Assembly poll 2017: Tactical voting by Muslims in Western UP

On a tour of Jat-Muslim dominated Western Uttar Pradesh (UP) ahead of voting on February 11,2017, poll campaign underway in UP for the seven phase polls. The results will be out on March 11/2017

Deepak K Upreti

Muzaffarnagar (Western UP):  `Tactical voting`  has become a buzzword for minorities in in this communally sensitive slice of the Muslim dominated   western Uttar Pradesh  with Samajwadi Party (SP) and BahujanSamaj Party (BSP) trying their best to edge out  each other to win Muslim votes.

The BJP which had performed `well` in the western UP in 2012 assembly polls  winning around 20 seats (out total  47 seats it collected then)  hopes that consolidation of  “Chattis-Jati-biradari” - a rainbow collection of castes- in the region with  Jats backing them would see them through the electoral battle against SP-Congress alliance and the BSP.  

In many assembly segments, triangular contest may benefit BJP  if “tactical voting”  of Muslims goes to a “weaker candidate”  of SP and BSP.

The worrying factor for the BJP, however, is the visible  tilt of Muslim voters towards SP-Congress alliance with BSP emerging as “the second best fighter” against the BJP inroads in the region.BJP is trying to ensure that Muslim-Yadav formula is outplayed by Dalit-Muslim combine and vice-versa so that they it could emerge the final winner.

Communal harmony, law and order , local development, availability of basic amenities, farmer’s debt and not in the least image of assembly candidates are the poll issues. Note-bandi has not created any ripple either way – some are strongly backing it while others questioning the net gain out of it.

SP leader AkhileshYadav seemed to have gained estimation in the eyes of a section of Muslims but it is too early to say that  their would be `one way shift` away from the BSP which has fielded around over 90 Muslim candidates for 403 UP assembly seats.

The assembly segments  of western UP would go to the poll on February 11  and February 15 and like in the past may set trend  for the poll outcome in rest of UP in seven-phase poll ending on March 11.

Pioneer visited assembly segments  ofMuzaffarnagar and Syamli-Kairana parts  which were scenes of bloody riots leading to Jat-Muslim polarization in larger part of Western UP. Both Muzaffarnagar and Kairana elected BJP MPs in SanjeevBalyan( also a union minster) and HukumDev Singh respectively in 2012 LokSabha polls. Balyan and other BJP leaders Sangeet Singh Som and Suresh Rana –both BJP candidate from  here – are accused in Muzaffarngar riots.

Driving  fromMuaffarnagar assembly segment  to Khatuli  one interacts with Balyan who is camping at a road-side petrol pump. “ we are in fight in five to six district in western UP”, he says but refuses to guess which way Muslim vote would go. “ Jats will go to BJP  and RLD would be vote-katua”, says a rather informal and forthright party leader. Asked whether there Would there be a Khap missive, he says “ Khap does not directly interferes in politics. He says that Jats who have been voting to RashriyaLok Dal of Ajit Singh have now veered around BJP.

Similar are views of HukumDev Singh who is on door-to-door campaigning for her daughter Mrigyanka, contesting from Khairna seat. “Jats are with BJP”, he says. Interestingly, the MP says BJP would perform as good as it did in 2012 assembly polls and win same number of seats from the western UP.

One way Jat support  to the BJP is suspected to be not as strong as it was in 2014 LokSabha poll but it may change if there is a complete one sided polarization of Muslim votes in the region.”By first week of January majority of voters  be that Jats or Muslims including those ‘floating ones’ would make up their mind”, says Imtiaz Ali, a tea shop owner near Meenaxi market in Muzaffar Nagar. He says for Muslims decision on whom to vote will be made  in ‘Khalapar’, a prominent locality of minorities in the city.

“In Muzffarnagar seat cycle will be the first choice for us as the SP candidate AkhileshSwaroop has worked hard in the constituencyand carries good image”, says Ali. The sitting MLA is KapilDevAggarwal who won in a byelectionin 2016  by defeating SP candidate. However, then the  BSP was not in the fray.

In 2012  SP candidate’s father  ChitranjanSwaroop  won it by defeating BJP candidate Ashok Kansal  by 15002 votes. In 2007 BJP won the seat and before that in 2002 SP and  the BJP in 1996. The contest for the seat would again be between SP and the BJP.The  Muslim dominated constituency has 301726 voters .

About one hour drive from Muzzagarnagar constituency is Sarghana segment from where BJP hot-head Som is locked in a triangular contest with SP’s AtulPradhan ( a Gujjar) and BSP’s ImranQureshi.  There are 3,30000 votes in Sardhana  with 75000 to 80000 Muslims , 30000 Gujjars , 42,000 Harijan , 30000 Sainis and about 30000 jats.

In this ‘conflict zone’, BSP’s Imran is trying to construct a Muslim -dalit winning formula vis-à-vis  Muslim-Yadav combine of the SP’s Gujjar candidate.  In a busy SP office Mohammad Irfaq says Pradhan is a respected by all and undertook “Nirbhayyatra” visi-a-visSom and carried “ a flower in his hand”.

BSP candidate is a meat exporter and seen as an outsiders by SP opponents. But in a nearby BSP office, Quereshi’s supporter AbrarAhmaedQasim counters saying “all are outsiders”. He claims BJP candidate Som won because of booth capturing. How is booth capturing possible in Electronic Voting Machines ? To this Qasim says Som had fake vote caste in machines last time. Another BSP supporter Abrar condemns SP-Congress alliance  saying “ Congress ne paachsaalkiGoondagardi per moharlaga di”.

Abrar says in SP rule witnessed 4500 riots that put  161000 Muslims in jail. why would Muslims vote for SP or AkhileshYadav ?, he asks.

In BJP’s office in Sarghana, RajanTyagi claims Gujjar, jat, Sainis and even  Nahli, Keli and Madiyyi Muslims would vote for Som as “vikas is our poll plank”. He says BJP is in direct fight with the BSP and claims that ‘Immigration of Hindus’  is one of the poll issue for the party.

“Our plus point is – we arein 36 biradari”, Tyagi  says and claims wide support across caste, communities and regions would make Som winner again. In last polls, Som had won the seat with 62,700 votes.As for the communal taint against Som, hi supporters point out that the personal cook of the sitting MLA is a Muslim named -Shaukeen.

With RLD floating a Muslim candidate (Vakil) ,the four-corner contest and division of Muslim vote, if it is there, may benefit Som.

In KhatuliVidhanSabha segment, BJP candidate VikramsinghSaini, allegedly involved in a riot case,is pitted against SP’s Chandan Singh Chauhan, BSP’s ShivanSaini  (son of ex-state-minister RajpalSaini)  and RLD’s Shah Nawaz Rana (owner of `Shah Times’). This is a three-corner fight  between BJP,SP and the BSP. The constituency has 90000 Muslim votes which are inclined to vote for SP but a chuck of them may gyrate towards 

BSP.  SP will also benefit by Gujjar vote as their candidate is from the community. Khatuli has a total of two lakh votes with dalits constituting around 65000 votes. “ BJP and SP are mainly in the contest..”, says NareshSaini, a senior journalist in ‘Amar Ujala’ news paper.

In Mirapur constituency BJP’s Avtar Singh Bhadana, formerly congress leader from Faridabad, is facing SP’s LiyaqatQureshi (SP) , M Pal (RLD) and NawajishAlam (BSP). The constituency has over 100000 Muslims, 38,000Jats , 18000 Gujjar and 16000 Sainis. BSP’s candidate is looked at as a strong candidate vis-à-vis BJP’s Bhadana.

Besides Muzaffarnagar (five assembly seats) and Syamlidistricts ( three assembly seats), this part of western UP has four other districts –Saharanpur (seven seats), Meerut (seven seats ), Bijnore (seven) and Baghpat (three  seats) – a total of 32 seats.  In all these seats the  contest results would also depend on the turn out of  respective support base of communities to the polling stations.

“  There is no wave for any party and in such situation last week rumours of one sided voting by one community could also  role in the poll outcome”,  said N Majoor Malik, a school teacher. eom

kumbh- Ujjain-2016- an unrestricted experience

 

Deepak K Upreti

Ujjain:  A ‘Baba’  meditated in a standing ‘Mudra’ with both legs wrapped around each other under a massive tree across the  river Kshipra as a stream of visitors continued to take their holy dips with `a myriad wish list during the month-long ‘Simhastha Kumbh’- an undefined and unrestricted religious and spiritual experience. It was the Baba’s way of  interfacing with the Kumbh . 

For the pilgrims, it was a believe  that the sacred water would wash away their `sins`, ‘sorrows’ ,attain them peace or perhaps ‘Mokhsa’ or `Nirvana’ -- in   the slow moving oxygenated water simmering bright  in the reflected coloured  lights.  The extravaganza formally came to a close on May 21,2016.  

It is a leap of faith  for pilgrims who believe that the sacred water would wash away their `sins`, ‘sorrows’ ,attain them peace or perhaps ‘Mokhsa’ or `Nirvana’ --in   the slow moving oxygenated water simmering in the reflected coloured  lights.

 

The  ‘Ghats’ , buildings and structures on  the two  sides of Kshipra which may have experienced foot-falls of thousands of generations,  emerge as witness to the  centuries elapsed behind , ensuring in their silence  to be there in times ahead.

Fitting `the scheme of eternity` for Ujjain, the ancient city, celebrating the ‘Simhastha’ that coincides with Jupiter’s ascend into the Sun sign Leo’s quarter -  is the seat of divine ‘Mahakal- the Lord  of all times-  residing in Ram Ghat, ever overlooking Ujjain from the other side of the river.

While one takes a leisurely walk and passes through the sleeping Baba, his face barely noticeable in the dim street light, another smiling ‘Sadhu’ , a naked one, breezes past  on a motorbike with a  pillion rider on the bridge over Kshipra river.  All the while an incognito mix of  rich and  poor , the technocrats, businessmen, bureaucrats, engineers, doctors ,journalists and actors,   take their turn to hold their nose and take a quick or a long dip in the Kshipra waters with  many an expressions betraying `an instant connect and attainment of purpose-may be `the peace of mind’. 

The barricaded Ujjain Kumbh  city is dealing with lakhs of devotees who want to have their date with  the once in 12 years event as  hordes of  police force at different cross-sections and diversions managing the face-less devotees marching  on foot to the river bank and the temples dotting around it.   Night breaks into another day and a scorching Sun dominates the sky as  a group of saffron-clad dwarfs holding each-others hand move in the market streets singing ‘Bhajans’ and begging alms.  (Their songs telling  some story and reminds one of Kalidas, the famed  Sanskrit play write of Ujjain, who penned the love story of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala.)

 The city of legendary Vikramaditya , one of the mightiest kings of ancient India who established `Vikram Samvat’ – the lunar calendar based on Hindu Samvat- is also experiencing `modern kings and king makers` – the VVIPS stepping out of their cars and soaking in the everlasting  religious and spiritual spirit of the Kumbh.

Sirens of the VVIP motorcade only add to the undefined  diversity that is represented in ‘Simhastha Kumbh’ as political heavyweights of all hues Pow Vow with the heads of 13 Akharas (wrestling arenas), saints of a range of Hindu sects and other religious or spiritual heads.

There seem to be no full-stops in the Kumbh complexity.  There are rock star looking Sadhus with stylish long well-tied ash-golden tresses (giving impression being streaked) playing with the river water , another set meditating  in their camps and yet another bunch of ‘Gurujis’  updating their websites with details of how many VIPs they met  during the day- provide ‘Kumbh’ its ancient and modern dimensions and generate international traction.

If their is a ‘Baba’ all aloof in the milling crowd sleeping in standing yogic mudra, there are other ‘Sadhus’ happy with taking selfies with `important figures.`   

For the overtly devote and religious multitude it is a complete surrender to the ‘Kumbh’ ambience  and  its magnitude.  The march of  common men, women, senior citizens  and children in the vast  Kumbh Mela area was without and trappings or comforts. The blazing Sun in Ujjain is not stopping  people from visiting different Kumbh pavilions, Akharas, shops, exhibitions and book stalls – many by ‘Gita Publication’- and entertainment centres.

As one chases a programme of a political leader , a boisterous procession of ‘Kinnars’ (transgender) passes by with some holding swords. This is for the first time transgender have participated in any Kumbh in an organised manner.      

There is no ‘NO’  to nothing in the Hindu traditions. In the Kala Bhairava Temple in Ujjain, the main offering to the presiding deity is not the usual coconuts or flowers, but bottles of liquor, says a priest nonchalantly and moves on with his daily chores. At the same time ,there is a ‘Baba’ busy in a political meetings while his  big-beautiful  German shepherd is at peace with himself in a milling crowd of political workers close to `Balmiki Ghat.`

Unified with the traditions and beliefs of the Indian culture as  enshrined in ‘Sanatan Dharm’ (eternal religion),  the spontaneous gathering of religious , non-religious, theists or atheists, glamours or otheweise,  logic or illogic  ‘Prakritik’  (natural) or ‘Aprakit’ (unnatural)- all seem to have merged to be  `One`  in the unstructured and unlimited entity -the ‘Simhastha fair’.  eom

Media Crooks: India's Worst Journalists - 2012

Media Crooks: India's Worst Journalists - 2012
 Sir,
Print and electronic Media is in clutch of around 20 business barons- (mostly family owned). Agenda for Press freedom is defined by these families- they decide and direct as how and when  the  nappy and apron of the media editor be changed. Beyond this "baby press" in India has no freedom. With terrorists placing guns all around  and Taliban tightening the terror noose, the Press in Pakistan,  working under a variety of threats,  may be doing  doing much better than us - notwithstanding our a free-tap rhetoric and lip service to the press freedom  in "the largest democracy. "  Your have done well by really straitening a range of  talkers allegedly doing "Seedhi Baat" !!.  Deepak  Upreti

A visit to Moscow

'By reason, Russia can't be got'!

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Old memorials of the Revolution are giving way to new capitalistic ventures. Lenin is still respected but Russians are asking for 'more and more', learns deepak k upreti. A cut-back and forward in Moscow:

‘Russia can’t be understood by the mind alone’, these words by the 19the-century poet Fyodor Tiutcheve, printed in a Russian tourism ministry’s brochure, invites you to get a real feel of Russia by visiting it rather than take a distant look.

As the Aeroflot is flying above Russia in the darkness of night I ask the airhostess about the names of the cities down there. Svetlana, the affable ‘Babushka’ (elderly lady) goes to the pilot’s cabin and tells me ‘we have crossed the Volga river and it is Samara and now we are approaching Penza’.

Moscow city is still few hours away. Svetlana has two sons, one would be joining army and another planning to be a translator. Svetlana is the name of Stalin’s daughter? “Yes, but I don’t like it. It is very cold. I like warm names like Katarina, Leena, Aknisha…,” she ventures to tell me.
And as one lands in Moscow and drives down the city, one can not but feel strong nostalgia of the bygone Communist era intermingling with the post-Gorbachev liberalized Russia where life is about racing in swanky cars on roads sporting billboards of multinational companies.

The large foreign presence in Mercedes Benz (German), McDonald, Citi Bank (USA), Sharp (Japanese), Renault (French) and L G, Samsung (South Korea) is very much noticeable. As one slowly moves along the heavy traffic congestion around the ‘Mkad’ (Moscow ring) what meets the eye is a MTV as atop a high pillar. Posters, ads and signs are in Russian language.

The home manufactured Russian car ‘Lada’ marks an ubiquitous presence even as many vehicles that have broken down on the road bear the Lada tag – this, perhaps, could be a coincidence. The fast moving cars in the Moscow roads - 1.5 million produced each year - symbolize, in a way, private possession and an indicator of individual drive for ‘more and more’.

‘Debushkas’ (young girls ), clad in low-waist, hip hugging jeans can be seen sipping beer and smoking like chimneys in cars, buses, boats or on the road sides too. What about good old Vodka ? The question is posed to Ruben O. Prazyan, the senior specialist in Novosti, the Russian News & Information Agency, who is guiding us through the maze of unfamiliar surroundings. “Well, youth do not drink Vodka and prefer beer but next year drinking will be banned on streets”, Ruben points to the spill-over impact of the street side beer guzzling habit in the post-glasnost-perestroika (openness and reconstruction) period of last two and half decades.

In the hotel room Russian television is exploding with stories from world over. Berezovski, a Russian businessman started the first TV channel, ORT of the country which is now a government channel. He used the channel for his business purposes and is now on the run. N-TV channel belonged to another business man Gusinskiy but is now independent with the original owner apparently in Isreal avoiding police arrest. But, of course, there is more to Russian media than these early aberrations.

Churches have proliferated in Moscow in the post-Communist period with many restored in the heart of city. “This Cathedral, the Christ Saviour, was destroyed by Bolsheviks but now restored by the Establishment,” says Ms Ludmila Gagzhavaeva, our first guide. Churches and beggars An estimated 10,000 churches were said to be destroyed by Bolshevik communists. Amidst imposing churches and palatial buildings meant for housing people, one can still sight a few beggars. These beggars mostly come from CIS (Common Wealth of Independent States), once part of erstwhile Soviet Union.

“This is a city where people migrate for job and food,” explains Gagzhavaeva. We are reaching the Centre of the City and the past comes to mind at the sight of Lubyanka Square where a grim yellow building is introduced to us as KGB headquarters now renamed as Phaseburg. Then comes Hotel Russia built by Soviet Premier Khruschev in 1962 that was used by Communist party members. In the “new Russia” it will make way for a five star hotel! To show America! Along the way, one sights the well carved and imposing building of the Russian Ministry of foreign Affairs, constructed by Joseph Stalin, the Communist dictator, “to show America the Russian power.”

The nerve centre of Russian power - Kremlin - has a sprawling space which is rich in its tumultuous history. The Red Square here is normally used for military parade but now concerts are also organized in this open space. At a stone’s throw is a tomb of one of the most famous name in the world and Russian history- Vladimir Illich Lenin, the founder of erstwhile Soviet Union. Lenin’s balmed body is still resting here even after over 80 years of his death.

There is a serpentine cue of foreigners waiting patiently to get a glimpse of the greatest of the Soviet icons. Short flights of steps lead you down to the dark interiors of the tomb which houses Lenin. There is compete silence. Militia guard the tomb. It is a strange feeling “seeing” Lenin. “A debate is going on whether he should be buried now. Almost half the Russian populace want it but the other half, the old timers refuse to shift him,” says Ruben, an Armenian by origin. The Communist party in Russia still has around 20 per cent representation in Parliament. There is no statue of Stalin except on his tomb.

Has the current establishment gone against the literature or writings of Communist era Gorky etc? “Establishment did not go against them. I like them as always. The younger generation here is not aware of them like in India youth may not be much in tune with Rabindranath Tagore,” comments Sergey Muzalevsky, a translator. But, yes, one finds Museum of Revolution has been closed for about three years now though there is no reason given for its shutting down.

Larrisa Shustova, a witty tourist guide, links the pre-revolutionary Russia to the current period. “Here is Catherine the First who was a very simple-poor-Polish girl. She climbed many steps to be in bed with many and went several rungs up the ladder to finally sleep with Peter the Great! This is new Russia, where every body goes to the Church even the Mafia who kill people go to the Church and seek forgiveness!”

We are on the Muskavi river in a steamer and I am tempted to ask Leena and Yana, two young English speaking Russians what they think of Lenin “I respect Lenin but now I wear pink glasses under a blue sky and want world peace,” Leena smiles and breaks into a peel of laughter.

We have dinner at a restaurant where the band is playing the Hindi film song Duniyan hain dil walon ki.Amidst strong smell of Russian beer and a thick smoke of kent cigarette I wonder what it would be like during Russian winters amid snowfall.

And Tutchev whispers in my ear “by reason, Russia can’t be got”, come again….

White sheet of snow: in Finland

A controversial book on the partition of India in 1947

`Jinnah India-Partition Independence': A BOOK BY JASWANT SINGH

(EX-BJP LEADER)

(Saturday, August 29, 2009)

In his controversial book, Singh has been effusive in his praise of Jinnah, even perhaps, at the expense of Gandhi.

Jinnah India-Partition IndependenceJaswant SinghRupa & Co,2009, pp 669, Rs 695“This is that account of Jinnah, the man and his heroic endeavours and of the others, too. And of these is a story written: but (then) Allah alone knoweth all?” Thus spake Jaswant Singh at the end of his book, Jinnah India–Partition Independence, the controversial tome which apparently earned him his expulsion from the party of which he was a founder over 30 years ago. There are wheels within wheels in the current episode involving his forced departure from the party as well as the historic saga of Partition 62 years ago that he seeks ‘to reveal’. Political life is layered and so is history.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s transformation from a modern-liberal persona (three–piece suits, cigars, cigarette holder, rebellious eating habits and King’s English etc) to a politician fiercely committed to a Muslim nation could be subject to many interpretations — depending on which side of the fence one is sitting on. At what point of time in history Jinnah muted a change in his personality (thinking and outward appearance — Sherwani and Jinnah cap) has been written umpteenth times by several historians as well as those participating in the freedom movement — a majority of the accounts, rightly or wrongly, blaming Jinnah for the tragic Partition.

Singh has joined ‘the minority of the writers’ in blaming Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress party for causing the Partition.Singh says the seed of the idea to write a book on Jinnah sprouted during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s historical bus journey to Lahore in 1999 and a visit to Minar-e-Pakistan where Muslim League adopted a resolution for the creation of Pakistan on March 23, 1940.

Singh has been effusive in his praise of Jinnah even, perhaps, at the expense of Mahatma Gandhi. “The first meeting of Gandhi and Jinnah in January 1915 at the Gurjar Sabha was convened to felicitate Gandhi’s return from South Africa... Gandhi had somewhat accommodatingly said he was glad to find a Muslim not only belonging to his own region’s Sabha, but chairing it. Gandhi had singled out Jinnah as a Muslim, though, neither in appearance nor in conduct was Jinnah anywhere near to being any of the stereotypes of the religious identity ascribed by Gandhi. Jinnah, on the other hand, was far more fulsome in his praise.”

On another occasion, the writer refers to Gandhi’s support to the Islamic Khilafat movement which many saw as retrograde step in the freedom movement. “While Jinnah had remained aloof from any involvement in pan-Islamic activities, Gandhi a proto-typical Hindu, chose to ride this tiger of the Khilafat agitation,” says Singh, alluding to the early progressive persona of Jinnah “who recognised the political impress only of Dadabhai and Gokhle.”

From a casual votary of Islam to the one staunchly propagating the two-nation theory and that of Muslim identity, Jinnah’s transformation has been explained by Singh in terms of Nehru-Patel and the Congress refusal to accede to Muslim League’s demands, leading to the Lahore resolution of 1946 when ‘direct action’ for creation of Pakistan was mooted by the League.The portion of the book for which Singh courted controversy include Sardar Patel’s letter to Kanji Dwarkadas (March 4, 1947) where he, according to the author, for the first time, even if by implication, accepted Partition on condition of a division of the Punjab and Bengal by passing a resolution. Singh says the resolution was passed when Gandhi was away in his healing mission in Bihar, and Maulana Azad was ill and absent — the two could oppose the resolution. Singh says this resolution was a fundamental change in the Congress party’s stand and strategy. Mountbatten, who had by then assumed charge as Viceroy, jubilantly assessed that Patel by accepting the division of Punjab had implicitly recognised the principle of India’s Partition too. Within a month of Mountabatten’s arrival in India on March 20, 1947, Nehru, until then a vocal opponent of Partition, had become a committed advocate of it. The resolution amounted to an acceptance of Jinnah’s two-nation theory, concludes the author.In another indirect reference on the unification of the princely states, Singh quotes senior journalist M J Akbar from his yet to be published book The Major Minority, that the Muslims felt empowered in the princely state of Hyderabad with 84 per cent Hindu population as long as descendants of Nizam-ul Mulk, a Mughal governor, ruled the state. “In 1948, (as soon as) the Nizam was deposed and Hyderabad was absorbed in the new Union of India, the same Muslims suddenly began to think of themselves as a minority.” The writer broods that it is in this, a false minority syndrome that the dry rot of Partition first set in.

The cure, Jinnah said, was Partition and Nehru-Patel and others of the Congress also finally agreed. Singh quotes, among others, Ram Manohar Lohia, an arch critic of Nehru, saying that Nehru and Patel between themselves decided on Partition and sought not to scare Gandhi away before the deed was definitely resolved upon. As it turns out, Gandhi himself openly confessed that he represented nobody and at best could use his influence on the Congress. As against this, Jinnah saw none but himself as the sole leader and spokesman of the Muslims.

Gandhi and Jinnah — both born into Kathiawaris trading communities in Gujarat, ironically failed and succeeded in their missions. Gandhi could not prevent Partition, though he remained wedded to a united India until his death, and Jinnah (described as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity by Gopal Krishna Gokhle) ‘achieved’ Pakistan, but possibly failed in his original avtar of Hindu-Muslim oneness. Singh retells the epic story of the Partition in a scholarly and disciplined manner — a reflection of his own persona. But it does not breaks any new grounds. Who caused the Partition? There may be yet another book digging the layers of history to reach the bottom. But the best is to draw again from the concluding wisdom of Singh’s book: “And of these is a story written: but (then) Allah alone knoweth all?”

62nd Indian Independence-Day: 'Reaching out to moon'

Saturday, August 15, 2009

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Looking back is an exercise to rummage through the myriad happy and sad memories of the past and to squeeze out ''substance'' for the future course correction. Individuals undergo the process as much as nations.

As India celebrates its 62nd birthday, the highs and lows of its journey to this date, the fade-in and fade-out of its history evokes palpable hopes and despondency in equal measure. The country went through the mammoth electoral process and constituted the 15th Lok Sabha barely two months ago. The successive conduct of elections (barring the hiatus of Emergency) is seen as a high point of Indian nation, particularly in the light of “the interrupted democracy” in the neighbourhood Pakistan which celebrated its Independence Day on August 14 amid little signs of military loosening its control over the fragile democracy. “The owner’s pride, neighbour’s envy” syndrome, however, takes a beating when judged from the point of view of the developed democracies which could usher in a politically, socially and economically more equitable and just society than what we have in our country in the 62nd year of Independence. As India (already a nuclear-powered nation) in July launched the first nuclear-powered submarine “Arihant” built on its soil, asserting itself as a world power by joining just five other countries that can design and construct such vessels, the country continued to grapple with the gigantic task of abysmal poverty.

By the admission of the current dispensation at the Centre, nearly half of Indian population earns less than Rs 20 per day. Similarly, close to 50 per cent of children’s population in the country remain malnourished.There are contradictions galore. The country experiences starvation deaths but, at the same time, remains an exporter of food items. And while India has one of the largest population of unemployed and uneducated, it also has one of the largest talent pools. Though fancied by the developed world as having potential of being the future super power, India has yet to come to terms with insurgency, left wing extremism, separatism and growing terrorist attacks. It may be an odd statement to make but the country with the second largest population in the world could, so far, produce only one gold medallist in its long history of Olympic participation.

The march from the Nehruvian mixed-economy model to the globalisation clock set by the Narsimha Rao government has unwittingly unleashed forces which have created islands of prosperity along with sprawling slums and rural areas where, as a rule, farmers commit suicide on account failure of crops and indebtedness.

The minimum wages in the country remain in the pathetic range of Rs 65 (Meghalaya) to the maximum140 (Chandigarh). Ironically, the left-ruled West-Bengal has one of the lowest minimum wages.The futuristic planning for India by the second UPA dispensation is rather ambitious. Progressing from the “politically successful” National Rural Employment Guarantee Act that ensured 100 days of work for unskilled labourers per family, the Manmohan Singh government is set to bring the Right to Food Bill that proposes a national food security law under which every poor family would get 25 kg of food grain per month at Rs 3 per kg.During the last 62 years, the country has moved away from the domination of a single party to the increasing influence of the smaller parties based on caste and region. The profile of the Lok Sabha has changed with even representation from the subaltern class of Indian society. The Women’s Reservation Bill, if passed this year, may hopefully induce “a progressive churning” in the male-dominated polity. “Antodaya” (uplift of the last man) should be a precursor to the proposed setting of foot by an Indian on the far-off moon in 2025. All Indians are, undoubtedly, `trying to reach out to the full moon`-allbeit in their dreams.

Journey to Amsterdam

Journey to Amsterdam:

Poll rambling...2009:
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(Varanasi,Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya (UP) & Rajkot, Surendra Nagar, Junagarh, Porbandar & Bhavnagar (Gujarat))
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“ They just want a spectacle and a story..” is a wry comment from a high profile Lok Sabha candidate and political leader about the voters in India. Indian voters are ostensibly praised by political leaders but seldom genuinely empathized with . Once the cyclical polls end, the ubiquitous “Namaste politician” escapes from the dust and grime of “kaccha-Pakka roads” and retreats to victory in his salubrious surroundings. “Jai ho” !

I am in Varanasi in the eastern Uttar Pradesh to cover the first phase of polling, due on April 16/09 and staying in a hotel on the Lahura Bir road which is couple of kms away from the place where “Sant Kabir” once lived, penned and sang what we know now as “Kabir Vani”. Almost each corner , road and street in the ancient city is laced with history. But that is a different story. People are now grappling with the titanic fight between a former Professor Murli Manohar Joshi, a BJP candidate, and mafia don- turned-BSP candidate Mokhtar Abbas Ansari, controlling his election from his jail premises. Mayawati’s rally is scheduled in ‘Benia Park” under a hot summer sun. Charted buses ferrying people to the venue. “ They are not local, brought from outside”, comes a pithy comment from one in cyber café. There will not be any power cut today as Mayawati is in town, I am assured. But that was an over simplification.

Power cut visits Lahura Bir – the desktop winks and the body of the story typed for past one hour vanishes, leaving only its “Atma” with me. I carry on with it in another cyber café with back up facilities.

Another sweltering day passes and evening progresses with “Paan chewing” inhabitants emerge out on the roads. There is little sign of electioneering and
Life close to Ganga river and the innumerable Ghats dotting it continues uninterrupted .
A silently sobbing old woman with bandages around her head. “ Sara saman chala gaya…” (Everything stolen) , she says and mumbles. Accepts some money. Within minutes she is gone.

A city where centuries co-exist has seen much more than a passing election contest.

Road to Azamgarh is a well mettled road. Azamgarh has been intellectually fertile producing many creative people including writers and poets Ayodhya Prasad ‘Hari Oudh’ Rahul Sanshkrityayan Shyam Narian Pandey Laxmi Narain Misra, Soond Faizabadi, Allama Shibli Nomani and Kaifi Azmi . The Muslims in the area are apprehensive of publicity given by “Batala-terrorist encounter” to Azamgarh as “ a terror breeding ground”. One interacts with Abu Mohammad, Principal of “Sibili-Inter-college”. He talks about the progressive ideas of the founder Nomani “who encouraged girl education” over hundred years ago. Meandering through Azamgarh streets, I recollect Anand Khuswaha, a native of Azamgarh, who left the town over 30 years ago “to discover” .. ..
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A number of medical doctors are campaigning for the Ulema council candidate Dr Javed Akhtar in Deoli village (in Azamgarh) known for silk saris. Doctors offer me cane juice to beat the oppressive Sun. It is a door-to-door electioneering with campaign cars making a whistle stop tour and meandering through “Kaccha lanes”. Time is short and candidate has to catch up with many areas. A police guard is keeping a watch on the candidate as the news floats in that the candidate of Justice Party in the adjacent Jaunpur constituency has been killed.

Time is running out and one takes the road to Gorakhpur. Barring a lone jeep draped with candidate’s picture with a speaker blaring out usual sing-song messages , any signs of electioneering are almost lost in the routine road traffic. But as I enter Gorakhpur at about 830 PM, road side rallies are on with Bhojpuri song and dance progressing through the night. Close to Gorakhpur is Chauri-Chaura - a village where on 4 February 1922 a nationalist mob set afire a police station killing 23 of the police occupants , forcing Mahatma Gandhi suspending his non-cooperation movement. Famous Hindi writer Prem Chand wrote “Idgah” near Gorakhpur Railway station. The district is now infamous for Japanese encephalitis and gall bladder stones . I make a hurried visit to “Gita Prakashan” building which has a record for publishing the largest number of religious books.

Journalistic job entails talking to people and eliciting their views. Most of time it is skin deep- extracting a quote or two and fitting them in a type case.I am talking with Dr Moh. Arif Farooqi, an orthopedic, who is visiting me at my hotel. I enquire about the Muslim-mind-set, their voting preferences etc. Farooqi did his MBBS from King George Medical college in Allahabad. Educated in a Madrasa in Mau from the first standards to third standards, the doctor tells in bits and pieces .

“ This Madrasa was unaided but regulated by the government. One can get education in government school and college by showing Transfer certificate from Madrasa. I went to government school from 4th to 5th. From 6th to 7th studied in “Jeevan Ram Inter-college at Mau. In Ninth I was in Muslim Inter-college , Mau and for 10th class I went to village “Tarun Inter college. There was no Biology so I shifted to “Shaheed Inter-college” .

He speaks in defence of Madrasa education. “ Madrasa is a kind of refuse- food, education and shelter”, he says and seeks to protest against the image “rendered” to Madrasa education. Most Madrasas have English and scientific education. Are you a ‘a Namazi’ ? I ask. “ Yes, I am a Namazi. I was a communist and an atheist in my college days. I changed after I studied Islam”, he informs me in a matter of fact manner. What does Islam say about vegetarianism ? , one odd query from my side “ I myself do not prefer meat unless ….”, Dr Farooqi tells me and invites me to ask any question on Islam.
He is gone. I have many questions but have to move on to the next station.

Ayodhya is in Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency with the controversial legacy of disputed Mandir-Majid site. All is calm here with “karyashala” (workshop) where parts of the proposed temple are kept, is lying idle. Ram temple is not an election agenda in the heart of Ramjnmbhoomi movement !. Times have changed. I meet a sub-inspector in “karsevakpuram” (where a model of the proposed temple is kept). He abuses Rikshaw puller (taking me round the city) for not taking me first to “karyashala” . The sub-inspector is in leisurely mood and offers cold drink to me and talks about his family problems. A visit to the disputed “Mandir-Majid” site is a must. A young lad takes me round and gives me his version of the old and the recent history of the dispute. He is a school drop out. His Father died of cancer so he has taken a full time profession of a guide. He has a brother who , he says, is mentally challenged.

Despite occupying an important place in the political schemes of many a politicians, train “Kaifiyat Express” from Azamgarh to New Delhi stops here only for two-minutes with palpable uncertainty about platform number. Would it come on platform number one or two ? There are no easy answers. One of the station officer confides : if the engine continues to shunt on platform no. 1 than the “Kaifiyat Express” would arrive at platform no. 2 but if it moves away in time , the train may enter platform no.1. What is life without challenges ? I gear up for the task and manage to board it in time.

April 23/09. I am flying to Saurashtra in Gujarat to get a feel of “Modidtva”. Rajkot is land of Goldsmiths as also a production centre of automobile parts (say Nano parts). Auto-driver, a Muslim, takes me to a hotel and talks about “dandho” (business) and development. He is a congress voter but is averse to criticize Modi Just bang opposite my hotel on the Ashapura road is an old school building where Mahatama Gandhi once studied.

Close to Municipality Chowk is historic Karanpara Chowk . BJP has organized a road show in support of their candidate Kiran Bhai Patel. “ He has done well in education”, says Piush kumar, a BJP worker, and reels off the educational institutions owned by Patel. Rajkot is a BJP stronghold and the party is confident of a win (The BJP eventually lost). In the evenings the Rajkot middle-class gathers round the Race Course park and stadium for an evening relaxation. Ice-creams, spicy and oily Gujarati food, `masala Paan` and the routine night walk and talk go hand-in-hand . Life is not interrupted by “Chutni Mahasangram” (election battle).

Narendra Modi seems to be popular leader credited with “can-do” spirit. Roads are fine and there are rare power cuts. But These are the impressions of a fast-track visitor.

I am on my way to Surendra Nagagar where I meet one of the richest LS candidate Khiji Bhai Patadia, an independent candidate. He has a documentary film about himself where he is promising free housing although he himself is a big Mumbai realtor. In A hotel room, he is interacting with many locals. Prior to my meeting with him, he is offering currency notes to one of the person-identified as a headman of a village. Minutes later, I start my interview with him. “ I don not know these people. They have come for my campaigning on their own”, he tells me and reels off his plan of development….. He is not doing or saying anything unexpected. So am I.

Like several other historical buildings , Junagarh fort in the city heights takes you back in time. Leader of opposition L K Advani is fond of talking about the last of the Junagarh Nawab who had “a special affection” towards dogs. “ He would even celebrate birth-days of his dogs”, the BJP leader is often quoted saying so jocularly in his public addresses while touching the topic of unification of princely states within India. Well, one can not find fault with Nawab’s behaviour. Dogs have, time and again , proved themselves to be far better then their masters . Saint poet Narsimh Mehta’s statue is standing under the punishing afternoon Sun. Drive down to Porbandar.

Cutting short visits to “Chutni party offices” , I move to Kirti Mandir- Mahatma Gandhi’s birth place and the home which was purchased in 1777 AD by his Great Grand father Harjivanji Radhidasji Gandhi form local lady Man Bhavi. Gandhiji’s grand father Uttamchodji carried out some changes and mad it two storey buildings . Gandhiji was born on October 2, 1869. Now it is three storey building with 22 rooms. It is all written their. Old time architecture. Wooden staircase takes one up with a rope to help. Several Small rooms and one more staircase and a rope to help. Study room of Gandhiji-it opens out ..well ventilated. It was 119 years ago. Few minutes eye and feet contact with the Arabian sea and one drives back to Rajkot.

Another day, am on way to Bhavnagar where lakhs of Diamond workers have been rendered unemployed by the recession in the Europe and the US. Belgium is one of the key buyers of polished diamonds from Bhavnagar. Diamonds are not for ever.

The election festival has seemingly gained only a furtive , half-baked or at best a business-like attention from the City dwellers. Driving through Surendra Nagar, Junagarh, Bhavnagar or Porbandar, one had a feeling that the cyclical election drill has not carried much conviction with the voters.



After all just 58.43 per cent India voted and almost a half stayed back home.

The election campaign, in fact, is seen to be happening more on the freshly done-up television sets and studios with the high decibel anchors hammering on celebrity campaigners be they Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Amar Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Mahima Choudhray ,Salman Khan and many of those from televisions and regional cinema. And now they all taken have a long and “a well-deserved holiday break”. It may again be “a five-year break” for the politicians before they return “to another spectacle and a story”…

Post script (16/05/09) : Congress-led UPA has won Indian elections. Council of ministers is in place. And team Manmohan gets down to “business”. jai ho. eom

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