A life of struggle and unprecedented political success; integrity and commitment all the way defined the towering persona of Jyoti Basu-last long marchers of Indian politics. An exemplary life met to final rest on January 17th, 2010 in Kolkata, after witnessing a prolific life span {July 8th, 1914-January17th, 2010}-infact he remained a man of immense political stature, one of India’s frontline illustrious leaders and statesmen from the past century.
Despite hailing from a non-political albeit privileged background, this man has credit to consolidate the idea of communism in the land of India and serving West Bengal as independent India’s longest serving Chief Minister {June 1977-November2000}.
This chief architect of Indian communism led the Communist Party of India {Marxist} and left front to the first five of its seven successive assembly elections-amazingly introduced Land reforms in West Bengal that significantly consolidated a rural class.This most reliable Bhadra Lok from Bengal was known from practicing a single buzzword called-responsibility which he never let apart from himself; in his consistent stint, he laid the way to democratization of Panchayati Raj in West Bengal which immensely benefited the landscape of rural Bengal {Gram Bangla}.
Austerity and entrusted democratic elements within his personality always enabled him to defy any sort of covering for his or governments shortcomings-he tried to met with the developmental challenges like, education, health, industry etc; establishment of the Haldia Petro-Chemical Complex and the creation of an atmosphere of communal harmony was few among his great contributions.
If Marxist leaders-E.M.S.Naboodiripad, B.T.Ranadive and Basavapunniah evolved themselves as exponents and developers of Marxist theory; some others-P.Sunderaiyya, Pramode Dasgupta and Harkishan Singh Surjeet significantly added value in organizational affairs-Mr. Basu’s great strength was lies in another domain-masses, in simplest evaluation, he would be best identified as a teacher and evangelist of communism and egalitarianism.
This epoch maker of Indian politics had sensed very early the dawn of soul calling during his Senior Cambridge at St. Xavier’s school-he shared such bubbling thoughts with his doctor father that I don’t feel like going to school-later listening of icons like Subhas Chandra Bose at Calcutta Maidan in 1930’s along with his cousin by symbolically wearing an unmatched homemade Khadi attire greatly inspired him for service of nation.
He offended through suppressive acts of British police on demonstrators and like a true budding revolutionary faced baton charges-in further course as a student of prestigious Presidency College, he morally supported the rebellion in Chittagong Armory Raid in 1930’s {Interview with Jyoti Basu by Parvathi Menon, Frontline, December 3-16,2005}before moving to Middle Temple to be a Barrister{London}in 1935,immediate after the completion of B.A{Honours in English} from Presidency College {Calcutta University}.
That decade was stuffed with upheavelling inferences-students particularly those from Indian sub-continents were concerned with the freedom struggle in the institutions like, Oxford, Cambridge, and London School of Economics etc. Then communist leaders from India and-Muzaffar Ahmad in particular were in fine touch with the Communist Party of Great Britain{CPGB}which used to inspire the grooming student revolutionary like, Hiren Mukherjee, Sajjad Zaheer, Jyoti Basu and many others contemporaries to come back in own country and work for the party.
By same linkage and inspiration, the London based Indian students formed All Greta Britain Indian Students Federation, London Majlis {Jyoti Basu was General Secretary} and Indian League {Krishna Menon}; there job was
to hold meetings about the development of freedom struggle in country and when leaders like Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhulabhai Desai, Vijaya Laxmi Pandit and others went to London, they hosted receptions in their honour.
Time spent in London were equally flamboyant as his later life; here he was deeply influenced with the lucid and scholaric narratives of Harold Laski, Rajani Palme Dutta {Reporter, Third International} and Brother Clemens Dutta, Bhupesh Gupta-which in his own words proved contagious, so, before waiting for his final results of Bar at Law, Jyoti Basu returned to Calcutta on January 1,1940 and joined the party only two days later-infact it was a daring departure from a comfortable career in legal practices to the rough pitches of politics.
He forayed to the space of Indian communism in a very unusual era of its maneuverings-party was still not being able to emerge from the transition with Congress charisma and later party’s decision to support the imperialist war as peoples war since its ally U.S.S.R was attacked by the Germany in 1941 was right till than because in India, a sort of silent consensus was prevailing in favour of Soviet Union as mass perception and even the voices like Tagore regarded U.S.S.R as defender of civilization; but party’s move to dissociate itself from Quit India movement in 1942 proved blunder in longer course where it loosed the touch from peoples on pan country scale.
Anyway that wasn’t true replica of Jyoti Basu, like a true volunteer he did exemplary services during the very adverse phages of riot {1946} and Great Bengal Famine in 1949, in which approximately thirty lakhs lives lost. In 1944, Mr. Basu moved to trade union work {port dock} and later started building a railway union in the region named as Bengal Assam Railway Workers Union-his legislature journey also begins from same Railway constituency in the government formed by the Muslin League under the Suharawardy in 1946. Despite of some ups and downs, the left played very decisive role in the freedom movement.
His roles formidably grew within and outside the party in independent India-he hold the charge of Secretary of West Bengal Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of India{CPI}from 1952 to 1957; was elected to assembly in 1952,57,62,67,69,71,77,82,87,99. He also served as Leader of opposition in assembly from1957-1967 before holding the charge of deputy Chief Minister in the two united front governments in West Bengal{1967-69}.
Finally he emerged as Chief Minister on June21, 1977 and further led the Left Front government for five consecutive terms before voluntary relinquishing the office as CM on November 6,2000-indeed he succeeded to provide an alternative form of governance. There are very few examples like operation Berga which he introduced in 1978 with the help of Kishan Sabha for distribution surplus land-he executed a very sound land reform in West Bengal which entirely redefined the existing state of affairs.
He always believed that communists are destined to play a major role in preserving the country’s secular and egalitarian credentials; he remained acutely conscious of his Marxist identity, but for sure, he wasn’t quite the purist that Basavpunniah or Ranadive were. He never detached from party line even for a while albeit used pragmatism in statecraft-example like policy on Foreign Capital Investment {1994}, in which he regarded the role of private sector in the development. Without any suspicion, he would have been the tenth Prime Minister of India in 1996 if he acted in his best capacity, instead he shown greatness by following the ethics of Party’s principles.
This grand old man of Indian politics never hesitated from the consensus based maneuverings and remained instrumental in the formation of most of the non-Congress government at the centre; even he pioneered for the first UPA
Government in 2004. Lastly he was very genuinely a leader of the masses and in many ways his passing away signals the end of an era.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January26th2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Friday, January 29, 2010
Bombay Meri Jaan, Alas!
The protagonist of cinema CID was a beat relaxed singing “Ae dil hai mushkil jeena yahan, zara bachke-zara hatake, ye hai Bombay meri jaan”because he only had to save himself from bustling buses, trams, thugs and other worldly oddities; lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri would have been added some extra features in his city narrative song if possibly abled to foresee the current political projection against the non-Marathi speaking hacks in the city of Mumbai-especially against those hailing from north-India.
Even after witnessing advances from the CID {1950’S} era to Gaman {late 1970’s, directed by Muzzaphar Ali} creates only subtle differences of plights-here a typical low end job searcher {Portrayed as Taxi driver in Cinema} from the rural hinterlands of Uttar Pradesh narrates the agony of his alienation on screen as “Sine me jalan aankon me toofan sa kyon hai, ish Sahar me har saksh pareshan sa kyon hai”-same grave uneasiness of adaptability in this unfriendly city.
The two decades journey through these songs reflect best the abnormalities of contemporary material life in the maxims city called Mumbai which for decades has been dreaming to be the worlds biggest financial destination before a normal flood drenched and messed this city to unmanageable scale; thanks to other contemporary divisive political agenda for late arrival, at least these two protagonist have been shaved from the atrocities of new linguistic ruling by the government which seems like its convergence to the wish lists of Thackrey’s.
Compulsion of Marathi language for new entrant taxiwalas pioneered by the India’s political avantgarde Congress party which usually manifests deep secular and socialist temperaments-Ashok Chavan, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra hadn’t hesitated for a moment before the plan of its execution; remarkable passivity from centre also fueled this divisive spirit.
Being an ordinary Indian citizen, I am shocked to see little resistance against the political misadventurism being played on the land of Maharashtra-amazingly the plights of common Maratha folks cited as reason behind this which could be hardly a conceivable judgment. In2006-2008, Maharashtra saw 12,493 suicides, this is eighty five percent higher than the 6,745 suicides recording during 1997-1999; and the worst three-year period for any state, any time {P.Sainath, The Hindu, January 25th 2010.
Despite the fact that since 2006, the state has been the focus of many lucrative initiatives, overall the amounts committed to fighting the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra exceeded Rs, 20,000 crore across 2006, 2007, 2008 {excluding financial leverages to the sugar barons}, yet that proved to be the worst three year period ever for any state at any time since the recording of farm data came into existence. How can an Aam Aadmi chosen to be laidback? Where gone these billions of rupees, was the amount so meager for brushing the fortunes of farming class in rural Maharashtra? The possible answer from political side would be a stretchy hush or tricky and trivial makeshift narratives that must floats without judging the gravity of matters.
Infact scenario in urban landscape have been equally distorted that became evident from six-seven man led suicidal terror attack in the city of Mumbai {November26, 2008} when the reality of security system came across the world…we kept loosing our precious lives {both civic and security personnel} in absence of proper counter terror planning and basic equipments till National Security Guards {NSG} took command over operation.
Like most of Indians, I was also stick with the situation and keep viewing the news from different sources for entire three days of operation and felt irritation by the sluggish political decisions like calling NSG guards past midnight and later opening the doors of Hotel Taj to a second grade cinema maker to observe inferences for his next cheap blockbuster. Country felt the pain of attack on Mumbai, hardly matters that majority of them were non-Marathi speakers-I mean to say that politics of hatred blossomed in the time of void ness which is inherently challenging the ethos of democracy in India.
Personally and collectively it’s very shocking for me to see the name of Maharashtra for all the bad reasons that is strikingly contrast to its retro impression and contribution of Marathi peoples in nation making-from Bal Gangadhar Tilak, B.R.Ambedkar, Lata Mangeshkar &sisters, Vijay Tendulkar, Amol Palekar, Sunil Gavashkar to Sachin Tendulkar etc.
Along with the other maligning affluent, Congress has to out speak about the motive behinds this ruling because peoples could be puzzled only to a limitation otherwise a culture of segmentation and bias would be institutionalized that indeed weaken the national spirit to the subversive level. Ashok Chavan, both at personnel and political level have degenerated the broad thinking from public scene-all fouls, from news sponsoring to linguistic hatredness.
The only credit goes to the ruling Congress party in there last three years rule in Maharashtra to conquer the some awards like OSCAR for Slumdog Millionaire which entirely canopied the city’s fifty-five percent slum reality and their inhuman nexus with capital in out rightly subversive way which for a while healed the depressions of recession struck western world.
For them India transform only from a land of snake charmers to a repository of slum culture…definitely this is not our achievement nor it could improve the lives of deprived Marathi’s-they needed instead a consistent access to the rudimentary resources of life by having chances to dwell better with education, high end aspirations and careers instead of marching against their non-Marathi counterparts. Political spoilers must mind their action as Maharashtra including Mumbai is as much India as Delhi, Bihar, U.P, Kerala, Jammu Kashmir or any other parts. I am still firm that we all Indians have right to be a Mumbaikar…essentially we should think better for it.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Even after witnessing advances from the CID {1950’S} era to Gaman {late 1970’s, directed by Muzzaphar Ali} creates only subtle differences of plights-here a typical low end job searcher {Portrayed as Taxi driver in Cinema} from the rural hinterlands of Uttar Pradesh narrates the agony of his alienation on screen as “Sine me jalan aankon me toofan sa kyon hai, ish Sahar me har saksh pareshan sa kyon hai”-same grave uneasiness of adaptability in this unfriendly city.
The two decades journey through these songs reflect best the abnormalities of contemporary material life in the maxims city called Mumbai which for decades has been dreaming to be the worlds biggest financial destination before a normal flood drenched and messed this city to unmanageable scale; thanks to other contemporary divisive political agenda for late arrival, at least these two protagonist have been shaved from the atrocities of new linguistic ruling by the government which seems like its convergence to the wish lists of Thackrey’s.
Compulsion of Marathi language for new entrant taxiwalas pioneered by the India’s political avantgarde Congress party which usually manifests deep secular and socialist temperaments-Ashok Chavan, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra hadn’t hesitated for a moment before the plan of its execution; remarkable passivity from centre also fueled this divisive spirit.
Being an ordinary Indian citizen, I am shocked to see little resistance against the political misadventurism being played on the land of Maharashtra-amazingly the plights of common Maratha folks cited as reason behind this which could be hardly a conceivable judgment. In2006-2008, Maharashtra saw 12,493 suicides, this is eighty five percent higher than the 6,745 suicides recording during 1997-1999; and the worst three-year period for any state, any time {P.Sainath, The Hindu, January 25th 2010.
Despite the fact that since 2006, the state has been the focus of many lucrative initiatives, overall the amounts committed to fighting the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra exceeded Rs, 20,000 crore across 2006, 2007, 2008 {excluding financial leverages to the sugar barons}, yet that proved to be the worst three year period ever for any state at any time since the recording of farm data came into existence. How can an Aam Aadmi chosen to be laidback? Where gone these billions of rupees, was the amount so meager for brushing the fortunes of farming class in rural Maharashtra? The possible answer from political side would be a stretchy hush or tricky and trivial makeshift narratives that must floats without judging the gravity of matters.
Infact scenario in urban landscape have been equally distorted that became evident from six-seven man led suicidal terror attack in the city of Mumbai {November26, 2008} when the reality of security system came across the world…we kept loosing our precious lives {both civic and security personnel} in absence of proper counter terror planning and basic equipments till National Security Guards {NSG} took command over operation.
Like most of Indians, I was also stick with the situation and keep viewing the news from different sources for entire three days of operation and felt irritation by the sluggish political decisions like calling NSG guards past midnight and later opening the doors of Hotel Taj to a second grade cinema maker to observe inferences for his next cheap blockbuster. Country felt the pain of attack on Mumbai, hardly matters that majority of them were non-Marathi speakers-I mean to say that politics of hatred blossomed in the time of void ness which is inherently challenging the ethos of democracy in India.
Personally and collectively it’s very shocking for me to see the name of Maharashtra for all the bad reasons that is strikingly contrast to its retro impression and contribution of Marathi peoples in nation making-from Bal Gangadhar Tilak, B.R.Ambedkar, Lata Mangeshkar &sisters, Vijay Tendulkar, Amol Palekar, Sunil Gavashkar to Sachin Tendulkar etc.
Along with the other maligning affluent, Congress has to out speak about the motive behinds this ruling because peoples could be puzzled only to a limitation otherwise a culture of segmentation and bias would be institutionalized that indeed weaken the national spirit to the subversive level. Ashok Chavan, both at personnel and political level have degenerated the broad thinking from public scene-all fouls, from news sponsoring to linguistic hatredness.
The only credit goes to the ruling Congress party in there last three years rule in Maharashtra to conquer the some awards like OSCAR for Slumdog Millionaire which entirely canopied the city’s fifty-five percent slum reality and their inhuman nexus with capital in out rightly subversive way which for a while healed the depressions of recession struck western world.
For them India transform only from a land of snake charmers to a repository of slum culture…definitely this is not our achievement nor it could improve the lives of deprived Marathi’s-they needed instead a consistent access to the rudimentary resources of life by having chances to dwell better with education, high end aspirations and careers instead of marching against their non-Marathi counterparts. Political spoilers must mind their action as Maharashtra including Mumbai is as much India as Delhi, Bihar, U.P, Kerala, Jammu Kashmir or any other parts. I am still firm that we all Indians have right to be a Mumbaikar…essentially we should think better for it.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Revival of Bihar
The economy’s spectacular growth in five years up to 2008-09 was propelled by the initiatives at the grass root level, with the traditional backward and poor states turning into miracle economies. As par new Central Statistical Organization {CSO} surveys, at 11.03 percent, growth rate of Bihar only a step behind Gujarat {11.05%} and much above the National average of 8.49%.
This revolutionary growth of Bihar at 11.03% almost seems like Chinese growth; the growth rate of Bihar assumes although more significance as it comes after a negative 5.15% growth of 2003-04. “Many old notions have been shaken up in India’s five years of miraculous growth, from 2004-05 to 2008-09, some historically laggard state have sky rocketed while one leader has plummeted {Swaminathan. S.Anklesaria .Aiyar, The Economic Times, January 6th, 2010}.
The economic miracle of Bihar became possible through increased cumulative development expenses; Rs 35,364 crore was spent in last four years which remarkably proved turnaround for the shake of Bihar.Indeed economic revival also brushed the ill impressions about the state to an extant; even deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Mr. Montek Singh Ahulwalia who recently visited the Bihar, admitted that its economy has recorded a “desired growth” in the past three years-this is a positive indication from the broader perspective.
Erstwhile distortions of Bihar’s economic performances could be attributed to the malign rule of RJD led government which could raise and spent only Rs.25,000 crore in their havocking fifteen years long rule-what one can expect in such dismal investments except loosing one by one, the all glories of Bihar that it has been availing since the time immemorial.
Now in changed circumstances entire world started to see the Bihar through noble impressions-“as on last July, the World Bank had ranked Bihar 14th ahead of Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata-for being the “easiest place to start business” in India in its report “Doing Business in India 2009”, the report presents indicators on business regulations, compared across 181 economies {Santosh Singh, The Indian Express, January 4th 2010}.
It’s a explicit truth that once a country grows swiftly; increased government revenues can be better infused in social sectors and various welfare programmes-plans like NREGS, Bharat Nirman, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, the farm loan waiving and enormous oil subsidies becomes practically possible through the same growing volume of economies albeit rapid growth has been substantially inclusive, but not entirely, so much more is required public delivery at the bottom level.
After all states have larger role allocation to conquer the actual theme of development rather than attaining merely the sophisticated statistical progression-Chief Minister and architect of Bihar’s growth, Nitish Kumar has to deliberate cautiously in this regard as most of actual works have yet to be complete.
No doubt, this man behind the turnaround story of Bihar is today counting as most precious political species from the state…he has deep commitment for his assignments which he demonstrated in his long decades of political career without ever co-inciding without any grave charges. In his present stint as Chief Minister, he performed very well-he tried to touch every emptied spaces that had requires immediate make over, from education, health, services, infrastructure etc to filling of lakhs of vacancies in state departments are very remarkable.
He has shown keen interests in social plans and most pertinent, effectively used the center’s fund though obviously political mismatch with the center restraining him from making some more advanced approaches-like last twenty years, Congress led UPA government in the centre remains very passive towards any extra packages for Bihar.
Infact Nitish Kumar has to still confront with these realities although states credit has improved over years and he’s also making shack hands with big dads of business like, Mukesh Ambani, Keshab Mahindra etc before receiving the crucial Economic Times Awards; so he should look forward now to fetch private investments inside the state as the new Bihar would provide them an extra-ordinary mix of abundant finest human and natural resources.
He has got command over the law and order situation in state by de-glamorizing the crime profession-most of the famed criminals are already dwelling in various jails; only he have to stop promoting some criminals within the rank of MLA. The second thing that’s sole drawback in his illustrious personality is his unreasonable relying on caste equations-now at least it’s not matching his stature after his huge acceptance from all the classes and castes.
For forwarding Bihar to top on the list, hope he would stop being the supporter of any caste assertions or its manipulation in the politics…after all he is the man of change, so he’s the first choice.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January 27th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
This revolutionary growth of Bihar at 11.03% almost seems like Chinese growth; the growth rate of Bihar assumes although more significance as it comes after a negative 5.15% growth of 2003-04. “Many old notions have been shaken up in India’s five years of miraculous growth, from 2004-05 to 2008-09, some historically laggard state have sky rocketed while one leader has plummeted {Swaminathan. S.Anklesaria .Aiyar, The Economic Times, January 6th, 2010}.
The economic miracle of Bihar became possible through increased cumulative development expenses; Rs 35,364 crore was spent in last four years which remarkably proved turnaround for the shake of Bihar.Indeed economic revival also brushed the ill impressions about the state to an extant; even deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Mr. Montek Singh Ahulwalia who recently visited the Bihar, admitted that its economy has recorded a “desired growth” in the past three years-this is a positive indication from the broader perspective.
Erstwhile distortions of Bihar’s economic performances could be attributed to the malign rule of RJD led government which could raise and spent only Rs.25,000 crore in their havocking fifteen years long rule-what one can expect in such dismal investments except loosing one by one, the all glories of Bihar that it has been availing since the time immemorial.
Now in changed circumstances entire world started to see the Bihar through noble impressions-“as on last July, the World Bank had ranked Bihar 14th ahead of Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata-for being the “easiest place to start business” in India in its report “Doing Business in India 2009”, the report presents indicators on business regulations, compared across 181 economies {Santosh Singh, The Indian Express, January 4th 2010}.
It’s a explicit truth that once a country grows swiftly; increased government revenues can be better infused in social sectors and various welfare programmes-plans like NREGS, Bharat Nirman, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, the farm loan waiving and enormous oil subsidies becomes practically possible through the same growing volume of economies albeit rapid growth has been substantially inclusive, but not entirely, so much more is required public delivery at the bottom level.
After all states have larger role allocation to conquer the actual theme of development rather than attaining merely the sophisticated statistical progression-Chief Minister and architect of Bihar’s growth, Nitish Kumar has to deliberate cautiously in this regard as most of actual works have yet to be complete.
No doubt, this man behind the turnaround story of Bihar is today counting as most precious political species from the state…he has deep commitment for his assignments which he demonstrated in his long decades of political career without ever co-inciding without any grave charges. In his present stint as Chief Minister, he performed very well-he tried to touch every emptied spaces that had requires immediate make over, from education, health, services, infrastructure etc to filling of lakhs of vacancies in state departments are very remarkable.
He has shown keen interests in social plans and most pertinent, effectively used the center’s fund though obviously political mismatch with the center restraining him from making some more advanced approaches-like last twenty years, Congress led UPA government in the centre remains very passive towards any extra packages for Bihar.
Infact Nitish Kumar has to still confront with these realities although states credit has improved over years and he’s also making shack hands with big dads of business like, Mukesh Ambani, Keshab Mahindra etc before receiving the crucial Economic Times Awards; so he should look forward now to fetch private investments inside the state as the new Bihar would provide them an extra-ordinary mix of abundant finest human and natural resources.
He has got command over the law and order situation in state by de-glamorizing the crime profession-most of the famed criminals are already dwelling in various jails; only he have to stop promoting some criminals within the rank of MLA. The second thing that’s sole drawback in his illustrious personality is his unreasonable relying on caste equations-now at least it’s not matching his stature after his huge acceptance from all the classes and castes.
For forwarding Bihar to top on the list, hope he would stop being the supporter of any caste assertions or its manipulation in the politics…after all he is the man of change, so he’s the first choice.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January 27th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Imbroglio of Nepalese Politics
A beautiful land that once known for its peaceful existence and celebrative lifestyle, now stands against these qualities. Nepal’s integrity which symbolizes with its foundation by king Prithvi Narayan Shah in eighteenth century, now caught in alarming state as Communist Party of Nepal {Maoist} are chasing this target to overthrow by forcibly imposing the establishment of ethnic states inside the country.
Power hungry Maoists have nothing to do with the historical truth as they believed those entire realities as “Military victory” and nothing apart from that-astonishingly such process was started by the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in 2006 when he stopped the “unity day” on eve of King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birth anniversary-such tempering with the symbol of icons are sheer awful and deserves to be condemn.
Since the broke out of civil war in 1996 by the Maoists against the monarchy to the present date, Maoists and other pseudo progressive players have added nothing except some more misfortune to their country which overall deteriorates the impression of Nepal for outside world.
For the time being, Nepal’s peace process is in fragile state and its possible inability to execute the new constitution before the May 28th, 2010 deadline would bring country’s democratic legitimacy into questions and further may keep haunt the changes that the 2006 mass movement brought about.
Indeed chances of fundamental shifts look hard to institutionalize in present political chaos generated by the Maoists; lust for power grew so much in Maoist camp that even intra-party feud reached to top political order-Baburam Bhattarai, the ideologue and chief architect of Maoism in Nepal now viewing as an Indian agent only because he often talks of party’s participation with the other democratic forces in near future that pushing Prachanda into insecure cognition and now even he forgetting the role Baburam Bhattarai has played since inception of civil war in country.
All these adverse developments in political circle making a section of Nepali intelligentsia believes that involving Nepali people in fundamental shifts-from monarchy to republic, from Hindu Nepal to secularism and most importantly from unitary to federalism was a fatal; a chunk among them also started blaming the indulged political parties as well as India which is a blow to two-nations traditional friendly fabrics.
China has sensed this opportunity and started enlarging terms of engagements with the crisis ridden Nepal; signed a Peace and Friendship Treaty similar to one Nepal has with India and reviewing its earlier stands like recognizing India has primacy of interest in Nepal.The huge investments in Nepal also marks China’s policy extension to engage India in similar line, like of Kashmir issue-besides their own ambition to be a key actor in the international initiative in Nepalese peace process, probably to counter its chief architect-non other than India.
This is not without reason from Chinese side as they considering on an unexplored Nepal which possess enormous water resources as potential power hoe; in deed in both economic and strategic terms it would be win-win situation for China which India could not explore properly in long sixty years. Definitely it’s a cause of concern because such materialization would be encroach India’s traditional role in this republic albeit China is also not looking completely lucid in their framework.
At one side where they using Maoists as their natural ally but on the other they offering financial packages for developmental activities and noticeably for the modernization of Nepalese Army-even more Chinese authorities are in no mood to dissociate them from the present government in Nepal, they recently convened a Prime Ministerial level meetings in Beijing beside also officially invited Nepalese president Rambaran Yadav to visit China. So, such stand is sufficed for showing the China’s feeble sincerity in ongoing peace process-they are using Nepal as resource hub and political parties especially Maoists as commodity, nothing more than that.
For constructive advancement of peace process in Nepal, some corrective measures are immediately needed from China side-obviously the first would be to cease from fueling Maoists for anti-Indian stances because that unnecessarily hyping their negative spirits which jeopardizing the entire peace process. Pragmatically China must consider on broader terms with India which these two giant nations has developed in last two decades; mutual trust they have achieved meanwhile through their diplomatic and trade engagements should not allow them to throw in vain.
Peaceful presence of this Himalayan republic amidst the two superpower would be an advantageous proposition for the entire south Asian region-hope that political parties would understand the gravity of matters now and strive to recover Nepal from falling order, because their own efforts and understanding rather than glamorous external intervention would play catalyst role in nation building. Eventually, Maoists should revisit their political ideology as presently it hardly in replication with the parent ideology…ethnicity could never be a strong driving force for a radical left party, any further proceedings in this regard going to be very injurious to their future prospects.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January 27th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Power hungry Maoists have nothing to do with the historical truth as they believed those entire realities as “Military victory” and nothing apart from that-astonishingly such process was started by the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in 2006 when he stopped the “unity day” on eve of King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birth anniversary-such tempering with the symbol of icons are sheer awful and deserves to be condemn.
Since the broke out of civil war in 1996 by the Maoists against the monarchy to the present date, Maoists and other pseudo progressive players have added nothing except some more misfortune to their country which overall deteriorates the impression of Nepal for outside world.
For the time being, Nepal’s peace process is in fragile state and its possible inability to execute the new constitution before the May 28th, 2010 deadline would bring country’s democratic legitimacy into questions and further may keep haunt the changes that the 2006 mass movement brought about.
Indeed chances of fundamental shifts look hard to institutionalize in present political chaos generated by the Maoists; lust for power grew so much in Maoist camp that even intra-party feud reached to top political order-Baburam Bhattarai, the ideologue and chief architect of Maoism in Nepal now viewing as an Indian agent only because he often talks of party’s participation with the other democratic forces in near future that pushing Prachanda into insecure cognition and now even he forgetting the role Baburam Bhattarai has played since inception of civil war in country.
All these adverse developments in political circle making a section of Nepali intelligentsia believes that involving Nepali people in fundamental shifts-from monarchy to republic, from Hindu Nepal to secularism and most importantly from unitary to federalism was a fatal; a chunk among them also started blaming the indulged political parties as well as India which is a blow to two-nations traditional friendly fabrics.
China has sensed this opportunity and started enlarging terms of engagements with the crisis ridden Nepal; signed a Peace and Friendship Treaty similar to one Nepal has with India and reviewing its earlier stands like recognizing India has primacy of interest in Nepal.The huge investments in Nepal also marks China’s policy extension to engage India in similar line, like of Kashmir issue-besides their own ambition to be a key actor in the international initiative in Nepalese peace process, probably to counter its chief architect-non other than India.
This is not without reason from Chinese side as they considering on an unexplored Nepal which possess enormous water resources as potential power hoe; in deed in both economic and strategic terms it would be win-win situation for China which India could not explore properly in long sixty years. Definitely it’s a cause of concern because such materialization would be encroach India’s traditional role in this republic albeit China is also not looking completely lucid in their framework.
At one side where they using Maoists as their natural ally but on the other they offering financial packages for developmental activities and noticeably for the modernization of Nepalese Army-even more Chinese authorities are in no mood to dissociate them from the present government in Nepal, they recently convened a Prime Ministerial level meetings in Beijing beside also officially invited Nepalese president Rambaran Yadav to visit China. So, such stand is sufficed for showing the China’s feeble sincerity in ongoing peace process-they are using Nepal as resource hub and political parties especially Maoists as commodity, nothing more than that.
For constructive advancement of peace process in Nepal, some corrective measures are immediately needed from China side-obviously the first would be to cease from fueling Maoists for anti-Indian stances because that unnecessarily hyping their negative spirits which jeopardizing the entire peace process. Pragmatically China must consider on broader terms with India which these two giant nations has developed in last two decades; mutual trust they have achieved meanwhile through their diplomatic and trade engagements should not allow them to throw in vain.
Peaceful presence of this Himalayan republic amidst the two superpower would be an advantageous proposition for the entire south Asian region-hope that political parties would understand the gravity of matters now and strive to recover Nepal from falling order, because their own efforts and understanding rather than glamorous external intervention would play catalyst role in nation building. Eventually, Maoists should revisit their political ideology as presently it hardly in replication with the parent ideology…ethnicity could never be a strong driving force for a radical left party, any further proceedings in this regard going to be very injurious to their future prospects.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January 27th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Albert Camus: Champion of the Absurd
A maverick freethinker and literary sensation called Albert Camus was born in 1914 in Algeria, then that was despite being under the control of France was apart on many counts which later also shaped his fortune in intellectual circle of France. It was a big misfortune that this genius was died on midway on January 4th 1960, merely at the age of forty-six in a road accident albeit till than he had already reached the ladder of Nobel Prize for literary contribution.
An honest historical inquiry finds Camus on the right side of so many of the great moral issues of the twentieth century; essentially he was a freethinker that enabled him even to sort out the shortcomings of his radical communist ideology-Albert Camus could be the finest example of consineful reality, at the one side where he joined French resistance to combat Nazism, editing an underground newspaper {Combat} during the peak of second world war but the other side his refusal to join the anti-colonial rebellion in 1950’s for independence of Algeria was considered an act of treason by the French left.
Although he was too much concerned with the plights of Algeria but he was in favor of federal solution instead of complete independence-he kept asserting that “I believe in justice, but I will defend my mother before justice” amidst of heavy resistance from the camp of existentialist Jean Paul Sartre and others. The decade of 1960’s was an era of unrest throughout the world whose command was than being channelized from the intellectually fertile land of France under the deep influences of left political wings.
They had explicit leaning towards the rule of U.S.S.R, despite in such wave, Albert Camus remained untouched through the contemporary popular buzzwords-even being once Communist, his daring anti-totalitarian work “L’Homme Revolte’” {The Rebel, 1951} was remarkably vocal about the dark sides of Stalinism led to his permanent decamping with Sartre and other contemporary radicals in France who then were still standing with the Soviet Union and relentlessly refusing to condemn their acts.
Consequently he felt unbearable alienation in Paris caused by the delinking from radical circle and came under the explicit denouncement for deviating from communist ideological fervor's-communist camp had raised a stout question mark over his responsibility bearing with the plights of proletariat's, once friend turned a critique Jean Paul Sartre’s remarks”You may have been poor once, but you aren’t any more” revealed his growing unpopularity in the decades of fifties and sixties.
Interestingly, because of shift in ideological structure, today his admirers are considerably large in proportion to those of Sartre and Simon de Beauvior-even French President Nicholas Sarakozy has recently proposed transferring the writers remains from Provenance to the Pantheon in Paris.
Albert Camus at best could be memorized as a man of consignful insights rather than a typical institutional fellow; his adherence to political line ends where the freethinking upon absurd reality came under the skewed scanner. Infact, his approaches developed amidst the shabby material upbringing-he lost his father even before attainment of his first birthday; they were early settler in French Algeria, in the battle of the Mare.
His modest upbringing along with his deprived and illiterate mother {Catharine}, a brother and extended family in shaky discomfort drawn first him the sensibility of deprivation-his apartment was even without lavatory and running water; so, idea of absurdity emerged in him through his personnel discontents.
The only rich legacy for Albert Camus was his mothers strong integrity that marked superbly this worthy son- later for a academic progression, Camus moved to the French lyci’e and then to university in Algiers where he received great patronage from two inspiring teachers with whom he kept in touch throughout his life and he dedicated his Nobel Prize to one of them. Camus began writing as a reporter and dramatist and flourished ultimately to a world class novelist and political commentator-his magnum opus “L ‘Etranger” {The Stranger} had introduced readers the world over to the philosophy of absurd. He had deep sense of human sufferings and dilemmas of modern time-his solitude, self-doubt, restlessness of impermanence and displacement, persuade him moving on creatively between the sun-drenched Mediteterranian and cramped grey, Paris.
In his lifetime, he suffered numerous setbacks including of severe tuberculosis-all these oddities pushed him for quest of solace among his numerous affairs; indeed it’s justifiable for him calling himself “little poor boy”. After fifty years of death, work of Camus needs a revisiting by the literary critiques and enthusiasts which could attribute some genuine makeover to his credit. My own taste could be an avid example- I am passionate for the work of both Albert Camus and opposite camps-Jean Paul Sartre…as both provides distinct but essential world views.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
An honest historical inquiry finds Camus on the right side of so many of the great moral issues of the twentieth century; essentially he was a freethinker that enabled him even to sort out the shortcomings of his radical communist ideology-Albert Camus could be the finest example of consineful reality, at the one side where he joined French resistance to combat Nazism, editing an underground newspaper {Combat} during the peak of second world war but the other side his refusal to join the anti-colonial rebellion in 1950’s for independence of Algeria was considered an act of treason by the French left.
Although he was too much concerned with the plights of Algeria but he was in favor of federal solution instead of complete independence-he kept asserting that “I believe in justice, but I will defend my mother before justice” amidst of heavy resistance from the camp of existentialist Jean Paul Sartre and others. The decade of 1960’s was an era of unrest throughout the world whose command was than being channelized from the intellectually fertile land of France under the deep influences of left political wings.
They had explicit leaning towards the rule of U.S.S.R, despite in such wave, Albert Camus remained untouched through the contemporary popular buzzwords-even being once Communist, his daring anti-totalitarian work “L’Homme Revolte’” {The Rebel, 1951} was remarkably vocal about the dark sides of Stalinism led to his permanent decamping with Sartre and other contemporary radicals in France who then were still standing with the Soviet Union and relentlessly refusing to condemn their acts.
Consequently he felt unbearable alienation in Paris caused by the delinking from radical circle and came under the explicit denouncement for deviating from communist ideological fervor's-communist camp had raised a stout question mark over his responsibility bearing with the plights of proletariat's, once friend turned a critique Jean Paul Sartre’s remarks”You may have been poor once, but you aren’t any more” revealed his growing unpopularity in the decades of fifties and sixties.
Interestingly, because of shift in ideological structure, today his admirers are considerably large in proportion to those of Sartre and Simon de Beauvior-even French President Nicholas Sarakozy has recently proposed transferring the writers remains from Provenance to the Pantheon in Paris.
Albert Camus at best could be memorized as a man of consignful insights rather than a typical institutional fellow; his adherence to political line ends where the freethinking upon absurd reality came under the skewed scanner. Infact, his approaches developed amidst the shabby material upbringing-he lost his father even before attainment of his first birthday; they were early settler in French Algeria, in the battle of the Mare.
His modest upbringing along with his deprived and illiterate mother {Catharine}, a brother and extended family in shaky discomfort drawn first him the sensibility of deprivation-his apartment was even without lavatory and running water; so, idea of absurdity emerged in him through his personnel discontents.
The only rich legacy for Albert Camus was his mothers strong integrity that marked superbly this worthy son- later for a academic progression, Camus moved to the French lyci’e and then to university in Algiers where he received great patronage from two inspiring teachers with whom he kept in touch throughout his life and he dedicated his Nobel Prize to one of them. Camus began writing as a reporter and dramatist and flourished ultimately to a world class novelist and political commentator-his magnum opus “L ‘Etranger” {The Stranger} had introduced readers the world over to the philosophy of absurd. He had deep sense of human sufferings and dilemmas of modern time-his solitude, self-doubt, restlessness of impermanence and displacement, persuade him moving on creatively between the sun-drenched Mediteterranian and cramped grey, Paris.
In his lifetime, he suffered numerous setbacks including of severe tuberculosis-all these oddities pushed him for quest of solace among his numerous affairs; indeed it’s justifiable for him calling himself “little poor boy”. After fifty years of death, work of Camus needs a revisiting by the literary critiques and enthusiasts which could attribute some genuine makeover to his credit. My own taste could be an avid example- I am passionate for the work of both Albert Camus and opposite camps-Jean Paul Sartre…as both provides distinct but essential world views.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Breaking Points before Innovation
Innovation stands for the introduction of noble things, ideas or ways of doing something that has been introduced systematically or discovered randomly. Infact, innovations are experiment that emerged out from the cognitive order of its progenitor and at best reflect an ideal situation possible through its meticulous execution in a proper given set of order albeit lot of peoples afraid to be in touch with such propositions as they believed it a shaky hypothesis which refrain them for an experimental upswing.
Indeed getting away from innovation poses far reaching adverse impact upon that system or organization concerned which not only cause for their lagging behind in productive features rather it push back the soul of business to extreme low which proves alarmingly negative in longer course. So, in no circumstances, innovations have any alternative and possibly any way out to improve the efficiency at individual or corporate level come through redressing the blockade components of innovation.
It requires thriving and striving to trace out some common phobias about the appropriation of innovations in existing order of a set up…amazingly its very simple as most of the negative perception generated by the complicated yet popular beliefs.
At primary level-fear of change, cost involve in execution of new ideas, deficient awareness, non existence of handimanship qualities are foremost as these four seems most inherent in most of cases. At secondary level-poor leadership, gap between top &bottom up thinking, dismal flow of information and bureaucracy (both government and corporate) further heighten this insecurity to the peak level; this level is out-rightly damaging as it deals with all the crucial affairs of administration.
Eventually at tertiary level-feeble appreciation and low response for final outcome added the grief of a potential innovator; unfortunately these possible chances makes a potential innovator disdainful to enter in the fray as they see very low incentives ahead in their venture.
Obstacles are numerous nevertheless it wouldn’t be virtuous for anyone to completely loose their heart before heading-on with the real situation in their own best meticulous capacity; a systematic resonance could upfront with the many oddities if it pragmatically infused in an order, so, those positive mindsets finally reached to the triumph at the end of day as they would always poised to do things in true spirits to attain the level of innovation in their venture.
Now the perceptions are slightly being improved to accommodate innovations in existing order since the many big daddies of corporates and governments of rapidly growing economies of the world necessitates about the viability of constructive change that is positive sign indeed; at last there may be hope all around that each these slow rate of drops would improve the water level of bucket besides enthusing the peoples from all strata to march for innovative practices in their area of specializations.
A change irrespective of its volume matters because it creates sense to visualize the things in different perspectives…among the wish list, validation of alternative ideas and capacity would be on the crest as many chronic monotonous conceptions would be washed away in the perennial floods of innovations. Like Rancho of 3Idiots, a man can pass through the process of metamorphosis…being an idiot to the long-lasting hero of masses…indeed Rancho is right in saying” follow your dreams…success would accompanied it”.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Indeed getting away from innovation poses far reaching adverse impact upon that system or organization concerned which not only cause for their lagging behind in productive features rather it push back the soul of business to extreme low which proves alarmingly negative in longer course. So, in no circumstances, innovations have any alternative and possibly any way out to improve the efficiency at individual or corporate level come through redressing the blockade components of innovation.
It requires thriving and striving to trace out some common phobias about the appropriation of innovations in existing order of a set up…amazingly its very simple as most of the negative perception generated by the complicated yet popular beliefs.
At primary level-fear of change, cost involve in execution of new ideas, deficient awareness, non existence of handimanship qualities are foremost as these four seems most inherent in most of cases. At secondary level-poor leadership, gap between top &bottom up thinking, dismal flow of information and bureaucracy (both government and corporate) further heighten this insecurity to the peak level; this level is out-rightly damaging as it deals with all the crucial affairs of administration.
Eventually at tertiary level-feeble appreciation and low response for final outcome added the grief of a potential innovator; unfortunately these possible chances makes a potential innovator disdainful to enter in the fray as they see very low incentives ahead in their venture.
Obstacles are numerous nevertheless it wouldn’t be virtuous for anyone to completely loose their heart before heading-on with the real situation in their own best meticulous capacity; a systematic resonance could upfront with the many oddities if it pragmatically infused in an order, so, those positive mindsets finally reached to the triumph at the end of day as they would always poised to do things in true spirits to attain the level of innovation in their venture.
Now the perceptions are slightly being improved to accommodate innovations in existing order since the many big daddies of corporates and governments of rapidly growing economies of the world necessitates about the viability of constructive change that is positive sign indeed; at last there may be hope all around that each these slow rate of drops would improve the water level of bucket besides enthusing the peoples from all strata to march for innovative practices in their area of specializations.
A change irrespective of its volume matters because it creates sense to visualize the things in different perspectives…among the wish list, validation of alternative ideas and capacity would be on the crest as many chronic monotonous conceptions would be washed away in the perennial floods of innovations. Like Rancho of 3Idiots, a man can pass through the process of metamorphosis…being an idiot to the long-lasting hero of masses…indeed Rancho is right in saying” follow your dreams…success would accompanied it”.
Atul Kumar Thakur
January25th 2010, New Delhi
atul_mdb@rediffmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
