Ghashiram Kotwal & Jar-karma

Corroboration falls short to prove historical reference piece that Gharisham Sawaldas bartered his 16-year-old daughter with Nana Phadanavis to become Kotwal (police commissioner) of Pune city.

There are however references available on how Ghashiram was killed by Brahmins of Pune on 21 August 1791. Those Brahmins, irked by the previous night incident when 21 citizens were lost their lives due to suffocation while guarding bombshells, lynched Ghashiram. The act was committed in Hadapsar where Arm Forces Medical College is now situated.

Stories surrounding Ghashiram have often been inquisitive. Those stories tell us prostitution involving men and women was on high even during Peshwa rule.

Letter written by Peshwas to Ghashiram once he became permanent during 1782 suggest the rulers were concerned about growing “male-prostitution” in Pune. Out of that concern, Peshwa reminded Ghashiram of his task: “Striyanna Jar-karma karanyapasun paravrutt karane” (Discouraging women to involve into male-prostitution). There is another reference that suggests Peshwas had also asked Ghashiram to “not to allow married women from involving into prostitution.”

I am bit disappointed though not completely dejected to read Mandar Lawate’s latest article: Punyachi Kotawali on city’s history. It falls short on some crucial details. The article is otherwise good.

For the benefit of English readers, Here is selective reference from Lawate’s piece published in Sakal:

(After death of Ghashiram), Bajirao Peshwa II understood that Kotwal is a plum post. He therefore started auctioning the post. It was in 1800 the post of Kotwal was first auctioned to Vithoji Gaikwad at Rs. 1. 12 lakh.

Given that post was auctioned at such exorbitant rate, we can imagine how corrupt the system would have been and to what extent hafta-wasuli had gone up. By those old rate, today if we learn that Pune or Mumbai commissioner’s post was sold at 112 crores, one shouldn’t be surprised.

The Great Cogeneration Scam

It’s a scam worth Rs. 5000 crores. It is also a classic case of how politicians create a situation and exploit it to their best. It also tells us why opposition parties don’t win elections even when ruling parties are impotent, busy serving own interests.

In this game, ruling parties calls the shots, to which opposition react in a customized way.
Initially, they create electricity shortfall. Then, just when we think of desperate measures to bridge power gap, these politicians come up with solution.

Solution: Politicians in power running the cooperative sugar mills are to generate some 1200 mw power by setting up cogeneration plants within their sugar factories. These politicians then allow 55 such factories, some of them controlled by ministers while few by opposition.

To set up plants, rulers make provision of subsidized fund worth Rs. 5000 crore. The capital and subsidy is to be borne by taxpayers. It is fine if the mills are to sell their power mandatory to state owned utility to meet shortfall.

But, mantris, tacitly change the original government resolution. They allow themselves to sell power in open market, which offers far higher rates and sell it in return with proportionate profits. This way, politicians indulge into profiteering.

Curiously, all through the process, opposition is conspicuously silent. No wonder they too have their share.

So while guarding the private interests, public interest sustains severely dent.

My report on this in Hindustan Times to read minister's reaction: