A black day!

The event – Calcutta University Annual Convocation, the venue- Nazrul Manch, the day- 28th January 2020:

The convocation advertised with much fanfare and publicity for conferring a D. Litt on the Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee should have been carved in the golden letters of Bengal’s and the University’s history. Sadly, it was, but for a wrong reason, of preventing the entrance of the Chancellor of the University, the Governor of West Bengal Shri Jagdeep Dhankar.  Students, or those who are presumed to be one, crowded before his car and shouted, ‘go back’ slogans spicing their slogans with ‘Dalal of BJP’ aimed at the Governor.

The protest was not unanticipated, and the police grossly failed in stopping the agitating students, who were protesting against CAA, NPR and the NRC! He was hurriedly moved to a private room in the venue, where he signed the D. Litt award for the Nobel Laureate. Had he returned without entering the room or signing the diploma certificate, none else could have signed it. Fortunately, the Governor now used to this type of protests, overlooked the insult and returned after handing over the Certificate to the Nobel Laureate.

Using the students’ shoulders to fire at political adversaries is nothing new nor uncommon. Still, the Governor may not fit into the description, despite his bold or provocative stand on several issues. The Chief Minister was conspicuously absent from a historical event, back on her passion, painting in her unique style.  The education minister too was not present, but he is rarely missed!

The Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, Dr Sonali Chakravorty Banerjee, was audaciously assuaging the agitating students that it is ‘she’ who will hand over the Certificate and not the Governor.  My surprise was when Dr Abhijit Banerjee went ahead and gave an acceptance speech, in the middle of all this drama and sub-optimal exhibition of our culture. He should have limited to a thank you note, if at all. Students have learnt to protest vehemently, a culture injected into them by successive political governments. It is essential to ensure that they are worthy in their future lives, other than being protestors.

Surely, CAA or NRC are critical matters, and the Supreme Court is seized of this. A constitution bench would be hearing the validity of the Act soon. There can be only two positions post the court’s observation, to withdraw or amend the Act suitably by the government, or to obey Law by all the states. The resolutions passed by a few states, including West Bengal, will have to lie in animated suspension until then.

I wonder if some political leader would start a fast-unto-death, under a public glare, for the rollback of the dreaded CAA or NRC? If not, why not? Simply because their lives could be more precious! It is the students’ lives and their career, which are expendable!

It is a black day, threatening the inclusivity and tolerance that Bengal has been famous. The leaders must tame the rot and help put the state in order. Many old alumni from the University deeply regretted the incident, which throws light of hope in this grim scenario.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

End the eunuch’s menace!

Eating habits, Poha, or halwa hogged the headlines, the news, ‘Eunuchs’ dance with ill infant turns fatal,’ was relegated somewhere in an obscure middle page of the dailies.

One of the children, born as twins, fifty days ago was ill and had come home twenty days ago, as the eunuchs assembled with their loud and bawdy songs at their gate, demanding twelve thousand rupees. Feeble attempts to send them away met with little success, as they grabbed the baby boy and started dancing. The sick infant died unable to endure the animated gesticulations. The police later arrested three eunuchs. The sad incidence was at West Bengal’s Jhargram yesterday.

Harassment by eunuchs is nothing new in India. They could be around fifty thousand to six million in numbers, living mostly in metropolitan towns of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. Eunuchs are despised and feared for their abusive and vulgar behaviour and show up at marriages or new births to demand huge monies.

Eunuchs are either intersexual or born male to develop. Often gay men and transsexuals are added into their ranks. Unlike transgender people, who experience their gender in conflict, other than as assigned during their birth, eunuchs are born male with their external organs removed surgically, with or without consent. Their life is shrouded in secrecy.

Indians fear their powers to cast a spell and curse and hurriedly yield to their demands, sighing a relief in their departure. There is a nexus between the birth registry at the nursing homes, municipalities, who share the details of every new child born with the eunuchs. They do a quite survey and ascertain from the security men or servants about the financial strength before placing a ‘suitable’ demand. Failure to yield often meets with a threat to disrobe in public, which is considered an evil omen for the family and the children.

Police are not enthusiastic about arresting the eunuchs and bringing them to the lock-up. ‘Hell breaks loose until we produce them in the court the next day,’ confided a senior police official. Very recently, my niece had to cough up forty thousand rupees with a few sarees and other gifts to make them go.

It’s time that the government bans the forcible collection of sums from new mothers, on the fear of the wrath of God’s of the eunuchs and their spell of curses. They must immediately assimilate with the society, their dignity intact.

My heart goes out to the family of the kid who died, in the most unfortunate circumstances. I also empathize cross-genders and those with gender identity disorders as well as unconsented and forced eunuchs.

SS Kumar

Intrépide Voix

Thalaiva has arrived!

I write here about an outstanding journalist Cho Ramaswami, a thespian and a film actor, writer and publisher, who did a lot of socio-political satires, daringly taking on all the politicians, without the burden of any party affiliations. As a capping endeavour of his several achievements, Cho founded ‘Tuglaq,’ a Tamil weekly in Jan 1970 and was its editor until his death in Dec 2016. He served as a Rajya Sabha MP from November 1999 to November 2005 nominated by President K R Narayanan. Visit of Jayalalithaa the then CM of Tamil Nadu and Modi the PM of India while ailing and in hospital will reflect his political clout.

Cho dared all, from releasing a stamp in memory of Capt. Subhash Saxena, the pilot of the aircraft, who also died in the air crash that killed Sanjay Gandhi. Cho had published pictures of Dravida Kazagam’s parading images of Lord Rama and Sita in the nude in 1971, resulting in banning and confiscation and destruction of all the copies of Tuglaq magazine.

E.V.Ramasamy Naicker, EeVeRa, popularly known as ‘Periyar,’ or ‘the great’ led a rationalist moment and built his base abusing Hindu Gods and more importantly Brahmins, who virtually were at the helm of affairs in the Southern State. Breaking Gods Idols, wiping away the vermillion marks of the women, cutting the tresses or sacred threads of the Brahmins gave Periyar’s supporters an ecstatic glee. It could also have been venting of pent up anger of generations of subjugations of the lower caste by the Tamil Brahmins.

The present Dravidian parties, a dozen or more, are all offshoots of Periyar’s Dravida Kazagam, the DMK, AIADMK, MDMK, PMK to lead a few. The peace-loving Brahmin community would not engage with the rowdyism and lawlessness spread out by Periyar’s thugs and quietly made their way out of Tamil Nadu to peaceful and inclusive destinations like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The emergence of BJP as a nodal power in the national politics with Modi at its helm has given the Hindu Tamils a new hope as the war of words are escalating.

Now appears Rajinikanth, the reluctant superstar and has been evasive of his entry into Indian politics. Rajini could be a late runner into politics but still has an unparalleled charisma, feared, respected and despised by other political leaders. He had to prove his seriousness on critical issues, especially his dare to the Dravida ideologies. He, as the chief guest of Tuglaq’s golden jubilee celebrations, criticised Periyar’s divisive policies of denigrating Hindu Gods and using it as a ladder to grow in politics.

As expected, the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu erupted in a furore over the slight of their revered past leader and demanded Rajini’s apology. The actor stood firm and has refused to apologise on his stand, which was merely a comment on historical facts. Tamil Hindus have been suffering silently at the atheist Dravidian philosophies, and Rajini’s shoulders have become the leaning point for all, which will make a dent in the state’s politics. BJP would undoubtedly do its best to polarise and isolate the Dravidian parties, with usual political and administrative skills that they have acquired in the last seven years.

Tamil politics could be more entertaining in the days to come, than the increasingly dull caa caa chi chi songs.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

Sold, Mohun Bagan Club!

I read the news of a prominent business house based in Bengal taking over the famous Mohun Bagan Club. Mohun Bagan Club is 130 years old, established in 1839 and one of the oldest football clubs in India and Asia. Mohun Bagan’s biggest rivalry with another city club East Bengal is historical.

In my childhood days, my neighbourhood was full of Mohun Bagan supporters, called ‘Gotis’ who belonged to West Bengal. Their arch-rival was East Bengal Club, supported by Bengali refugees from the other side of the border, then called East Pakistan.

Festoons of green and maroon of the Mohun Bagan or red and yellow of East Bengal would proclaim their respective territories, which neither would infiltrate. ‘Adda’ at the road corner shops would endlessly discuss the health, speed, skill of individual players and their ‘formations’ in the field. Discussion on a ‘right-out’ or a ‘left-back’ could take hours of arguments.

Come the day of the reckoning, as batches after batches would invade the grounds, in buses and trams, but each carriage carrying supporters of a specific team, their allegiance known from the fluttering flags tied to the front of the vehicles and waved from every window of the over-crowded trams and buses. Gongs and conches were common as were tashas, the flat drums. Cricket was limited to transistors as the TVs had not made their way into our country and it was the football which was the plasma of the Bengali blood.

There could be but one victor, which was announced by exited commentators in their feverish cracked voices, tearing the skis into frenzied ecstasy. Gongs in our locality would come alive as the ladies in household blow conches the moment a goal was scored. The supporters of the winning team had the right of way to occupy every tram, bus, truck and those three-wheeled tempos, as the supporters of the vanquished team would walk in wobble like they have lost a near or dear and in mourning.

I am a vegetarian but would wait the next morning for a fish vendor, who would visit our locality with deep-discounted ‘ilish’ fish, in the event of a loss of East Bengal. He would rue, “I was hundred per cent sure that my team would win, in which case I would not have had a single piece of fish left unsold. Now I am forced to off-load it for a third of its price.”

The next week’s topic of discussion would only revolve over either Shyam Thapa’s bicycle shot or Shabir Ali’s one-touch football. No repetitions were boring as discussing the moves minute-by-minute each time was a perpetual and eternal thrill. The tea shop owners or restaurants would split a cup of tea into two earthen cups and show their love of sports by keenly watching our debates and participating wherever they could.

In the then world devoid of religious extremes, but politically sensitive, the world of soccer united a turbulent Bengal, in which Mohun Bagan and East Bengal played a significant role.

Despite appealing terms like merger or assimilation with a business house’s club ATK is called, the Mohun Bagan stands sold, like many other unparalleled virtues of this hapless state.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

Amazon or Kirana?

Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man and the owner of Amazon, the most significant online portal, made a three-day visit to India last week. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the commerce minister Piyush Goyal snubbed Bezos, without meeting him. The offer of US$ 1 Billion investment over five years in digitalizing the SMEs met with a curt retort from Goyal, that the business Mogul is not doing any favour to India by his investment, which is merely to contain his losses. Neither Bezos’s statement of new job opportunities enthused the government, which responded that those engaged in the brick-and-mortar trade affected would be many times more.

The telecom revolution, smartphones, high-speed internet and cheaper tariffs have made ordinary people technology-friendly. Amazon, which started as a bookstore, expanded its palette to offer anything under the skies and grew exponentially in the last decade.

Large stores like Walmart and Carrefour, considered invincible until recently, attract lesser crowds, as online portals like Amazon have chipped deep into their territory. The impossibility of urban cities to grow horizontally have made roads more congested than ever. Lack of jobs has forced hawkers to encroach every pavement and parts of many roads, making city walk no more pleasurable. Online trade has mitigated the pain of making to the markets and stores.

The advantage of online is, one can crosscheck on the prices and various qualities at one go. The initial apprehension of fraudsters palming off poor or imitations is watched and acted upon by law enforcing agencies. ‘No questions asked,’ replacements have become prevalent, adding to the customer’s confidence. To get a firm foothold on the vast Indian market, most Online operators have gone for predatory pricing, offering impractical discounts. Last fortnight one such online portal provided 47% discount on most of their products. No wonder, the ultimate consumers have never had it so good, changing their loyalties from the time-tested street corner Kirana shop.

There are 12 m Kirana shops, not taking into account tiny ones. On average, there could be three employees in each shop, which makes the directly affected 36 m; four dependent family members for each one of them would make the total to 144 m. Then there are Super-Stockists, wholesalers, distributors middlemen, salespeople etc. In a country like ours the men engaged in this trade, estimated to be $ 700 Bn, is too large. Not all will be adversely affected though, as the retailers also wait for ‘offers’ from big portals or large wholesalers like ‘Metro’ to cash in on the discounts.

The English traders also stepped in with humility and fair-trade guarantee. They made our country pauper and famished our lands to earn profits. The lure of deep discounts is not sustainable and will soon vanish, with regular prices prevailing. No business can underwrite hundreds of millions of losses in dollar terms, which is what is the scenario today. Coming to the trade arena with deep pockets, the biggies like Wal Mart (Jio Mart), Amazon have the power to shake and uproot, if not all, many small traders.

It will be interesting to see as to what the discerning and crafty Indian consumer will eventually prefer, whether Online or Kirana stores. The barren stores in the flashy Malls world over, do indicate the future.

Piyush Goyal wouldn’t have lost anything by meeting Jeff Bezos, despite he owning Washington Post, considered unfriendly to the present Indian Government!

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

 

 

 

Waiting for the Lordships!

The anti-CAA protests have far from ended in various parts of India. More than sixty petitions are awaiting the Apex Courts’ decision over the validity and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, which came into force on 10 January 2020. Besides the eternal opponents, JNU and Jamia Milia, students from many other states have chipped in, in their show of solidarity, though primarily against police highhandedness in Jamia, but with placards with varying slogans like Go Back Modi, Free Kashmir in addition to No to CAA, NRC and NPR.

Kerala and West Bengal governments have moved the Supreme Court under a rarely exercised Article 131 of the Constitution of India, which grants original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court on all cases involving the enforcement of fundamental rights of citizens. By precedence States’ petitions, Jharkhand, Bihar and Kerala’s earlier appeals against the Centre have all been dismissed by the Supreme Court, which had maintained that the state could not claim supremacy over a Central Act if it is in the Union List.

The Centre has maintained that the States have no locus standi as the Act falls under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution. The States must abide and implement the Central Law, now subject to the Supreme Court’s validation. Matters like Defence, Railways, Citizenship and Naturalisation fall under the exclusive privilege of the Centre.

In such a scenario, the West Bengal CM has declined to participate in the Centre called NPR preparatory meeting tomorrow in Delhi, daring the Centre ‘to pull down her government.’ The Centre has seriously flawed in not adequately disseminating the Bill and Act with the public and the opposition. 

Perhaps Didi is forced to maintain the hard stance until the 22 January, when the multiple petitions come up for hearing. In the highly unlikely event of the court rubbishing the Act, she will become the champion of the opposition. If the Supreme Court, again in the unlikely circumstances, direct the Centre to examine a few discriminatory provisions, she still can claim victory. In the likely event of the Apex court approving the Act, all opposing political parties, including Didi’s, can take refuge of the ‘obedience to the law,’ converting their protests to more passive, than now.

The fight was lost, back in the parliament, when high decibel rhetoric gave way to saner arguments. Walkouts, absenteeism and last-minute switchover were responsible for the passage of the bills, which were primarily intended and colluded with between a section of the opposition and the ruling party.

The nation would wait until the court delivers its verdict on the CAA, but the soon to begin work on the National Census and the National Population Register programme cannot and should not be thwarted.

The students must be back in their classes.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

 

The faux pas!

Amid his gruelling schedule, Prime Minister Modi visited Belur Math and decided to stay there overnight. He addressed a gathering, consisting of mostly monks and the locals where he pitched for his CAA and lamented on its opposition by misinformed youth. He could have well avoided any reference to CAA at all at a religious and revered place. The face of Hinduism, which Rama Krishna Math propagates, is more inclusive and does not differentiate between other sects and religions.

 

The Chief of the Math extended the welcome to Modi, a devotee of Swami Vivekananda. Modi Ji extensively quotes Vivekananda in his speeches as well. Saffron colour donned by the monks at the Belur does not symbolize any hardcore Hindutva, seen around today. They, on the contrary, are real symbols of engaging with all other religions like Christianity and Islam, and scholars from these faiths frequently stay at the Mission to learn about our religion and vice versa. The Chief of the sect distanced the Math from any political leanings from PM Modi’s speech.

 

Hindus do not proselytize, not converting members of other faiths to their own. Hinduism firmly believes in, ‘Ekam Sat, viprah bahuda vadanti,’ meaning ‘Truth is one, sages describe it variously.’ Despite being given various names, Hinduism recognizes the Supreme Spirit as one, despite different names. Swami Vivekananda also quoted from Shiva Mahima Stotra as:

 

साङ्ख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति

प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च।

रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिल नानापथजुषां

नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव॥ ७॥

 

Translation: The different practices based on the three Vedas, SaMkhya, Yoga, Pashupata-mata, VaishhNava-mata etc., are merely different paths (to reach to the Greatest Truth) and people on account of their various aptitude choose from them whatever they think best and deserving to be accepted. But as the sea is the final resting place for all types of streams, you are the only destination for all people whichever path, straight or curved, they may accept.

 

There seems to be a significant distortion attempted between Hinduism, its avowed tolerance, and the new assertive Hindutva, often running amok like a rudderless ship. The hardened image can be contained better by understanding real and inclusive Hinduism, which is but a way of life and cannot hold wholly as a religion.

 

India has been a country, the way of lives of its citizens a wonder and amazement to many later born and evolved religions. The scholars visited our pundits and held meaningful debates, to understand each other better.

 

Coming back to the perils of conversion, often with financial or political sops, by other religions should end. Such provocations result in harsher responses. However, it is time that we eschew Manusmriti of casteism, intimately bonded with our ethos, if our country has to grow.

 

Hon’ble PM Modi Ji would do well to respect the sanctity of the Math and desist using such platforms to justify his government’s action, good or bad. He must understand the difference between being a political party leader, a Prime Minister of a nation, a leader of all its citizens and above all, a statesman!

 

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

Who will lead the peace initiative?

Can a sovereign government be declared a terrorist nation? Can any such nation’s army general be called a terrorist and eliminated in an alien territory? I guess the answer will be a no.

Merely because two nations are not on the same page does not make either one a pariah and empower one to act in a unilateral manner that will plunge the world into another world war. Historical differences exist between many African nations, the Koreas, China and Taiwan, India and Pakistan, Israel and Palestine and many such. But countries, in their compulsion to coexist, subscribe to the UN charter and adhere to some basic norms and principles.

The method and manner in which the US has eliminated General Quassem Soleimani call for deep introspection by the US.  The UN and US well-wishers have read the riot act to the US President, about the misgivings in their assumed righteousness, acting as a capricious policeman of the world.

The act of killing the General was outside the US territories, in a foreign land. The tears of Iran’s Supreme leader during the mourning must convey the nation’s resolve in retaliating. I did write earlier that Iran is no match militarily for the mighty US. To me, such a situation is more complicated and dangerous, as surprise lone-wolf attacks would needlessly result in loss of lives of innocents, unlike in military warfare.

The sheer might and strength of the US must make it more responsible and restrained in maintaining world peace, without causing provocations and sliding into war. It seems the US arms industry is itching to test its latest additions, laser-guided missiles and weapons of destruction. The impeachment process initiated against the US President and the forthcoming Presidential elections makes the timing perfect for alibis, to flex muscles and start a war, wherever. Iran, I guess has merely come in the crosshairs at an inopportune time.

The US killed a General who was in convoy, in which many died. Iran retaliated by a missile attack in their neighbouring country, where the US base existed, causing a disquiet for Iran. A few could have been killed in the retaliatory attack as well. The matter must end here and now, by both parties sitting across the table and negotiating peace. A nuclear Iran is in nobody’s interest and would prove expensive for the region, particularly for the Gulf region and Israel. I hope the US President would evolve as a statesman and avert another prolonged war.

I hope it is time for countries like India to come forward and extend its diplomatic skills in arriving at an amicable and peaceful solution for the betterment of the world. A failure in a peaceful solution could be disastrous for all, a situation none can afford. I hope a few statesmen could be still left in the world!

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

A lousy beginning for 2020!

It would be foolish to assume that the killing of Iran’s General Qassem Soleimani by the US Drones would go without any response. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Al Khamenei, has warned of severe repercussions, threatening to hit hard. Iran has termed the killing ‘an act of terror.’

The timing of the attack-to-kill by the US, cleared by POTUS is not without misgivings, with the heat of impeachment and Trump’s struggle to secure better ratings for a re-nomination in the forthcoming Presidential polls. President Trump has announced that the killing of the General was necessitated to ward off impending attacks planned by Iran on the US assets and the slain General was responsible for the death of 603 US service personnel.

The Drone attack is said to be more impacting than the hunting down and killing Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan by the US Navy Seals during Obama’s presidential tenure. The Iran Revolutionary Guards have threatened revenge, which could be in the form of lone-wolf attacks in the US, threats to US commercial aircraft, US ships passing through the Gulf, the US representative offices around the world. You must be wondering why I have not mentioned about full-scale military conflicts: simply because Iran, financially crippled with the US sanctions, cannot afford any prolonged war.

The politics of the Gulf countries is a complex one, afflicted by religious bigotry and sectarianism. Iran has 95 per cent Shia, and so are Iraq’s, which has more than 70 per cent Shia. That did not prevent them from fighting each other. The war lasted eight and a half years without any decisive victor, but Saddam was thrown out and later killed by the US. In the meanwhile, Iran has become a Nuclear power and has no qualms about its usage, wherever, to counter the US, and that may not be great news for the world. Iran also has an army of cyber experts, who could wage a cyberattack to paralyze US systems, even if for short durations to cause chaos.

The bourses around the world have dived, fearing reprisals by Iran and an outbreak of war in the Gulf. The crude prices, the other barometer, and gold have firmed up in the times of economic agony for most countries, including India. This may not be good news at all.

As I write this, the US embassy in Iraq has been attacked by the Iranian missiles, which could mean the beginning of another bout of a protracted proxy war. At the Qom mosque, the red flag has been hoisted to signify bloody revenge, even as the arms industry is wetting its lips in anticipation of a great year ahead.

Peace seems farther than before because diplomacy seems irreverent by political leaders and seasoned diplomats are hard to find similar like a statesman anywhere in the world.

With prayers for peace,

Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix