Rly budget & role of Press

Press and politicians together can confuse and misguide people the way they like to.Common people naively believes what they say.Most of the ordinary people have neither time nor temperament to read between the lines what the politicians spell out to achieve their end.Unfortunately a section of press unashamedly help the politicians in this regard.Rly minister's wish fulfilling(Kalpataru) or dream budget particularly in view of hard financial constraints Rlys are now passing through is deliberately presented in a section of press as one that deserves all praise. Most of the projects incorporated in the budget would never see the light of the day for lack of funds.Performance of the preceding years in this regard bear testimony to what is feared.Rly minister is also aware of such fate for many of her proposals.It's also known to Prime minister and finance minister too.But they're all praise for the budget.This is all play acting to hoodwink gullible public.Rly minister knows well there's a fair chance of her being chief minister and then she'll have the opportunity of shrugging off all responsibilities of implementing the budget proposals.So open the flood gate of proposals in the budget at your heart's content.Thank you.

On The Brink Of Bankruptcy

Pre-rly budget review:
It's true most of the trains, particularly Durantas, introduced by Mamata Banerjee have been very popular among people.So are the computerized reservation counters.But the amenities provided to passengers are regrettably far from satisfactory.In this sphere much is left to be done and passengers are highly critical of travails they've to face during travel.The less said about her other promises , the better. What's most alarming is her luke warm attitude to the safety and security of railways which deserve first priority.So in her regime there have been record number of accidents in rlys.In fact she's been prisoners of her populist attitude and impulse to do large number of things in the shortest possible time to showcase her ability as an able administrator to burgeon her vote bank.No noble thing can be done by humbug.Rlyways have to bear the brunt of her short sightedness and rashness as well. It's now on the brink of bankruptcy, which has never happened before.Today also she'd announce a plethora of new proposals in her budget speech with an eye to the assembly election in the offing.What's unfortunate a section of press is unashamedly brokering for her and pampering her nakedly.

Mamata & Foreign Press

The foreign press which is primarily staunch anti left is eager to see the fall of LF govt in Bengal.To them it's the wonder of wonders as to how a LF govt can survive for as many as 35 yrs(if the govt really falls this time) in a pocket of a vast subcontinent that essentially follows rightists' ideology.Why did people elect the govt for seven times consecutively?Perhaps it's no parallel in history of Parliamentary democracy.Mamata Banerjee's politics are in fact based on negativity bereft of any ideology or program, whatsoever, except an ardent efforts of coming to power by any means.As a personality she's nothing extraordinary to gravitate foreign press either.Perhaps what interests American press is her possibility of being an instrumental in fall of extraordinarily long lasting anti American Left Front govt in Bengal(if it at all so happens).It's natural for anti-American stance LF is an eyesore to American press and for exactly the opposite reason,that's for anti Left stance, Mamata Banerjee stands out as favourite to them.So NY Times heaves praise on Mamata Banerjee for her enormous zeal and doggedness to oust Left forces from the seat of power, though her party is ideologically a bankrupt one.

Eve teasing

There's sudden spurt of eve teasing at different parts of the state.The tragic incident at Barasat, as it were, has opened the can of worms.In fact, incidents of teasing women are taking place everyday and almost everywhere. They go unnoticed as the victims feel shy of making it public or reporting it to police.In most cases they suffer in silence or have taken this social evil in their stride.Many think it's part of their life or they're destined to be treated this way by their male counter part.These ugly incidents come to light only when the offenders blatantly cross the limit or the victim is courageous enough to register protest against the display of the bestial instinct of man.In work place too women are more often than not subjected to sexual harassment.It's also a form of eve teasing.Pathetically in our male dominated society women often fail to receive the respect they deserve.

Eve teasers are obviously a perverted lot.Many of them are hardened criminals too.They react vehemently when they're challenged.Like the Barasat boy there're instances of being brutally assaulted and killed by the eve teasers when one ventured to protest against their wrong doings.So when a helpless woman fall prey to eve teasers' lewd comments or even an attempt to harass her physically hardly people dare stand by her.In such cases police too normally remain mere on lookers.Eve teasers even didn't spare the police surgeon Bapi Sen and mercilessly beat him to death. But would we allow the nasty practice of eve teasing continue unabated and unopposed?Would we allow some people with mental aberration and perversion hold sway in our society?Definitely not.We would collectively protest against eve teasing and mount pressure on the administration to act properly and take appropriate action against the act of outraging the modesty of women by the eve teasers.

Now Jadavpore Sisters!

In the wake of eve teasing incident of Barasat where Rajib fell prey to eve teasers and was brutally murdered while he was escorting his sister home from Barasat rly station at midnight another incident of eve teasing took place at Jadavpore where the culprits not only misbehaved with two sisters but also went on rampage at their residence and roughed up the inmates of the house.Police arrested the miscreants, though very reluctantly, and much to every body's surprise they were released on bail almost immediately after arrest.In fact police framed the case in such a manner court could not but grant them bail without delay.Offence perpetrated by the culprits should have constituted a non-bailable case but police presented it under bailable section of law for reasons best known to them.It's likely there must be some foul play some where in the present case,which warrants attention of the appropriate authority so that victims get natural justice.

Barasat Boy

It's no wonder that political parties fell over board like vultures on the dead body of the Barasat boy killed by drunken ruffians while escorting his elder sister home from railway station at mid night for petty political gain.It's also no wonder some political leaders of the opposition claimed they came to the boy's home much earlier than the Chief minister and also claimed the slain boy was their party comrade who gave his life to save the modesty of his sister only inspired by the ideals of TMC supremo.Such histrionics or calculated hysteria of the political parties might serve as a comic relief even in such gruesome and tragic circumstances.Thanks to people of Barasat, they have called the bluff and unswayed by crocodile tears shed by political personalities refused to entertain them in special way and did the last rites themselves.

To Editor,TOI about Brigrade Rally

Thank you for your 'unashamed' attempt to play down the massive Brigade rally of the Left Front day before yesterday in your report(Jan 13) on this event.Thank you that you did make room for the photograph of the rally at least at the corner of the front page though apparently very reluctantly as it strains one's eyes to have an impression of the massiveness of the gathering.Tenor of the report your scribe wrote about the rally giving go-by to honest journalism altogether did echo what Didi said about this unprecedented gathering.She pooh poohed the rally as farewell ceremony of the Left Front .You also deserve thanks for your invention that rallies arranged by political parties are all spontaneous and no vehicular traffics are used to bring the people to the rally site.In Didi's rallies perhaps people come on their own and no automobile is pressed into service to bring the supporters to rally.What appears conspicuous is your biased attitude that honest journalism veritably abhors. As a discerning reader one finds you've betrayed your tilt to a particular political party whose interest you've been seemingly vindicating for reasons best known to you.

Please don't lose heart. Such a mammoth rally is only a moral booster to the Left and it has hardly any bearing with ballot box.Rest assured Didi'd come to power belying all speculations.

Worst of Times!

It's the worst of times for Bengal.The hills are burning,violence rules the roost at many places of planes.Our state is facing the threat of division again.Assembly election is near at hand.Political parties including the chief opposition are busy engaging themselves attacking the govt instead of unitedly attacking those indulging the division of the state.Center is reluctant to sending forces to the hills to curb violence.Forces are lifted out of Jungalmahal and sent to the hills making it vulnerable to Maoists' menace .It's high time good senses could prevail upon all political parties to combat the prevailing crisis of the state instead of delving into blame game for political mileage.

Call it a day!

It’s high time Sourav Ganguli could call it quits from IPL fray. He should have done it much earlier when he had no takers during IPL auction. It was a sheer humiliation for a player of his stature. It bitterly hurts his fans and admirers when he’s found looking for a stray chance coming up for him to play in IPL. Sad, he’s at the bare mercy of the franchisees’ agreeing to filing no objection to his inclusion in Kochi team. Unfortunately, some of the franchisees have reportedly objected to such proposition. It’s really shocking to see the Prnce of Kolkata begging for a berth in an IPL team.It’s no denying the fact Sourav is one of the most shabbily treated cricketers ever born in India, if not in the world. No cricketer has suffered so much of humiliation in cricket for non-cricketing reasons. Nor has any cricketer like Sourav ever turned around and awarded a fitting reply to injustice meted out to him. However, enough is enough. We like to see an end to the suffering of the tragic hero of Indian Cricket.

Written 3 days ago

Mamata Banerjee and Railway Projects

No Rly minister has ever declared so many projects for Bengal as Mamata Banerjee has done. Railways normally offer priorities to matters like introduction of new trains, improvement of infrastructure, betterment of maintenance work, enhancement of passengers’ amenities etc.But Mamata Banerjee has gone out of the way and extended her attention to making of hospitals, schools, factories, business hubs, sporting complexes, auditoria and many other activities too. Almost daily Railways splash full-page ads in leading dailies announcing mostly laying of foundation stones and sometimes inauguration of new projects by Miss Banerjee. She introduces new trains and opens computerized reservation counters at regular intervals. It’s no doubt true newly introduced trains have benefited a lot of people and so are the newly opened computerized reservation counters. But it’s difficult to pronounce judgment on the projects whose foundation stones have just been laid. Some critics of Rly. minister argue many of the announced projects would never see the light of the day as Railway coffers have run dry. Many even say a lot of projects are being announced without caring for availability of funds only to woo voters. These statements might be taken as malicious and politically motivated to discredit and malign the TMC supremo.But it’s no denying the fact the money required to implement the projects already declared, let alone those in the pipeline, has reached astronomical figure and it’s difficult to imagine where the money will come from particularly when precious little has been done to enhance the revenues of Railways. So even by common sense the situation is not as rosy as it’s shown. However, if Mamata Banerjee becomes the Chief minister, she might wash her hands of the projects . Perhaps it’s her game plan and there’s nothing unfair in politics as in war.

Smile!

(1)Height of innocence!
Son: We need many more banks in our country, dad..
Dad: Why, my boy?
Son: As many people deposit money in foreign banks.
Dad: Yes, my dear.

(2)Distinction!
Q.What’s the difference between Eden gardens and Garden of Eden?
Ans.One goes to Eden gardens for love of sports but Garden of Eden is meant for sports of love.

(3)Gory Uncertainty!
Son: Dad, we were kept guessing from dawn to dusk and expected ICC would allow more time. But unfortunately venue for the first match of W.Cup,2011 was shifted to B’lore.
Dad: Never mind my son. Cricket is always a game of uncertainty.

In Lighter Vein !

(1) Black Money
Son: Dad, what’s black money?
Dad: It’s unaccounted money, my boy.
Son: What’s unaccounted money, dad?
Dad: If you don’t pay tax on your taxable income
it becomes unaccounted money. It’s a crime to evade tax, my son.
Son: Dad do you pay tax on your income from tuition?
Dad: No, my boy.
Son: Then it’s a crime, dad.
Dad: No, my son.
Son: Why, dad?
Dad: Guardians have already paid taxes on the money they pay me as tuition fees, my boy.

(2) Black Marketers
Son: Jawaharlal Nehru, the 1st Prime minister of our country promised to hang black marketers at the lamp posts. But he didn’t keep his promise.
Dad: It was not his fault, my son.
Son: Why?
Dad: Just after independence there were fewer power generating stations and and so were very few lampposts, my boy.

(3) Eden
Son: ICC’s disqualified Eden Gardens as a venue for Cricket W.Cup 2011.
Dad: Yes, my son. CAB’s failed to prepare Eden to hold the scheduled match as yet.Much work is left to be done.
Son: ICC’s done injustice to CAB, my Dad.
Dad: Why, my boy?
Son: Instead of declaring Eden unfit for W. Cup, ICC could have requested Suresh Kalmadi to finish the unfinished work in due time.

Apparently No Way-out!

Central govt is making all-out efforts to combat and contain Maoist menace. According to Prime minister Monmohan Singh Maoists are the greatest internal threat to the nation. Maoist infested states are awarded all-out help to fight Maoism. Maoists don’t believe in ballots, they believe in bullets to capture state power. Their aim is to free the poor and the downtrodden from the shackle of exploitation by the bourgeois system and ameliorate the subhuman condition they are now living in. No doubt they are guided by a noble purpose and all sensible men must stand by them in this respect. Only where people differ from them is their means of achieving this end. No well meaning people want violence, they opt for peaceful means. But in reality the plight of the poor is going from bad to worse in our ‘peaceful system’, the gap between the rich and the poor is increasingly widening. Again, in Maoists’ battle to achieve equality and prosperity of the poor, it’s the poor who are falling prey to the bullets. Senseless violence and killing hold sway. Can it ever serve the purpose of reaching the noble goal of the Maoists to improve the lot of the downtrodden? Perhaps not. Then what is the way out? How can we at least minimize the burgeoning social disparity and do good to the poor? We’re in fact confused and apparently find no escape route. So we sometimes happen to ventilate our soft corner for the Maoists more from our pent-up rage against social inequality than from rationality. Such feelings are accentuated when a man like Binayak Sen has to suffer behind the bar for his noble attempt to stand by the suffering humanity.

How Long?

The grave concern expressed by the Chief election commissioner about the law and order situation of the state is true and genuine. All well meaning people will fully share his view. Any attempt from any corner to criticize his view as one prodded by political motivation would be unjust and biased. Some raise the question of constitutional propriety in this matter but that too is not a well conceived view. Now what’s necessary is restore law and order and stop senseless killing particularly at sensitive and violence prone areas by any means. The concept that law and order is constitutionally a state subject sounds meaningless when state machinery fail to protect people’s lives for some reason or other. Of course, state can’t be unilaterally blamed for its failure to maintain law and order either. In a democratic set –up govt alone can’t maintain peace and tranquility unless the opposition extend their whole hearted co-operation. Unfortunately, in our state the ruling party and opposition are always at loggerheads . What’s most shocking they’re not even on speaking terms. It might sound bizarre that here the opposition leaders have been advised by their party supremo not to share dais with any member of the ruling party but it's absolutely true and party’s declared policy. So its no wonder any all party meet convened by the ruling party is scrupulously boycotted by the chief opposition. Developmental activities in the state have become casualty of this senseless non-cooperation. Had the ruling and the chief opposition parties sat together the present law and order situation could have improved a lot. But that’s destined not to be and our ill-fated state would continue to suffer and no body knows how long.

Going Global

Mamata Banerjee has rightly fascinated the reporter of New York Times(TOI 16 Dec) for
her sustained efforts and doggedness to over throw the Leftist govt from a pocket of Indian subcontinent after its unbelievable 34 yrs of governance based on popular consent.Stubornly anti-American Left govt’s ouster might pose a pleasant surprise to NYT scribe His interest in Miss Banerjee’s political activities is not misplaced in other senses either. Her anti land acquisition movement that began from obscure places like Singur and Nandigram has now rocked the entire nation. Wherever land is going to be procured for public or private purposes for people’s benefit land owners start agitation in Singur like way. As a result developmental activities grind to a halt. History will ever remember Miss Banerjee at least for her anti-land grab movement as procurement of land is a global phenomenon. So she rightly deserves to go global in newsworthiness.

Home Truth

War Of letters:
Hardly ever a letter from Center to a state has created such a ruckus in state’s politics as Chidambaram’s letter has done. Content of the letter got leaked to press even before it reached the state govt after inordinate delay. The letter was claimed to be highly confidential in some quarters but it was sent by speed post in ordinary way mingled with other mails while it’s customary to send such letters by courier. Perhaps, Center did not attach that importance to this letter as the state did. It’s an open secret Chidambaram had to issue such a letter more out of political compulsion rather than anything else. In the face of TMC supremo’s threat to quit UPA what else the Center can do other than taking the state govt to task to save its govt as TMC is an important ally to reckon with so far as its stability is concerned? What has shown Chidambaram, who has a reputation as a perfect gentleman politician, in poor light is use of word like ‘Harmad’.It definitely smacks of his bad taste. However, some even surmised the letter was not drafted by Chidambaram himself but as it contained his signature he can’t disown the onus of what was objectionable in his letter .
Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee, however, had taken care that his rejoinder to Chidambaram was not leaked before it reached him and made it public only after home department acknowledged the receipt of the letter. Content of CM’s letter was precise and more or less matter-of-factly.He, however, made no bones about his reservation against the leakage of the letter before it reached him and use of word like Harmads. However, Chidambaram in his rejoinder scuttled the ‘Harmads’ issue but stuck to his gun against CM over his allegation about presence of armed camps of CPM in Jungalmahal.He also invited CM to Delhi for discussion on this issue. However, in another letter Chidambaram defended the use of ‘Harmad’ claiming it a common parlance in the political lexicon of the state.CM vehemently opposed it again and accused him of being mum over Trinomool-Maoist pact when Center claims Maoists are the greatest internal menace to the nation.Incidentally,CM did neither deny nor confirm the presence of armed camps of CPM at Jungalmahal.

Chidambaram has not yet refuted the allegation made against Trinomool about their rapport with the Maoists, Nor has CM clarified if armed camps of CPM are there at Jungalmahal.Now it’s all quiet on Chidambaram’s front Apparently, both sides have called it a day. It’s really difficult to categorically deny the charges they’ve leveled against each other.

Chidambaram's Letter

Home minister P.Chidambaram’s letter that’s yet to reach Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee is no shot in the arm of Trinomool as construed upon in some political circles. Some, however, challenge the veracity of the letter as it’s not reached CM even after three days and the language used in the letter particularly ‘Harmads’ does not fit in with Chidambaram’s perfectly gentlemanly style of writing. However, even if the letter is written by Chidambaram, it’s the political compulsion that prompted him to write it. The threat of Mamata Banerjee to quit UPA in the event Central govt continues to ignore their complaints repeatedly made against state govt regarding law and order problem and misuse of joint forces at Jungalmahal has worried Chidambaram a lot particularly when Center is not very comfortable in the face abnormal price hike through out the country and one mind-boggling scam after another unfolding itself almost each day. To pacify TMC supremo who has constituted the second largest ally of UPA govt Chidambaram has perhaps written such a letter to CM.But whatever be the content and tone of the letter home minister is unlikely to take any action against the state govt as it’s neither politically prudent nor constitutionally viable for Center to embark upon any such step particularly when the assembly elections are near at hand.

Shrugging off stigma!

Homeopathy: Staunch critics of Homeopathy often say ‘Who has nowhere to go, goes to an homeopath’. They mean when a man can’t afford any other treatment, try their luck with an homeopath. Perhaps homeopathy has to suffer such humiliation or adverse criticism because modern sciences can’t explain how it works. But in practice it’s found to cure many diseases that can’t be even cured by other conventional therapies. Many times it works wonder. Still critics don’t relent. Some even call it faith healing. In many developed countries practice of homeopathy has been banned. But is it the fault of the this therapy that tenets of modern sciences can’t explain how it works? Or isn’t it the other way round? It’s the limitations of modern sciences that it can’t explain the working principle of homeopathy?

One argument is often put forward against homeopathy is that here medicines are potentised by dilution and in an extremely dilute solution starting material is expected to remain virtually absent. So then how can the medicine work? But recently Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay has established homeopathy medicines work on the basis of nanotechnology. Here researchers have shown even extremely diluted solution of homeopathic remedies contains measurable amounts of starting material. So now homeopathy can shrug off its stigma that its working principle can’t be interpreted by modern sciences.

La Miserable!

The whole episode seems unbelievable.Can a teacher ask for a laptop from his pupil to promote him to higher class? Yes it did happen in no less an elite school than La Martiniere for boys at Kolkata.Sanjay Smart, class teacher of 11-yr old Srijan Banerjee allegedly asked his father for a laptop to promote him to class V. Sujan’s father did not oblige Smart and as a result the boy was expelled from school.Sujan’s father is not a man to surrender to such black mail. He dragged the matter to court and high court gave verdict in favour of Sujan. It asked La Mart to take back Sujan to school and promote him to class V.Unfazed school authority contested the HC order at Supreme court. The apex court upheld the HC’s verdict and asked La Mart to lift expulsion order and promote Sujan to higher class. School did implement SC’s order.

The above episode might raise many unsavoury questions in people’s mind. Is it a common practice in many elite schools to bribe teachers for promotion of their wards? If not, why did school authority punish Sujan in stead of the teacher who allegedly asked for bribe from the boy’s father. School authority could have at least initiated an enquiry into this matter. On the other hand authority went to the extent of going to the apex court to defend the errant teacher. Such an instance is bound to send shock wave to the teaching and students’ community as well.

A Withering State

Perhaps now West Bengal stands out as the most unfortunate state in our country. Despite resources and opportunities Bengal is gradually lagging behind . This setback can be attributed to unique political scenario prevailing here. To start with the ruling party made serious efforts to advance the state through industrialization which is in fact the need of the hour for employment generation. There was nothing wrong in it. But what stood in the way was the govt’s unnecessary hurriedness to bring about the change and not to take the opposition in to confidence in this regard. It did it as it enjoyed the brute majority reducing the opposition to microscopic minority. It tried to go alone as if opposition was a non-entity.

After land reform in Bengal small land owners who once tilled in other’s lands developed emotional attachment to land. This attachment was much intense with those who’ve multicrop land in particular. For them to lose land is as good as losing near and dear ones.Incidentally, in Bengal most of the land is cultivable. Govt failed to understand procurement of land was a very sensitive issue. It requires time and patience to convince the farmers that they’d be ultimately benefited if they part with their land.Govt, however, could not afford to spend that amount of time lest the delay could help the other states to attract the entrepreneurs. So in many cases land was forcefully procured against the will of the farmers. Land thus procured included multi crop land also. The opposition, particularly Trinomool Congress made this acquisition of land against the farmers’ will a big issue and started anti-land acquisition movement in a big way. The land movement awarded TMC unexpected popular support. They got back sufficiently firm land under their feet to stand on and threw challenge to the govt against land acquisition. Enthused by their unbelievable success TMC devoted whole heartedly to organize farmers against acquisition of land, whatever be the purpose of acquisition . So all developmental activities that needed land did grind to a halt. What’s most unfortunate Tatas shifted its automobile factory from Singur to Gujarat in the face of political turmoil even after near completion of the project. What’s worse TMC embarked upon policy of non-cooperation with the govt and they were not on speaking terms with any member of the ruling party. Perhaps such a situation has never cropped up in any state of our country.

Now opposition has directed its attention to Rajarhat Newtown, recently named Jyoti Basu Nagar.TMC’s started movement in the same fashion as in Singur and Nandigram.Their bone of contention is that land has been forcefully grabbed from poor people at Rajarhat at unjustified price to make the township. Now at Rajarhat IT hub Wipro is going to establish its second unit after one at Salt Lake City and Infosysis has been allotted land to open their unit. These new establishments would generate a large number of employments. One might fear such political agitations would stand in the IT giants’ way of establishing their units as it happened with Tatas at Singur.What’s unfortunate the opposition could have sorted out their grievances simply by negotiation with the govt in stead of launching agitation. This land acquisition issue has in fact stalled all developmental work in the state. It’s not spared the TMC supremo too. At Sankrail, Howrah construction of a railway factory has halted in the face of anti land procurement movement by her own party. In the event TMC comes to power and the Left parties resist procurement of land at each and every step, where would this poor state go? It’s high time all parties could pause and ponder over this issue and behave sensibly at least in the interest of the state.