SHAME PART 2

TASLIMA IN `HIDING'

By Manuwant Choudhary

Taslima in `Hiding' resembles a pre-independence newspaper headline Subhash in `Hiding'.
My father would recall those early years when people would believe every word written in the newspapers as the truth and with a poor understanding of the English language one person actually came up to my father with an Atlas. He was looking for a place called `Hiding'!
But that was colonial India. Those who fought for India's freedom, not even Subhash Chandra Bose, would have imagined that in free India anyone needs to be in `Hiding'. But India's secular central government and the Congress Party have decided this is the best way to `protect' Taslima Nasreen, whom the West Bengal CPI (M) government has thrown out from their state.
If the CPI (M) cannot protect Taslima in West Bengal then it is another sure proof that law and order has failed in West Bengal and President's rule should be imposed in the state. Only then can Taslima and the rest of Bengal can be protected.
Its an irony that a communal Narendra Modi has promised Taslima asylum and protection in Gujarat - a state where ordinary Muslims do not feel safe.
Why Bengal look at Assam where protesting tribals were brutally assaulted and their women paraded naked in front of the camera's and no word from the Congress high command Sonia Gandhi. The police do nothing to stop the assault on tribals.
So its not surprising that top cop Kiran Bedi announces her decision to quit to dedicate the rest of her life in the service of India, something she could not do within the police establishment. Again no word from the politicians at a time when India needs tough officers to restore the people's faith in the system.
But India's politicians are very busy. Busy organising mass rallies. First it was Laloo's Chetawani (Warning) Rally, then Nationalist Congress Party's Pol Khol (Expose) rally and finally Ram Vilas Paswan's `Sankalp (Pledge) rally. Pledging not to make India free or to help the downtrodden but pledging to become India's Prime Minister at any cost, anyhow.
Crores are spent on such rallies and in todays India setting up a political party is perhaps a better business venture than starting a manufacturing unit.
Politicians do not manufacture products, they manufacture dreams and lies.
Not to be left behind Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United celebrated their two years in office. Celebrating what I do not know.
People in Bihar are just about trying to make ends meet after a real bad flood season, there is no electricity in any part of Bihar except Patna.
Forget ordinary people who have no access to the politicians, Nitish Kumar may have been in power for two years but my home does not have a transformer for a year now and three meetings with Bihar's minister of electricity and his orders to the electricity department has not yielded results.
Earlier I thought the government moves slowly but now I wonder if it moves at all.