The strange case of Buddhadeb and Gurudas Dasgupta

We are witnessing a decisive phase in realignment within left the process which started right after ascension of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

Taking over the mantle of West Bengal after more than two decades of misrule by Jyoti Basu, which saw West Bengal slip from one of the leaders to laggard in almost all industrial and social index, and cholbe na adopted as the motto.

Even though a member of CPM student union, and a a minister in Basu ministry, he was a moderate compared to hawks in the party, often questioning the official theology. After becoming the chief minister he quickly did a Deng Xiaoping, and set out to salvage the wreck.
Six years and one elections later not only has he established his popularity among the masses, but also emerged from the shadow of Jyoti Basu.

The important aspect has been his commitment for reform and (re)industrialization of West Bengal, oftentimes in face of opposition from fellow apparatchiks. His efforts have borne fruit,
already Industrial outlook is better and even though the state is still hostage to strikes (by both the parties), the perception is improving. This is best illustrated by rush of IT & XPO industries to get their share of pie. With encouragement to set up plants, there is real chance of regaining the former position.

If I have to guess, the future trend of this dualism will be

1. Buddhadeb will continue to have his say, as long as he delivers where it matters that is at elections.

2. A convenient arrangement for CPM will be to follow (Adam) Smith in Bengal, and Marx(Groucho, not Karl) in rest of India. Good news for Bengal, bad news for rest of us.

3. Any decisive victory of pragmatist over orthodoxy will be dependant on electoral equation, which can only be made favourable with a strong nationalistic front.

The dogs with laryngitis

It was fifth anniversary of attack on Indian Parliament. The survivors of martyrs disgusted by abject pandering of UPA government to liberals and agit props in case of Mohammed Afzal have returned their medals. What I find amusing is that none of the MSM find it worthy of headlines, instead buried deep inside exploits of Lee-Hesh or Left strike. Wonder how would our "eminent" journalists react if it was NDA government.

Bias, what liberal bias !

The wave function undulates

In one universe I rejoice, in another I grieve, in yet another I succeed, and fail.
Sometimes I find love, sometimes I pine and yet another age I pick the flowers of bitter drops. I am alone, in crowd, drenched in rain, covered with grime. I lived my life to the fullest, my dream was unfulfilled, I was a good son, I was a miserable failure.
In all those worlds, infinity and beyond, the wretched cat walks on my grave

Beyond State

While I can only admire indignation and fury of self righteous over Rashmi Bansal case, technically speaking, isn't she fugitive in the eyes of law ? And living in India, and being clinically sane, if some one says that one didn't know that the ruckus the advertisement will create, then excuse me if I am unimpressed by such claims*.

One last thing, if someone thinks that freedom means license to take a crap on Hindus, then someone is mistaken. I think there are more innocuous way to have fun than terming Shiv Ling as "khada lund" (slang for erect penis)**, as a poet warned "Do not scratch snow, for you may rouse the volcano which sleeps".

* I doubt Rashmi personally approved the ad. Whoever approved, has a lot of explaining to do.

** As was mentioned in Rohit's (now deleted) post

PS. I do not think that police should be chasing offences related to religious sensibilities, or even that it should be a offense. But that doesn't mean that any such slight should be let gone unanswered, but that society is the right forum for redress, Hindus (or for that matter Muslims or Christians) should create enough disincentive, to discourage, even wreck perpetrators of such acts, in other words Hindus should shrug off this air of passivity and abject conformity. Markets work, whether of commodity, or ideas.

Reading Vidia

One good thing that came out of train journey over weekend was I was finally able to finish A House For Mr Biswas. I started the book with some trepidation, for my previous experience of Naipaul was limited to either autobiographical or non fiction, written exclusively in first person, reminisce and anecdotes blending into pithy observations in a manner which is brilliant without being verbose. I was not sure what to expect from the book, which to me was the first work of fiction by him. With the caveat that I am hardly connoisseur of literature, I admit that I have been most impressed with the book. In style Naipaul is similar to Joseph Conrad, as well as Ernest Hemingway. He narrates story with short and simple sentences, and like aforementioned authors uses the power of prose to weave a rich and intricate pattern of life, euphoric and enchanting.

What attracted me most about the book was he managed to bring a vivid picture of Indians (or to be precise diaspora) without exoticizing India as our modern writers are wont to do. Of course spices, and colour do make an appearance, but here they are part of larger story, instead of props (or should we call item numbers of literature) or worse the whole story itself.

All in all, a most enjoyable read

3000 kilometers, a wedding, and stray thoughts

1. The Unwashed Indian Middle Class - If you are really interested in finding out why Indians are stuck in the rut, travel by trains. We just love to litter our trains, we have utter disregard for public places and our behaviour is nothing short of contemptuous towards our fellow human beings. This propensity for squalor, to wallow and spread filth like swines, cuts across boundary of any demography. Language, region even education is no exception (although I like to think that South fares better, but I don't know enough). The obvious conclusion of this is what we get are degrees and not education, that our situation is expected, indeed it would have been a surprise if it was better.
(Don't tell me I am stereotyping. I have travelled enough in trains to form opinion)

2. Loss of a friend - Attending R's marriage I had mixed feeling. I think one should feel happy for friend, but I can only feel pity for myself (yes I am selfish). With every marriage, my circle keeps getting smaller. It is a loss, for the friendship forged in loneliness of bachelorhood, hundreds of miles aways from home is what makes life worth living, otherwise after a point this loneliness begins to gnaw at innards, suck any meaning behind living. After marriage these bonds of transit melt away, a bond to last a lifetime taking place of camaraderie. The unstated but nevertheless understood comfort is replaced by formality, that too is swept aside by tides of time.

3. Meaning of marriage - Besides providing a stable environment for one's child that is. I doubt marriage is as much about companionship, as about finding stability, an anchorage so as to say. I field terribly old nowadays with realization that possibly soon I will be only bachelor among my friends.

4. Wages of secularism - At Mathura railway station there is a mural, nothing brilliant about it, but it depicts life of Lord Krishna. Now I think someday some aggrieved party will object to this, because Railway station is a government property and since we happen to be secular we can't have any association with religion, or otherwise demand a mural of Prophet Mohammad or Jesus Christ to balance the religious tilt. This is my main objection to secularism, not that it is, beyond giving a warm feeling, meaningless, but that pursuit of false ideals is a recipe to disaster and decrepitude. I know you will object that there is no realistic chance of this happening, and that would be true for now, but what about tomorrow ? For the truth is a majority of people who support have not the foggiest idea and do it for sake of fashion, it is the fringe minority but zealous about the cause (just like communist or socialist in earlier times) which drives the agenda and pushes what is kosher and what is not, step by step.

Dharma

As the day ended he stripped his armour and went out unarmed, in his robes.
In battle he was a furious warrior, bravest emperor of Magadha, but when the fighting ceased, he ventured to the battlefield with water to quench the thirst of dying. For him both the act of slaying and act of mercy were consistent. He waged war, because to him it was his duty as King to expand his domain, to become Chakravarti by making other rules accept his superiority, and he was compassionate because that was demanded by Dharma too. He did not particularly enjoy mayhem, fighting was a last resort as in this case because Lichhavi republic was not ready to accept the suzerainty of Magadha.

He walked on the battlefield, among the dead and injured, giving water, comforting the maimed and mutilated. In his ministrations he chanced upon a soldier in death throes, a lichhavi youth of tender age. He was moved by the soldier's heart rending cries. He went to that boy to soothe him. As he bent to comfort, the soldier recognized him.


Even as he was lying on the field, his death imminent, he could understand, even praise the soldier who even while he was dying, plunged the dagger in his breast. For just as it was his Dharma to be a victor, same way the Dharma of boy was to defend republic.