The ongoing confrontation between Indian media and judiciary is indirectly helping the political class.
If the media and the judiciary get into do-or-die hostilities, the only winners will be the politicians… writes Outlook editor-in-chief Vinod Mehta in his article.
Train Affair
I am not a frequent train itinerant. I prefer road traveling while going to my native place or even for an assignment. But in my most recent visit to Nagpur I rediscovered the fun of traveling in train generating penchant of opting similar mode in future. It all began when I read Shobha Narayan’s Saturday column in Mint few days before. In her piece on Indian train, Shobha wrote: Every Indian has a train story involving food and characters. So I too tried to search for any such story to which I will be a party. Although I could not find so, I realized coming to Nagpur through train itself is an experience to recount as a story.
Even though the train on which I was traveling did not have an opulence of special dining coach like Deccan Queen, but me, my cousin, sister and other friends were never short of eating stuff. Food is an integral part of train journey and we did respect that in totality. When I told others that DQ is the first train in India to have such facility where one can sit on its antique dining table, read the fresh morning news papers and sip tea and coffee with cutlets, they all mourned for having not experienced such wonderful thing till now.
Though Our's wasnt a DQ, the stinky toilets, dust ridden passages, broken mirror were least dampening for me to enjoy the ride through this lofty creature. I always wonder how railway coaches remain fit even as thousands of people board it daily creating kiosk. I was envy to see the antique pattern robust switches even as it was creating uncouthly noise. I wish I would have them at our new flat offering uninterrupted, unending, undemanding service. Within half an hour I peeked outside the window and the next thing which occupied my mind was the ready to cut sugarcane laden fields. I considered farmers of western Maharashtra fortunate enough to have all necessary resources.
After an initial adjustment and readjustment we settled down, only to see a waiter was ready to take evening meal order. We all decided to respect his service and placed an order for food at five-thirty. Then slowly we became Sindhi and went on buying spree. We tasted almost all the stuff we saw entering in our coach. Opinion may vary but it was striking for me to feel railway food is more palatable than at other traveling mode. Every Indian station has its specialty of offering particular items, I too wanted to experience it, but the odd night hours did not permit me to do so. I regret I missed famous Kachori at Shegao station. In the meanwhile at Daund station Lalu’s profit making machine did surprise many when it began to retrace already crossed route. My bewildered sister started looking at me and cousin for answers. A terse explanation of “train will soon change its track here” finally satisfied her.
Indian railway is an amazing creature which never disappoints anyone anytime anywhere. I don’t understand how it was running in losses until recently when Lalu finally took the reign of this mechanical dragon. I also fail to understand what exactly Lalu has done to turn this into profit making business. I have been seeing same railway with same track offering same service to same never-ending rush on its same filth ridden bogies, yet it has become money-spinning. These and similar such thoughts began haunting me when I went to upper berth for sleep. The next morning was pleasant. After having cup of tea twice, we then came to door waiting to be dropped at Nagpur. The journey ended after some time but the mind was taken up with reminiscences of another train trip.
Thanks to my cousin on whose insistence I showed inclination to come with him for his engagement. This gave me an opportunity to revive old memories of long train journey. It was a great experience. From boarding a train at Pune railway station to just before Nagpur near Buti Bori when everyone of us thought our destination is just five minutes away from there and it took big halt, much to escalate the already soaring mercury within my cousin who was eager to meet his fiancée.
Even though the train on which I was traveling did not have an opulence of special dining coach like Deccan Queen, but me, my cousin, sister and other friends were never short of eating stuff. Food is an integral part of train journey and we did respect that in totality. When I told others that DQ is the first train in India to have such facility where one can sit on its antique dining table, read the fresh morning news papers and sip tea and coffee with cutlets, they all mourned for having not experienced such wonderful thing till now.
Though Our's wasnt a DQ, the stinky toilets, dust ridden passages, broken mirror were least dampening for me to enjoy the ride through this lofty creature. I always wonder how railway coaches remain fit even as thousands of people board it daily creating kiosk. I was envy to see the antique pattern robust switches even as it was creating uncouthly noise. I wish I would have them at our new flat offering uninterrupted, unending, undemanding service. Within half an hour I peeked outside the window and the next thing which occupied my mind was the ready to cut sugarcane laden fields. I considered farmers of western Maharashtra fortunate enough to have all necessary resources.
After an initial adjustment and readjustment we settled down, only to see a waiter was ready to take evening meal order. We all decided to respect his service and placed an order for food at five-thirty. Then slowly we became Sindhi and went on buying spree. We tasted almost all the stuff we saw entering in our coach. Opinion may vary but it was striking for me to feel railway food is more palatable than at other traveling mode. Every Indian station has its specialty of offering particular items, I too wanted to experience it, but the odd night hours did not permit me to do so. I regret I missed famous Kachori at Shegao station. In the meanwhile at Daund station Lalu’s profit making machine did surprise many when it began to retrace already crossed route. My bewildered sister started looking at me and cousin for answers. A terse explanation of “train will soon change its track here” finally satisfied her.
Indian railway is an amazing creature which never disappoints anyone anytime anywhere. I don’t understand how it was running in losses until recently when Lalu finally took the reign of this mechanical dragon. I also fail to understand what exactly Lalu has done to turn this into profit making business. I have been seeing same railway with same track offering same service to same never-ending rush on its same filth ridden bogies, yet it has become money-spinning. These and similar such thoughts began haunting me when I went to upper berth for sleep. The next morning was pleasant. After having cup of tea twice, we then came to door waiting to be dropped at Nagpur. The journey ended after some time but the mind was taken up with reminiscences of another train trip.
Thanks to my cousin on whose insistence I showed inclination to come with him for his engagement. This gave me an opportunity to revive old memories of long train journey. It was a great experience. From boarding a train at Pune railway station to just before Nagpur near Buti Bori when everyone of us thought our destination is just five minutes away from there and it took big halt, much to escalate the already soaring mercury within my cousin who was eager to meet his fiancée.
Freedom of expression
Since past few days blog reading hasn't been pleasurable enough. Reason: one of my favorite blogger Pravin Tokekar has stopped posting his satirical ramblings and in stead seems to have navigated the url to another tranquil page.
Let us bhankas, the title under which he used to write did have some bhankasgiri. But his fitting remarks on editors of marathi daily, observations about squabbles within the media houses and a mimic commentary was big pass time and an enjoyment. Though there are many blogs to provide more or less same stuff on similar subjects, the bhankas remained altogether different and therefore enjoyed substantial readership. Not to mention the most palpable thing throughout his writing was decency.
Later, when I got to know from my sources about the reason for which his blog is not in service was Tokekar has been asked to contain from going overboard. Though I could not independently crosscheck the veracity of all such things I don’t need to mention who is the container in this case as has been implied in an obvious way.
COMMENT: The very fact which lies undigested is media professionals enjoys criticizing the whole world, at the same time they can’t tolerate of being carped. It is more conspicuous especially when their own men drag them. It is to note that Tokekar himself is a journalist and currently attached with a magazine which linked with Loksatta.
May be another side of journalism.
Let us bhankas, the title under which he used to write did have some bhankasgiri. But his fitting remarks on editors of marathi daily, observations about squabbles within the media houses and a mimic commentary was big pass time and an enjoyment. Though there are many blogs to provide more or less same stuff on similar subjects, the bhankas remained altogether different and therefore enjoyed substantial readership. Not to mention the most palpable thing throughout his writing was decency.
Later, when I got to know from my sources about the reason for which his blog is not in service was Tokekar has been asked to contain from going overboard. Though I could not independently crosscheck the veracity of all such things I don’t need to mention who is the container in this case as has been implied in an obvious way.
COMMENT: The very fact which lies undigested is media professionals enjoys criticizing the whole world, at the same time they can’t tolerate of being carped. It is more conspicuous especially when their own men drag them. It is to note that Tokekar himself is a journalist and currently attached with a magazine which linked with Loksatta.
May be another side of journalism.
a welcome step
When something bad happens, good follows. Similar thing has taken place, hopefully the beginning of few good things in Indian media.
Taking a cue from the incidence of fabricated sting operation backfiring on Delhi based journalist and Television channel; Live India, the Mint, a pink paper belonging to HT has put in place its own Mint code of Journalist conduct.
This is most probably for the first time any Indian newspaper has taken such a bold step, which requires an imitation by all news papers and channels . Of course it will be an interesting to see how Mint correspondents adheres to it in the days to come. Yet I would term it as welcome step.
Taking a cue from the incidence of fabricated sting operation backfiring on Delhi based journalist and Television channel; Live India, the Mint, a pink paper belonging to HT has put in place its own Mint code of Journalist conduct.
This is most probably for the first time any Indian newspaper has taken such a bold step, which requires an imitation by all news papers and channels . Of course it will be an interesting to see how Mint correspondents adheres to it in the days to come. Yet I would term it as welcome step.
Not so intelligent
A gathering of selected.
Time- evening; ten past eight.
Agenda - undecided or undisclosed.
Venue - renowned club in east Pune.
Accompanying stuff at hands - Scotch and other spirits along with fruit juice followed by dinner.
Partaker – distinguished members who prefer to work from only behind the curtain and journos.
A formal introduction is made after the card exchanging while fizzle begin to blow. Some jokes on Indian politics, Pune police and media of course.
Actors behind the curtain come forward. Endeavor to give personal touch to the event.
The chief from actors takes the charge. Assured of at least two/three pegs have been gulped by everybody, his subordinate readies hmself to take position.
An interaction with each but saperately.
Supposedly carrying intention to pass on or plant so called secret info, they stumps the other information carriers. Contrary to the expectations a request for cooperation on info Sharing comes from their side. Fizz droops down. Get-to-gether comes to an abrupt end.
Keyword: Intelligence
Time- evening; ten past eight.
Agenda - undecided or undisclosed.
Venue - renowned club in east Pune.
Accompanying stuff at hands - Scotch and other spirits along with fruit juice followed by dinner.
Partaker – distinguished members who prefer to work from only behind the curtain and journos.
A formal introduction is made after the card exchanging while fizzle begin to blow. Some jokes on Indian politics, Pune police and media of course.
Actors behind the curtain come forward. Endeavor to give personal touch to the event.
The chief from actors takes the charge. Assured of at least two/three pegs have been gulped by everybody, his subordinate readies hmself to take position.
An interaction with each but saperately.
Supposedly carrying intention to pass on or plant so called secret info, they stumps the other information carriers. Contrary to the expectations a request for cooperation on info Sharing comes from their side. Fizz droops down. Get-to-gether comes to an abrupt end.
Keyword: Intelligence
Hey Ram...!!!
Yes, the above mentioned title of this post totally resembles with the one which appeared in today’s Saamana. I liked it very much especially when one of the BJP leader was seen on TV saying the same in the afternoon. His bite was in response to UPA’s major goof up. Sure to say, questioning the very existence of Lord Ram in its affidavit in the SC on Setu Samudran project was UPA one of the most dangerous political blunder. And for this congress party would have suffered drastically had it’s shrewd chairperson did not have pressed damage control button anon. Ofcourse rediscovering Lord Ram within 24 hours wasn't shrewdness but more of a political compulsion for her.
Unfortunately, here, leaders of BJP, starving for issues and sometime even non-issues lost the battle even before it began full fledge. Mature enough to sense an opportunity, BJP leaders saw Shahabanoo and Ayodhya like situation which it had encashed rightly and gained them run the rudder of New Delhi. I think a similar thought must have come in Sonia Gandhi’s mind on how her late husband had to pay the price for resurrecting Ayodhya and ShahBanu case issues.
Interestingly, within hours of filing an affidavit government admitted its mistake and assured that it will withdraw the controversial “Remarks” from its proclamation. The saffron leaders who were alleging it a clear case of blasphemy lost one more opportunity to gain political mileage on the issue.
Though I personally feel that what government had submitted in the SC was right in a way since the science on which Archeological Survey of India was banking to make its case for Sethu Samudran project does not support existence of god. But again, Faith is a thing which can not be challenged on any parameter. Nor it can be challenged in a court of law.
Curiously, the same BJP which is trying to rake up the issue on the basis of Faith has not touched the intricate subject of whether Lord Ram really existed. It only termed the move against the Faith of crores of Hindus. Congress too now seems to have joined the same boat. The grand old party of India now does not want to take any chances especially when snap polls are imminent in view of Left’s act of barking reaching to actually bite.
Amidst such delicate political situation, I am sure, Sonia must have told her party collegues "hey ram!!.. yeah kya kar diya tumne".
Unfortunately, here, leaders of BJP, starving for issues and sometime even non-issues lost the battle even before it began full fledge. Mature enough to sense an opportunity, BJP leaders saw Shahabanoo and Ayodhya like situation which it had encashed rightly and gained them run the rudder of New Delhi. I think a similar thought must have come in Sonia Gandhi’s mind on how her late husband had to pay the price for resurrecting Ayodhya and ShahBanu case issues.
Interestingly, within hours of filing an affidavit government admitted its mistake and assured that it will withdraw the controversial “Remarks” from its proclamation. The saffron leaders who were alleging it a clear case of blasphemy lost one more opportunity to gain political mileage on the issue.
Though I personally feel that what government had submitted in the SC was right in a way since the science on which Archeological Survey of India was banking to make its case for Sethu Samudran project does not support existence of god. But again, Faith is a thing which can not be challenged on any parameter. Nor it can be challenged in a court of law.
Curiously, the same BJP which is trying to rake up the issue on the basis of Faith has not touched the intricate subject of whether Lord Ram really existed. It only termed the move against the Faith of crores of Hindus. Congress too now seems to have joined the same boat. The grand old party of India now does not want to take any chances especially when snap polls are imminent in view of Left’s act of barking reaching to actually bite.
Amidst such delicate political situation, I am sure, Sonia must have told her party collegues "hey ram!!.. yeah kya kar diya tumne".
Height of idiosyncrasy
Rahul, my friend from non-journalistic circle and a Mumbaikar yesterday asked me the reasons behind Puneites being over quirk as often being described. I did not respond for a bit. Later, I said; “its’ in their DNA”. Piqued over my terse and equally dull response, Rahul then decided not to stretch further.
In a while, after having three pegs of Tequila Casco, Rahul again touched upon the issue. I pretended to be stoical, further making Rahul infuriate.
More sagacious than me on all accounts, Rahul understood my ploy and as equally as he had started the discussion then gave up in between. Till the time I had also finished a pitcher of kingfisher. On an unusual high, I then led the halfway discussion and asked Rahul what made him think that Puneites are quirk. Contrary to what was anticipated, Rahul described me the incident about how and why he was humiliated in Janaseva hotel on Laxmi road. The reason for humiliation was, he had arrived their at 12:30 in the afternoon when hotel gets closed and did ask for three different items, which could not have been finished in a time further delaying the shop closing. The shopowner, Upadhye, bluntly refused to give anything to Rahul who was dying from hunger on fast day.
I could sense Rahul’s plight and hence recalled for him a limerick from P L Deshpande’s 'Khilli'; A book in which a section is dwelt on typical habits of people from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. Pu La says: peshwe ani tange gelet pan punyacha puneri pan kahi sutla nahi (The Peshwa’ and buggies no longer exist, yet the old habits of poeple of Pune inculcated during Peshwa regime still continues).
Here the unending and ever-interesting subject of pulling puneites’ for their quirky nature took the centerstage. Appa’s Khee-Ka (Shree or Appa as he is known has named Khichadi and Kakadi as Khee-Ka) at Deccan Gymkhana or Bala’s style of serving wine and snacks at BBC were the begining of our discussion. The name of this Bar near Kalamadi house is actually Swagat, but the section of visitors coming here are mostly from Kothrud, Nav sahyadri, Law college, Prabhat and Bhandarkar road. And this very class of visitors earned it the sobriquet Brahmin Bar Club or BBC. The uniqueness of BBC is, it start serving booze at nine in the morning when all the oldies from above mention areas come here to emit their exhaustion after a stroll from F.C or Rupali. Debates on the work done by Marathi Sahitya Sammelan or potholes taking Pune on new high are regular ones here. The weirdness about the Bar is, Bala, a south Indian owner, is so much punctual that if you ask him finger-chips even before a minute prior to Seven in the evening, he would refuse it saying his Kitchen opens at sharp Seven. For him business comes latter. But for its customer, BBC is home away from home. I have seen boozers bringing here Tiffin full of home made snacks.
Same is true about Appa, who would not hesitate to oust the thirsty boys coming from Kalamadi’s international marathon on first Sunday of Feb. Appa reasons that these boys spoils the character of his canteen, which mostly caters again the same class coming to BBC. The next in this oddity-laden Pune is Upasane’s misal house in Kasba. The dusty benches, noise generating fans, heavy layers from half-burned candles on table and equally uncouthly voice of Upasane, owner of the hotel, are the factors least dampening the spirit of customer, who, I am told, have been visiting here uninterruptedly for years. The hotel ostensibly earn huge money but put slightest for his shop.
Well, the list to catapult peculiarity in Punekars’ is unending, so as the discussion between I and Rahul. But the deadline at ‘24-Carat’ where we were having evening session did not permit us to further go down discussing the unending subject.
P S: I have due regards to Pune and all Punekars and no intention whatsoever to hurt people from this beautiful city. The experiances described above are my own and true in nature.
In a while, after having three pegs of Tequila Casco, Rahul again touched upon the issue. I pretended to be stoical, further making Rahul infuriate.
More sagacious than me on all accounts, Rahul understood my ploy and as equally as he had started the discussion then gave up in between. Till the time I had also finished a pitcher of kingfisher. On an unusual high, I then led the halfway discussion and asked Rahul what made him think that Puneites are quirk. Contrary to what was anticipated, Rahul described me the incident about how and why he was humiliated in Janaseva hotel on Laxmi road. The reason for humiliation was, he had arrived their at 12:30 in the afternoon when hotel gets closed and did ask for three different items, which could not have been finished in a time further delaying the shop closing. The shopowner, Upadhye, bluntly refused to give anything to Rahul who was dying from hunger on fast day.
I could sense Rahul’s plight and hence recalled for him a limerick from P L Deshpande’s 'Khilli'; A book in which a section is dwelt on typical habits of people from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. Pu La says: peshwe ani tange gelet pan punyacha puneri pan kahi sutla nahi (The Peshwa’ and buggies no longer exist, yet the old habits of poeple of Pune inculcated during Peshwa regime still continues).
Here the unending and ever-interesting subject of pulling puneites’ for their quirky nature took the centerstage. Appa’s Khee-Ka (Shree or Appa as he is known has named Khichadi and Kakadi as Khee-Ka) at Deccan Gymkhana or Bala’s style of serving wine and snacks at BBC were the begining of our discussion. The name of this Bar near Kalamadi house is actually Swagat, but the section of visitors coming here are mostly from Kothrud, Nav sahyadri, Law college, Prabhat and Bhandarkar road. And this very class of visitors earned it the sobriquet Brahmin Bar Club or BBC. The uniqueness of BBC is, it start serving booze at nine in the morning when all the oldies from above mention areas come here to emit their exhaustion after a stroll from F.C or Rupali. Debates on the work done by Marathi Sahitya Sammelan or potholes taking Pune on new high are regular ones here. The weirdness about the Bar is, Bala, a south Indian owner, is so much punctual that if you ask him finger-chips even before a minute prior to Seven in the evening, he would refuse it saying his Kitchen opens at sharp Seven. For him business comes latter. But for its customer, BBC is home away from home. I have seen boozers bringing here Tiffin full of home made snacks.
Same is true about Appa, who would not hesitate to oust the thirsty boys coming from Kalamadi’s international marathon on first Sunday of Feb. Appa reasons that these boys spoils the character of his canteen, which mostly caters again the same class coming to BBC. The next in this oddity-laden Pune is Upasane’s misal house in Kasba. The dusty benches, noise generating fans, heavy layers from half-burned candles on table and equally uncouthly voice of Upasane, owner of the hotel, are the factors least dampening the spirit of customer, who, I am told, have been visiting here uninterruptedly for years. The hotel ostensibly earn huge money but put slightest for his shop.
Well, the list to catapult peculiarity in Punekars’ is unending, so as the discussion between I and Rahul. But the deadline at ‘24-Carat’ where we were having evening session did not permit us to further go down discussing the unending subject.
P S: I have due regards to Pune and all Punekars and no intention whatsoever to hurt people from this beautiful city. The experiances described above are my own and true in nature.
Routine yet untold
I had vowed of maintaining a tempo by writing at least two posts a week when I started blogging for the first time. The procrastinator within me however did not let my mind and hands work to increase the post count here. However, last week’s developments’ concerning jailed actor Sanjay Dutt and the media coverage on the issue did not allow me to be just meek and follow the reading docile way.
I was winced and equally peeved the way one leading Marathi daily here carried on it’s page-1, the editor’s piece of note disapproving the “hyped news coverage” on Dutt’s conviction and his post incarceration developments. The note credit-lined ‘Editor’ said “The paper does not approve the ongoing hype created by some media on actor Dutt’s conviction and therefore take it’s own story inside on Page 5”.
Through its cleverly worded note, the editor had successfully steered readers on page 5 for Dutt’s story about the bollywood star shifted to Yerwada, the story otherwise would have been easy to miss by readers of Pune who lack no skill to throw tantrums early morning after reading newspapers. A profound attempt was also made, at the same time, to seek pious stand.
Same morning’s conversation with my colleague was hot with the handy issue we had with us to discuss. Abuses were hurled (mostly from my side) in exchange of words like ‘moral and ethics’ (conspicuously from his side). My point was the newspaper is unnecessarily trying to gain high moral ground when it has no business to comment on others’. Interestingly the other English daily owned by same group had similar story on page 1 with no moral note attached to it. “This is just a hypocrite attitude”, I shouted with much of vigor. The reason for me being over vocal was my own story had gone as lead on page 1.
The incident of’course not unique in nature and does not at all has power to trigger bigger debate on morality issue in media. Yet, during the next few hours the issue keeps coming to my mind putting my own views in quandary. The dichotomy within my own thoughts began haunting me. I remember, during the days of my journalism course, I always used to be aggressive when things like morality-immorality became the issues of our discussion in the class.
Being always critical of profiteering approach adopted by certain media I used to vent my ire against them pounding heavy abuses. In the course of time, I became journalist (by profession) nevertheless with more transformed views. “The readers’ choice is paramount and journalist has to provide what readers’ choice is”, the preaching came to rescue my thoughts. Finally after lot of brainstorming I decided to give up this Sisyphean task and opted for a concoction of my thoughts with chorus whenever required. A relief was cited anon. But in the process, I forgot that I too have adopted escapist route thus riding a boat of other hypocrites.
Between you and me only...
I was winced and equally peeved the way one leading Marathi daily here carried on it’s page-1, the editor’s piece of note disapproving the “hyped news coverage” on Dutt’s conviction and his post incarceration developments. The note credit-lined ‘Editor’ said “The paper does not approve the ongoing hype created by some media on actor Dutt’s conviction and therefore take it’s own story inside on Page 5”.
Through its cleverly worded note, the editor had successfully steered readers on page 5 for Dutt’s story about the bollywood star shifted to Yerwada, the story otherwise would have been easy to miss by readers of Pune who lack no skill to throw tantrums early morning after reading newspapers. A profound attempt was also made, at the same time, to seek pious stand.
Same morning’s conversation with my colleague was hot with the handy issue we had with us to discuss. Abuses were hurled (mostly from my side) in exchange of words like ‘moral and ethics’ (conspicuously from his side). My point was the newspaper is unnecessarily trying to gain high moral ground when it has no business to comment on others’. Interestingly the other English daily owned by same group had similar story on page 1 with no moral note attached to it. “This is just a hypocrite attitude”, I shouted with much of vigor. The reason for me being over vocal was my own story had gone as lead on page 1.
The incident of’course not unique in nature and does not at all has power to trigger bigger debate on morality issue in media. Yet, during the next few hours the issue keeps coming to my mind putting my own views in quandary. The dichotomy within my own thoughts began haunting me. I remember, during the days of my journalism course, I always used to be aggressive when things like morality-immorality became the issues of our discussion in the class.
Being always critical of profiteering approach adopted by certain media I used to vent my ire against them pounding heavy abuses. In the course of time, I became journalist (by profession) nevertheless with more transformed views. “The readers’ choice is paramount and journalist has to provide what readers’ choice is”, the preaching came to rescue my thoughts. Finally after lot of brainstorming I decided to give up this Sisyphean task and opted for a concoction of my thoughts with chorus whenever required. A relief was cited anon. But in the process, I forgot that I too have adopted escapist route thus riding a boat of other hypocrites.
Between you and me only...
A difficult choice...
As India readies itself to complete the formality of officially endorsing the selection of first woman president (I am writing this post on the eve of the announcing results of Presidential polls) my mind is indulging into infighting with my soul. No, my dilemma is more intricate than what Bal Thakeray was undergoing through prior to making out way from catch-22 situation and announcing Shiv Sena’s support to Pratibhatai Patil. It isn’t just an issue of Marathi pride but an emotional connection we (I and her Excellency) share.
Here my regional genes also have begun riding high. She is not just from Amravati from where I too belong to, but also a native of Jalgaon district, the sleepy town from north Maharashtra where my Father spent his childhood and later did cast his vote in favour of her when she had contested assembly election. Thakeray’s predicament was just about choosing one way out of hindutva or Marathi asmita. But mine is about expressing joy over an Amravatikar by karma or Jalgaonkar by janma, occupying highest constitutional post in the country or lamenting over a person who even by the minimum common denominator isn’t eligible for heading three armed forces vis-à-vis Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, another presidential contestant.
Here, I keep aside Vidarbha issue on which I usually don’t spare a chance to vent my pent up anger against its antagonists. Well, eligibility also does not mean her educational qualification which is far far more than her rival. While the lady presidential candidate has done her MA and also completed her LLB, her rival, I am told, is just Eight standard pass out. It is more to do with her ability to act defying a silent code of ‘rubber stamp’ or political shrewdness.
I am traumatized especially after giving a thought to columnist Rajdeep Sardesai’s article in which he says… “there are two Maharashtras: one is a state of intellectual and social ferment, which produced the men and women who lived by the ideals on which modern India was built. The other Maharashtra is a far less noble entity, it is provincial, it is small minded, and it no longer produces original thought”. I don’t know which side I should take when it comes to choosing an option between supporting my soul, a carrier of emotional thoughts connected to a string of regionalism, or mind, which harbors holistic if not intellectual view. May be Patil herself will clear out the haze from my mind when she will do something great to gather an important milestone while enjoying the opulence of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Here I have become slight idealistic while relying on her…
Here my regional genes also have begun riding high. She is not just from Amravati from where I too belong to, but also a native of Jalgaon district, the sleepy town from north Maharashtra where my Father spent his childhood and later did cast his vote in favour of her when she had contested assembly election. Thakeray’s predicament was just about choosing one way out of hindutva or Marathi asmita. But mine is about expressing joy over an Amravatikar by karma or Jalgaonkar by janma, occupying highest constitutional post in the country or lamenting over a person who even by the minimum common denominator isn’t eligible for heading three armed forces vis-à-vis Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, another presidential contestant.
Here, I keep aside Vidarbha issue on which I usually don’t spare a chance to vent my pent up anger against its antagonists. Well, eligibility also does not mean her educational qualification which is far far more than her rival. While the lady presidential candidate has done her MA and also completed her LLB, her rival, I am told, is just Eight standard pass out. It is more to do with her ability to act defying a silent code of ‘rubber stamp’ or political shrewdness.
I am traumatized especially after giving a thought to columnist Rajdeep Sardesai’s article in which he says… “there are two Maharashtras: one is a state of intellectual and social ferment, which produced the men and women who lived by the ideals on which modern India was built. The other Maharashtra is a far less noble entity, it is provincial, it is small minded, and it no longer produces original thought”. I don’t know which side I should take when it comes to choosing an option between supporting my soul, a carrier of emotional thoughts connected to a string of regionalism, or mind, which harbors holistic if not intellectual view. May be Patil herself will clear out the haze from my mind when she will do something great to gather an important milestone while enjoying the opulence of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Here I have become slight idealistic while relying on her…
Pawar's wine and his old bottle
WHILE writing the first ever post on this blog of mine, I have some memories back on my mind. It was little more than a year back when I had my first ever one-to-one interaction with late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. I can not recollect the actual context on which Mahajan spared few minutes with me. The leader initiated saying, following the completion of his journalism course in Ranade institute of Pune , he could hardly scribble few lines while making an application which he wanted to submit to local marathi daily.
Mahajan, whom I was accompanying for the news coverage from Pune to Solapur during last year's rath-yatra conducted by Lalkrishna Advani, then said he now see more people at the helm of various affairs coming from rural hinterland of the country. He actually was pointing at him self, but for no reason I felt like flexing my muscles. Mahajan proved himself and went into the list of "would be prime minister" of this country where there is no dearth of leaders even when there is always paucity of voters when it comes to polling.
The sudden demise of Mahajan, which will complete one year in next few days (May 3), really hurt me inside that time after I got the first take about he was shot by his brother during the morning session of last week of April. I was actually in Amravati (my native place) that time trying to recollect how in my half an hour interesting discussion with him, the late leader told me many things and I was indeed inspired as well as attracted to his personality. It actually began after I requested him to take me to Advani for one-to-one interview, when the convoy of leaders had taken a brief halt near Patas near Pune. Mahajan didn’t act immediately but slightly passed on my visiting card to Sudhendra Kulkarni, Advani's one time favourite, who later fell into controversy. Although my wish of interviewing Advani didn’t come into reality, the pleasure and satisfaction was conspicuous on my mind after having talks with Mahajan and another BJP leader Anant Kumar, who to participated in our discussion for a while.
Mahajan's reply to my query about why BJP was going ahead with this rath-yatra despite poor response, though did not satisfy me, yet I found logic in it when he told me “never pay attention to media's uncalled advice....just read the paper and build your own opinion”. According to Mahajan, the itinerary of Advani was an attempt to project party's efforts to re-establish the contact with rural India after the later felt it has thinned following BJP's campaign through "India Shining" lenses. He then gave me an example of Sharad Pawar, who never stop coming to inaugurate functions in rural parts. "It establish the faith of rural Indians on you and they starts feeling that the leader is their'. Further, it also help the leader to analyse if the Janata accepts him in his present form or he requires changes in his or his party’s character”, Mahajan said. Many a times, political leaders act in certain way or delivers certain statements having deep connotations or sometime they even plant certain statements through media for getting a feedback from the aam-janata. Their future course of action depends on that feedback, said Mahajan. Though at that point of time I did not understand what connotations could have been to the late leader’s that last comments, but now after an year when I see Mahajan’s statement and congress leader’s recent remarks about Pawar should join congress, I find lot of logic in this. The recent remarks by Vilasrao Deshmukh and his other party collegues about Pawar should merge his party after the NCP leader accepting Sonia Gandhi’s present stature, might have been charged as ‘an attempt to create bewilderment among the voters’, but I am not convinced to that. Going by the Mahan’s logic and Pawar’s past record when the later, prior to his re-entry into congress in 1980 after he parted way to form United Progressive Front led government, planted similar statement through his party colleagues, I sense that Pawar is yet again ready to wear old hat. This I am saying because few days back I came across an article written by Praveen Bardapurkar (Editor- Loksatta, Nagpur ). The article had mentioned about how Pawar had planted news through his one time favourite Datta Meghe in 80s', when later told Bardapurkar that Pawar is considering to join congress again. Though Pawar rebuffed the news as rumour, he changed his side one fine day. It later became clear that Pawar through such news planting was trying to judge the mood of the people and their reaction about whether they will accept him. It went off in favour of Maratha leader and he changed his side.Now even as the saffron leaders including Bal Thakeray and even L K Advani are trying to hobnob with Pawar carrying a wishful thinking that one day they would make it to state as well as centre, the Maratha strongman, according to many who knows him well, won't relent.The leader is now once again aiming for big. As big as he could find himself at the top of the NewDelhi's rudder. And since his present party is perhaps not enough capable to lead Pawar to take him to coveted position then in that case we may see repeat of 1980 show.The only question is "will Pawar's wine turn into an old bottle, this time" ?.
P. S. The post was actually scribbled in April and I had posted it on the other URL of same blog. But due to some technical problem, I had to change the URL and fetch the stuff here
Mahajan, whom I was accompanying for the news coverage from Pune to Solapur during last year's rath-yatra conducted by Lalkrishna Advani, then said he now see more people at the helm of various affairs coming from rural hinterland of the country. He actually was pointing at him self, but for no reason I felt like flexing my muscles. Mahajan proved himself and went into the list of "would be prime minister" of this country where there is no dearth of leaders even when there is always paucity of voters when it comes to polling.
The sudden demise of Mahajan, which will complete one year in next few days (May 3), really hurt me inside that time after I got the first take about he was shot by his brother during the morning session of last week of April. I was actually in Amravati (my native place) that time trying to recollect how in my half an hour interesting discussion with him, the late leader told me many things and I was indeed inspired as well as attracted to his personality. It actually began after I requested him to take me to Advani for one-to-one interview, when the convoy of leaders had taken a brief halt near Patas near Pune. Mahajan didn’t act immediately but slightly passed on my visiting card to Sudhendra Kulkarni, Advani's one time favourite, who later fell into controversy. Although my wish of interviewing Advani didn’t come into reality, the pleasure and satisfaction was conspicuous on my mind after having talks with Mahajan and another BJP leader Anant Kumar, who to participated in our discussion for a while.
Mahajan's reply to my query about why BJP was going ahead with this rath-yatra despite poor response, though did not satisfy me, yet I found logic in it when he told me “never pay attention to media's uncalled advice....just read the paper and build your own opinion”. According to Mahajan, the itinerary of Advani was an attempt to project party's efforts to re-establish the contact with rural India after the later felt it has thinned following BJP's campaign through "India Shining" lenses. He then gave me an example of Sharad Pawar, who never stop coming to inaugurate functions in rural parts. "It establish the faith of rural Indians on you and they starts feeling that the leader is their'. Further, it also help the leader to analyse if the Janata accepts him in his present form or he requires changes in his or his party’s character”, Mahajan said. Many a times, political leaders act in certain way or delivers certain statements having deep connotations or sometime they even plant certain statements through media for getting a feedback from the aam-janata. Their future course of action depends on that feedback, said Mahajan. Though at that point of time I did not understand what connotations could have been to the late leader’s that last comments, but now after an year when I see Mahajan’s statement and congress leader’s recent remarks about Pawar should join congress, I find lot of logic in this. The recent remarks by Vilasrao Deshmukh and his other party collegues about Pawar should merge his party after the NCP leader accepting Sonia Gandhi’s present stature, might have been charged as ‘an attempt to create bewilderment among the voters’, but I am not convinced to that. Going by the Mahan’s logic and Pawar’s past record when the later, prior to his re-entry into congress in 1980 after he parted way to form United Progressive Front led government, planted similar statement through his party colleagues, I sense that Pawar is yet again ready to wear old hat. This I am saying because few days back I came across an article written by Praveen Bardapurkar (Editor- Loksatta, Nagpur ). The article had mentioned about how Pawar had planted news through his one time favourite Datta Meghe in 80s', when later told Bardapurkar that Pawar is considering to join congress again. Though Pawar rebuffed the news as rumour, he changed his side one fine day. It later became clear that Pawar through such news planting was trying to judge the mood of the people and their reaction about whether they will accept him. It went off in favour of Maratha leader and he changed his side.Now even as the saffron leaders including Bal Thakeray and even L K Advani are trying to hobnob with Pawar carrying a wishful thinking that one day they would make it to state as well as centre, the Maratha strongman, according to many who knows him well, won't relent.The leader is now once again aiming for big. As big as he could find himself at the top of the NewDelhi's rudder. And since his present party is perhaps not enough capable to lead Pawar to take him to coveted position then in that case we may see repeat of 1980 show.The only question is "will Pawar's wine turn into an old bottle, this time" ?.
P. S. The post was actually scribbled in April and I had posted it on the other URL of same blog. But due to some technical problem, I had to change the URL and fetch the stuff here
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