riding on the horse.Predictably, they’re likely to feel misfit in the present milieu. So are our IPL Knight Riders who quite naturally failed to click. On the contrary, they’ve earned the dubious distinction of not making it to the Semifinal thrice in a row-a hat trick indeed! Unfortunately, they’ve no parallel in this respect. Even Super kings and Royals, their cotemporaries, managed to reach that goal. However, they’re not contemplating to relinquish Knighthood and call it a day. Mind, IPL would continue for years to come and Knights too would keep looking forward to their good old days of crowning glory!

Pigs' Den!

(1)IPL!
Son: Dad, Lolit Modi’s helped UPA govt to shrug off Sashi Tharoor
who often makes the govt feel ill at ease by his controversial remarks.
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: Then why has Modi incurred the wrath of UPA?
Dad: Money is the root of all evils, my son!

(2)Pigs' den!
Son: Dad, why is TMC abstaining from Parliament session now going on?
Dad: Perhaps induced by Maoists, TMC too now does not believe in Parliamentary democracy and call Parliament pigs’ den.

(3)Jote!
Son: Dad, there is too much of confusion in seat-sharing between Trinomool and Congress in the forthcoming Municipal polls!
Dad: Don’t worry, my son. There will be jote.Each time, seat-sharing between these two parties starts with an apparent fiasco but ends in a fanfare!

Boycotting Parliament Session

It’s not true TMC has now boycotted Lok Sabha session. TMC supremo is intelligent enough to skip Lok Sabha session only to avoid being grilled by members there. She knows it’s easier to make sweeping remarks like ‘there’re no Maoists in Lalgarh’ or demand withdrawal of joint forces to the Press than make such statements in Lok Sabha where she’ll have to face volley of questions from members of the house and give satisfactory answers to these queries. Her utterances and remarks of some members of Congress itself have subjected UPA to the scathing criticism of the opposition in both houses of the parliament and noticeably, none of the ruling party came to her rescue in her absence. In Rajya Sabha, in particular, Arun Jaitley lashed out at her in the strongest possible language for her soft stance in Maoist issue vis-à-vis tough stand of her cabinet colleague Home minister P.Chidambaram .Mr.Jaitley did not even stop short of calling her ‘half-Maoist’. But she’s yet to spare a single word in protest against such an allegation. She should explain her position on Maoist issue and come clean. This escapism which a section of press euphemistically call ‘boycott of Lok Sabha’ won’t help her in any way.

Apolitical!

(1)Housing Complex!
Reader: How do you portray so many varied characters in such a lively way in your novels?
Writer: As I live in a housing complex where each multistoried
building is a lively multi-character story!

(2)Dangerous!
A: I always avoid vastly learned person!
B: Why?
A: If a little learning is a dangerous thing, imagine, how dangerous is vast learning!

(3)Home delivery! Dad: What a coincidence! Your child’s born in the same hospital where you were born.
Son: Dad, where were you born?
Dad : I was home-delivered, my son.

Imginary Intreview!

Didi: There’s no Maoists at Lalgarh, I swear.
Reporter: Then why is this Operation Green Hunt?
Didi: It’s, in fact, Operation Ground Hunt.
Reporter: What does it mean?.
Didi : It means retrieving of lost ground at Lalgarh by CPM with the help of joint forces.
Reporter: You say there’s no Maoist at Lalgarh, then who kills CPM?
Didi : It’s intra party rivalry- CPM kills CPM.
Reporter: Who killed EFR Jwans at Silda camp?
Didi :They are CPM goons in guise of Maoists to establish there’re Maoists at Lalgarh and misguide people.
Reporter: Do you think joint forces be withdrawn from Jangalmahal?
Didi:Yes, immediately!

Suvo Nababarsha!

Welcome to 1417! Message Parlour(ukpkolkata.blogspot.com) extends its best wishes to all and to its readers in particular on the auspicious occasion of Bengali New Year. It ardently prays for their happiness and prosperity in days to come. It fervently hopes shortly good sense will dawn on the Maoists and they’ll abjure violence to join main stream of life. Our country will wriggle out of the present turbulent situation and peace will prevail all over.

Inhuman!

The tandava that happened at Peerless Hospital was really unfortunate. But what was more unfortunate was the hospital’s refusal to treat accident victims. Though there’s a standing govt circular based on Supreme Court verdict that a private or public hospital can’t deny treatment to accident victims, Peerless hospital allegedly refused to treat such a victim, who was still alive after accident at EM bypass, unless money was paid and he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. It naturally infuriated the people there and they went on the rampage damaging what ever they lay their hands on. The loss incurred by the hospital perhaps surpassed all past records of damage done by mob in such circumstances. Though hospital authorities denied all allegations and rather say it was preplanned, but it can be taken with a grain of salt. Even in absence of any govt circular or court order, hospitals at least on humanitarian ground should not deny treatment to a critically injured person as he or she can’t pay money. Unfortunately, denial of treatment to critically ill patients even by govt hospitals is nothing new in Kolkata.Hoewever, many hospitals which earlier behaved inhumanly like Peerless hospital in the present case, now have made amends, of course under duress from public and govt as well. Ill luck, Peerless authorities have to pay so dearly to learn a simple lesson of humanity and hopefully this nightmarish experience would stand in their way of repeating such incident in future.

To Editor,TOI

Dear Sir,
Thanks for dishing out the news of upcoming Mamata TV(exact name of the channel is perhaps yet to be decided). Now no body would beat her in beating her own drum in TV channel. Nor, any body would grudge Subha Prasnna(owner of Mamata TV),who’s ever aprasanna(displeased) with CPM and who can put even the Talibans to shame in Buddha-bashing, eulogizing Didi even through her painting. Perhaps, this new TV channel will lessen the burden of Kolkata TV which has almost gone out of breath for persistently brokering for Didi’s cause, for that matter the cause of the country. Kolkata TV also belongs to TMC as it has recently been taken over by Didi (http://www.livemint.com/2009/08/25003234/Mamata-entrepreneur-take-over.html?pg=2).So, now, as the matter stands, there’d be two dedicated TV channels exclusively for Didi, to be precise upcoming Mamata TV and existing Kolkata TV. That apart, there’re other pro-Didi channels too along with fence-sitters like Star Ananda and to some extent now Tara Newz.Howeever, in print media there’re umpteen dailies those favour Didi’s ideology(anti-Leftism, to be precise anti CPM-ism).Among them Bartaman deserves special mention. It fears none except Didi.In fact, CPM’s Ganasakti is to Didi’s Bartaman, some naughty people say. Happily, allegiance to Didi’s ideology has crossed language barrier too. Many leading English dailies also contribute to her Left-baiting.Jai Ho, Journalism!

Naxal Movement

Way back in late sixties when Naxal movement started it initially received support from the middle class. To them it was a battle against poverty , corruption, social inequality and burgeoning chasm between the rich and the poor, which they too liked to protest against prodded by experience, conscience and moral values but could actively do nothing better than exercising franchise to vent their rage in ballot box. So they stood behind the young crusaders who were determined and dedicated in their mission to change society. Many of them were brilliant scholars from reputed academic institutions. They shook the administration and made the corrupt and the dishonest tremble in their shoes. The movement was mainly confined in urban areas. But the middle class though continued to support the cause but could not bear with the way the movement was conducted. It was politics of violence and murder. Many policemen and innocent people were killed and many brilliant youths sacrificed their lives. In fact, they were gradually alienated and lost popular support they got to start with. At last the movement fizzled out but causes remained unattended by the administration, let alone go to their root and take necessary measures to minimize them. Rather govt heaved a sigh of relief and got complacent such things will never happen again.

Yes, Naxal movement is back again with much greater strength and momentum than before riding on the same social and economic factors those remained uncared for long. This time it poses the greatest internal threat to our country. It’s thrown the administration on tenterhook .Though Naxals, now called Maoists, have some supporters and sympathizers among urban middle class and intelligentsia, the rural poor are their main stay.Poverty, underdevelopment and administrative indifference and neglect are their stock in trade. Unlike earlier occasion, Maoists now mainly operate in rural and semi rural areas. The rebels have declared war against State to capture power to bring about revolutionary change in social and economic milieu for the deprived and the down trodden. But what’s important, no right thinking people across the country extend support to their politics of ‘ blood bath’. In that sense, they’re a segregated lot and state power is strong enough to curb this insurgency. However, it is true even if the Maoists’ movement is defeated, it’ll reappear after some time if the root cause of such upheaval is not duly attended to and redressed as on earlier occasion.

Power Crisis!

(1)An imaginary dialogue!
Reporter: Why does Trinomool blame CPM even when the Maoists claim
to have murdered its party man?
Chief minister: In fact, I find no fault with Trinomool in this regard.
Reporter: Why?
Chief minister: How can one believe a friend can kill a friend?

(2)Compensation!
Son: Dad, the Maoist have reportedly offered to pay compensation to kin
of those whom they killed in Dantewada ambush.
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: But why?
Dad : Perhaps, they’ve helped the Maoists flaunt their strength!

(3)Power crisis!
Son: Dad, why is this massive power crisis?
Dad: It’s due to crisis of power in Left Front, my son!

In Lighter Vein Only!

(1)Kabir Suman!
Son: See dad, Trinomool tries to shrug Kabir Suman off its shoulder. But Suman’s determined not to climb down.
Dad: It reminds me of ‘Bikram Aur Betal’, my son.

(2) Chidambaram!
A: See, Chidambaram has taken the responsibility of Dantewada massacre.
B: But why? Was he with the Maoists during operation?

(3)Binoy Konar!
Son: Dad, why has veteran CPM leader Binoy Konar accused Judiciary and Governor of
colluding with others to remove the Left from power?
Dad: It’s due to old age and excessive summer heat , my son?

Much harder than it looks!

During recent visit at Bengal Home Minister P.Chidambaram expressed dissatisfaction over law and order situation in certain pockets of the state echoing the allegation of the opposition. He was not very happy over the operation Green Hunt either. He advised the politicians to visit Lalgarh and talk to the people there as he did himself. He also asked the state govt to try to redress their grievances .But hardly 48 hrs had elapsed when Maoists struck at Orissa and Chatrishgarh killing 18 and 75 Jawans respectively.Chhatrishgarh carnage is worst ever killing by Maoists in their history of atrocities. Now Center is on the back foot so far as Operation Green Hunt is concerned and so is P.Chidambaram at whose table buck should stop- Buddhadev Bhattacherjee might now say paying him in his own coin.However,this is not the time to squabble over such ghastly incident and administration should investigate how so many Jawans could fall easy kills to the Maoists. Strategy should be overhauled to combat Maoists fruitfully. Though Naxalites have declared war against the state but it’s difficult for administration to strike back with all its strength considering loss of civilian lives along with the Maoists. That apart the state waging a war against its own citizens though considered to be the greatest internal threat might not send a good message to many. So task is much harder than it looks and should be dealt with utmost caution and patience.

Interparty Clash!

(1)Interparty Clash!
Son: Dad, why does CPM get involved in interparty clash with Trinomool?
Dad:Trinomool is not on speaking terms with CPM.So they can’t sort out their problems through dialogue. Hence they’ve to go in for clash! That apart, there’s a popular saying ‘ You’ve hands, then why go in for verbal duel?’

(2)Buck!
Son: CM commented on P.Chidambaram’s remark,’ Let buck stop here’. But
he refused to say it was slang or it smacked of poor taste. He simply said it was unbecoming of a politician. What did he mean to say?
Dad:CM perhaps liked to say Chidambaram should have chosen more diplomatic language to accuse him of the present situation in the state.

(3)Women’s bill!
Son: Dad,TMC is one of the biggest partners of UPA govt. Why does Didi join hands with Yadavas to oppose Women’s bills?
Dad: For long Didi has been opposing anything and everything the State govt proposes. So this habit has been so ingrained in Didi that she’s always in opposing spree. Now she opposes even what Central govt proposes. In fact,Didi is not to blame. Habit is the second nature.

Skipping Visit!

(1) Skipping visit!
A: Can you tell me why P.Chidambaram excluded his visit to Bardhaman
from his itinerary?
B: Just to show respect to Didi.
A: How?
B: Chidambaram is Didi’s cabinet colleague.Didi’s complained of CPM-
led terrorism at Mangolkote and other places in Bardhaman. Doesn’t it look indecent for Chidambaram to visit the place to verify the element of truth in Didi’s allegation? So he skipped the visit. After all Mr. Chidambaram is a perfect gentle man.

(2)Fire!
Son: Dad, experts say most of the high-rises and old buildings in the city are prone to fire.
Dad: Yes, my son.
Son: Would the govt sue the owners of these houses for flouting safety norms and law would take its own course?
Dad : No.Govt will only wait and see fire take its own course!

(3)Changing name!
Son: Dad, why have they changed the name of Nimtalaghat and made it Rabindraghat?
Dad: To do poetic justice, my son!

Noble Gesture!

(1)More powerful!
Son: Why does TMC repeatedly complain of assault on their cadres
by CPM?
Dad: What’s wrong in it?
Son: It sends wrong signal to people!
Dad: Why?
Son : People might think TMC is much weaker than CPM, so they take
beating lying down.
Dad: It rather projects TMC as a peace loving party.
Son: No dad, people would think a party that can’t defend it self, how
would it defend public if CPM do them wrong?

(2)A noble gesture!
Son: Dad, why does TMC supremo demand municipal elections and assembly
elections be held at the same time?
Dad: Although a hard-core CPM hater, at heart she’s its well-wisher too.
It’s called a split personality.
Son: I don’t believe it.
Dad: See, she’s confident of winning all the municipal polls as well as Assembly polls whenever they’re held. After spectacular reverses in municipal election, how would CPM continue in office till Assembly poll? So to save the party from this awkward situation she’s made such a demand. It’s a noble gesture but CPM is taking it amiss. Sad!

A Breaking News!

Kabir Suman MP, TMC after much of self introspection has realized that he’s not done right in washing dirty linen in public. He should have done this job in private. Nor has he done well in venting his intention of resigning from party or parliament either. He’s admitted MPLAD is ,in fact, party’s LAD and he’s the surrogate father. He’s added the LAD could not have seen the light of the day but for Party’s help. So this LAD’s future would be guided by the Party and not by him. He’s also confessed there’s nothing wrong in politics as in love and war. After this frank confession, Didi absolved him of all his misdeeds and asked him to forget what he’s done. He’ll live happily ever after with the party without any hitch, whatsoever.