Where The Mind Is With Fear

By Manuwant Choudhary

Rejecting the caste census as I wrote in my last blog today I continue to fear for India.

Even as I watch the thousands of people from the north-east flee Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai...all trains in India it seems head towards Assam.

I cried.

Even as the violence continues in Kokrajhar in Assam where the helpless are targetted by an unforgiving underground Bodo militants.

I cried.

I watch a helpless Prime Minister (elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam) make feeble assurances..

I cried.

Chief Ministers asking people to return..

But the tv footage shows people are ready to believe the rumours and not the politicians they elect.

So I fear for India.

I do not sit in India's parliament because liberals are barred by law to even contest elections.

But it hurts to see our MPs crack jokes while Indians flee in fear.

I cried.

I also cried because I see a helpless parliament not quite knowing how to deal with the situtation...and instead blame twitter and facebook...just they did the foreign hand in the sixties and seventies.

I have cried before too when MNS and Shiv Sena would attack Biharis.

But as an Indian and a journalist I have always fought back and fought back hard.

I have got the Shiv Sena president in Bihar to condemn his own leader Bal Thackeray.

And the violence stopped.

But the Bodos how do you deal with them....when they attacked Biharis in Assam and Biharis who had never even been born in Bihar or seen Bihar began pouring into Patna, I cried.

It was late 10.30 pm and I did what few would have thought of...I went to meet an old source of mine.

Sitting in a tin shed in Patna in his simple kurta pyajama he was the general secretary of the truckers union of Bihar.

He was surprised to see me so late and asked me what he could do for me.

I told him if he could stop all trucks going to Assam in order to put pressure on the Bodos to stop the violence and also on the Assam government to provide security to all Biharis living there.

He agreed and gave me his interview calling all trucks to stop going to Assam - an economic blockade till all violence stopped.

Dalkhola in Bihar is a vantage point from where all trucks pass...and as we aired his interview on national Tv...trucks blocked Dalkhola completely.

And as the supplies stopped Assam's chief minister was compelled to get serious....the violence pettered out as well.

India deserves better politics and politicians. Not the ones we have now based on caste reservations, religious considerations and netas who are really corporate agents stealing  farmers lands.

India needs a liberal alternative - Vikalp. (and not the Anna way).

MOVE

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

India's Casteist Government

By Manuwant Choudhary

Two men on a bike came to my home but I did not know them at all. When I asked them who they were they told me the government of India had sent them to do a Census.

But I told them that the Census is done once in ten years and only two years ago a school teacher had met me and asked me all sorts of questions, including if my loo had marble or tiles !

The Census is more like an inquisition of the Income Tax Department.

But the two men told me that this Census is different.

I asked them how.

And they replied, "Please tell us your caste !"

I told them to get lost.

I also told them to go tell the District Magistrate that a citizen has rejected the Caste Census and he is free to take whatever legal action he wants.

But then I asked them to wait..."Can you tell me the caste of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh first? Or better still Sonia Gandhi, the Italian widow and President of the ruling Congress Party.

Shobha De wrote this Sunday how she felt naked replying to Nandan Nilekani's questionaire for the ID card where they have a column for Male, Female and Transgender!

Thats exactly how I felt today and angrier.

There has never been a caste census since India's freedom and the British conducted one in 1931 as a part of their policy of Divide & Rule. Remember, the British for all their reformist zeal they never abolished untouchability.

The democracy they introduced to India was also based on such divisions..there were Hindu and Moslem constituencies, and even economic barriers to contest elections.

Todays democracy continues to divide India.

I was watching the parliaments TV coverage and L.K. Advani's speach calling the current UPA government `illegitimate'.

And an angry Sonia Gandhi called upon her MPs to, "Shout, shout."

What both Advani and Sonia missed is that Indian democracy is itelf illegitimate as liberals are not allowed to contest elections or register a liberal political party - banned by law.

And Sonia Gandhi did not realise what will happen when India shouts. Not fasts.

Touch My Feet President

By Manuwant Choudhary

This man Pranab Mukherjee should have been India's Prime Minister.

But the Congress Party does not trust him fully so, while deserving, he gets to become India's first citizen - The President, if elected.

And even for this he is internally thanking Bengal's chief minister Mamata Banerjee who raised the war cry to re-instal Dr. APJ Kalam, India's missile man, as President.

Kalam is a nice guy and the children love him but that does not mean he should be President for Life !

Ultimately, whether its Bihar or the United States ..its always caste that wins in a democracy.

How can Mamata oppose a Bengali?

I have never met Pranab Da because Pranab Babu spends most of his time in New Delhi and he has perhaps had a rather long innings touching the feet of the Congress High Command.

But he has not always fallen in line and for this he has also paid a price.

So its not surprising as a Member of Parliament he loves going back to his constituency West Bengal.

The other day after his candidature was announced he returned to Birbhum and as people came up to meet him Pranab Da forcefully pushed the heads of young boys to touch his feet.

But while India's political fraternity is a divided house they all love Pranab Mukherjee.

And while some said that he is hardly an economist to become India's Prime Minister. It would be fair to say `Andha mein Kaana Raja' (in a land of the blind, the one-eye becomes King')

India's economist Prime Minister is not doing any better.

But Pranab Da is happy and his rosogulla smile just doesn't seem to go away.

India respects him for the way he handled the aftermath of the 26-11 attacks on Bombay.

And the Pakistani press showered praises on him for his no-nonsense, straightforward approach in dealing with Pakistan.

Pranab Babu is the right man to build relations with Pakistan.

As for protecting India's constitution, it will still be a socialist constitution that he will protect, where liberal parties are not allowed by law to contest elections.

Yet, it will be perhaps the last time a dhoti-clad person will live in the Presidential Palace.

A Burning Mantralaya & Socialism

By Manuwant Choudhary

Images of a burning Mantralaya in Mumbai reminded me of my days as a cub reporter with The Afternoon Despatch & Courier.

But I was never  a Mantralaya Correspondent.

I remember telling my  editor Behram Contractor that I do not want to be  a Mantralaya Correspondent and he replied emphatically that even he did not want me to be that....

A Mantralaya Correspondent meant sitting in chambers of various ministers and spending the day over tea and coffee and by evening the ministers PA would give a hand-out and the journo would return to the desk and hammer a story out of nothing...the job done...and go home.

Next day the minister would be happy and so more samosas and more chais.

But as I write this and watch TV news I think more of us have actually become Mantralaya Correspondents.

National TV covers the fire saying how important documents some related to famous scams have been destroyed.

Rest assured the Mantralaya fire hasn't destroyed anything worthwhile..maybe just handouts and worm eaten files!

I have been there a few time and actually there is nothing in the Mantralaya.

And the lunchtime fire was way off the mark...killing three innocent persons.

No politician was even hurt.

As for corruption its spread across Mumbai.

I remember once Shiela Barse a firebrand journalist of Indian Express gave me a file and told me to have a look how ordinary hardworking and honest people contribute to Black money. (Not the few whom Baba Ramdev attacks) but literally everybody.

Anyone who buys an apartment in Mumbai has to pay in black !

And its one industrialist Ratan Tata who connects Mumbai to Kolkata where the other BIG story is making NEWS.

The Kolkata High Court has over-ruled an earlier High Court order and held Mamata Banerjee's decision to hand farms back to farmers at Singur as unconstitutional.

And Ratan Tata is mighty pleased...

But lets look at the issue more closely.

Its like saying the government can take over AIR India from the Tata's but cannot return it to them.

Socialism has always been about robbing Paul to pay Peter but the current judgement shows we have completely destroyed our constitution.

Forget the Supreme Court. India now needs a new constitution one that will guarantee property rights to all Indians.

Serious Gondogol Hoi !

By Manuwant Choudhary

I found a hassled pregnant Vidya Balan running around in a Kolkata yellow amby but in Nai Dilli so why I asked her `Bidyaaji what you doing here..again trying to find a lost husband'???....

Vidya: I dont want to look for my husband even if he is lost..and it is V...V....V....for Vellore....not B..for Bombay...

Me: But it is M for Bombay...

Vidya Madam: Are you a Shiv Sainik or a Bong?

Me: I am neither...

Vidya: Good good..then I can share with you my Dilli adventure...actually I am here to find out why India has stopped growing...that chief economic advisor to Finance minister Kaushik Basu..has told the IMF.

Me: I never thought anyone from St. Xavier's Mumbai could think about GDP!

Vidya: Aaah no, no...I am a different person after film `Kahani.."

Me: You mean you have become like Kali !

Vidya, no, not Kali..Durga...didn't you watch my film?

Me: Aah sorry..I don't have the money...I don't earn even Rs.28 per day.. But tell me did you get to meet Pranab Daa. India's finance minister and what did he tell you.

Vidya: I am amazed...he just said India is growing but when I asked him to explain he just started singing the Kahani song `Aami Shottee Bolchee....Shooteee...Shotteeee..Shotteeee....

Me: I know Mukesh bhai is growing his wife has opened a retail store even in Patna...But Kaushik Basu did not mean Ambani ...

Vidya: Yes, yes, I also met the Prime Minister and you know I found even the PM listening to the Kahani number...Aaamee Shottee Bolchee..Bolcheee. Bolcheee..Shotteee, Shatteee Shattee...

Me: But thats because he does not know the meaning of Shotteee..everytime Mamata threatens him she uses the word.

Vidya: Yes, he asked me whether Shottee means anything to bring down the government...and when I said no..he seemed relaxed...

Me: Who else you met?

Vidya: I also met Montek Singh Ahluwalia...nowadays he knows more about poverty than even the poor. But even he says just Shoteee, shotteee, shoteee...India is growing.

Me: But if India is growing why do the poor earn only Rs.28 per day?

Vidya: Montekji said it was Shotteee....

Me: Did you meet any CBI officers to find out?

Vidya: Yes, yes, CBI and IB....I tell you they are so bad arresting Kanimozhi....a growing India should not arrest anyone...but they all agreed that India was growing...

Me: Ya but they may be saying that about corruption...

Vidya: No, you can't link the two....if India grows the corrupt will also grow..its proof India is growing....

Me: Forget the rest....I just want to know what the Prime Minister said..

Vidya: Just Shoteee, Shotteee, Shotteee....and he kept looking at my tummy...

Me: Baby Boom !

Burma's April Fool Election

By Manuwant Choudhary

Is Burma only fooling the world by holding elections on April Fools Day...allowing Aung San Suu Kyi to contest elections...and win...as the only way to better their economic situation and isolation.

Its heartening ofcourse that Aung San Suu Kyi and her party have won.

But they won an election 20 years ago also.

But yet...it was a unique election as her results were being announced by international media even before the counting process had begun.

She is a hero.

And when you lock up a hero for 20 years, you lock up an entire nation.

This is exactly what Burma's Generals have done.

I am not sure what they have achieved really.

And it makes me smile when they visit Bodh Gaya to pray (for their sins)

It is also welcome that the international media is being allowed into Burma finally.

Yet, the reports I have seen are too few and superficial..mainly aimed at getting their own TRPs up...but it doesn't even scratch the surface to see the real condition of the people of Burma whom Aung San represents.

International media have also been doing stories about how Burma is the hot business destination and why not.

But as a friend observed about the country's current status.."Burma is a museum!"

So one wonders who will go into Burma for business?

Will it be just the exploiters looking for timber and oil and gases?

Will Burma only have newspapers that carry the General's photos?

I think bloggers and campaign activists have done more to champion the release of Aung San than mainstream media.

A few have done so at great risk to their own lives like swimming across the lake to meet an imprisoned Aung San.

Aung San herself is a beacon of hope but she also reminds the world that democracy does not equal freedom.

A lot of work needs to be done...the people must be freed so that they may be able to pull themselves out of poverty.

So far Aung San's economic views are less known and its not easy to say how she will lead a country by sitting in the opposition.

But indiavikalp wishes her luck.