Initially, Mamata Banerjee was in a mode of denial about the existence of the Maoists in Bengal - like the erstwhile Left Front government in the state, and now the same Maoists have turned out to be omnipresent for her. The fluctuating positions of the Bengal chief minister only speaks of how the politicians change their stance to suit short-term gains. It is indeed unfortunate that people have to live with such wavering politicians cutting across party lines, without much choice on offer.
Mamata Banerjee has the rare ability of making personalities popular, and her Maoist (also read opposition) mania has only added to that credential. Prof Ambikesh Mahapatra of Jadavpur University and his septuagenarian neighbour Subrata Sengupta have shot into fame, albeit for the wrong reasons, thanks to her mercurial attitude.
Even after the goons belonging to the Trinamool Congress harassed the two professionals, she could have infused reason by either keeping away from the controversy or by leaving it to the law enforcing agencies to investigate the allegations. Instead, the chief minister chose to intervene on a matter which lies within the purview of the officer in-charge of a police station. By echoing the views of what the Trinamool Congress activists were arguing, she diminished her own position from being the administrative head of the state to a mere party leader.
Being a street fighter has always added to Mamata Banerjee's advantage. Even after becoming the chief minister, she has demonstrated her proximity to the "ordinary others", rather than portraying an air of false intellectualism. But her proximity to the cause of the ordinary man doesn't necessary mean that she needs to comment on each and every issue in public domain. Often politicians tend to overlook the fact that silence sometimes is louder than words.
The way Mamata Banerjee has conducted herself in the Park Street molestation and many other cases have only demonstrated that she needs to go a long way to muster the skills expected of an able administrator. The inept handling of successive events can in the long run even undermine her authority to preside over the same people, who more than a year ago elected Mamata Banerjee with a thumping majority.
Another trait which brings Mamata Banerjee closer to the masses is her simple lifestyle. Many consider it to be symbolic to muster political gains, yet it is not easy to control oneself when the ultimate authority of running the show lies with her. She has not only single-handedly decimated the CPI-M in the state, but is also calling the shots in the functioning of the coalition at the centre. In such a situation it is not unusual to consider oneself as the ultimate repository of power and act in a reckless manner, without much propriety. Fortunately, such a thing has not happened in the case of Mamata Banerjee, despite being so close to power for such a long time after rising from a very humble background.
Despite such demonstrable strengths, Mamata Banerjee's actions often seemed very flimsy and bereft of any rhyme or reason. The way she conducted herself on many occasions, especially on her interactions with the opposition, even after becoming the chief minister of a state only speaks of her lack of manoeuvring skills expected of a seasoned politician. Her angry remarks against the Maoists and seeing their handiwork on every note of dissent may in the long run be construed as a symptom of chronic fear and insecurity, which can be damaging for the people of the state, the Trinamool Congress and its supremo.
Undoubtedly, Mamata Banerjee is a crafty politician, probably she is raising her pitch only to polarise the political space in Bengal, between the Trinamool Congress and others. However, the danger of such a polarisation is that the middle ground gradually gets depleted, leading to exposition of extreme positions, which is not conducive to the politics of pluralism and tolerance.
All comments are personal.
Tirthankar.Bandyopadhyay.Blog@gmail.com
Wednesday
India @ 65: Memories and hope
Sipping my morning tea on Wednesday, I tuned in the television as I do every day. Surfing channels after watching the travel news and weather on the BBC's Breakfast Show, I found the NDTV showing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. It's India's Independence Day, I said to myself, slightly disappointed that I couldn't wake up early enough to watch the flag-hoisting ceremony live, as I do every year.
On my way to work, I was awash with memories of independence day celebrations. As a child it was a very special day for me. I felt standing in apt attention during the flag hoisting ceremony and saluting the tri-colour was a fitting tribute from a young boy to his predecessors, who laid down their lives for our motherland. Often my voice would get choked and eyes moistened while singing the national anthem.
In our childhood days, it was a practice to expose the young to the golden days of Indian freedom struggle. We were shown movies on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Kshudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh and many others. May be those films had their reverberations on my young mind as I used to stand in pride in front of the unfurling tri-colour.
Whenever I used to be in my hometown of Belgharia, I used to attend the independence day celebrations at my local club Udayan. After the flag hoisting, a picture of Netaji used to be garlanded. This was followed by a parade, and saluting the tri-colour used to be my proudest moment. The sweets and savouries (jilipi and singara) were a bonus for the kids.
Often I have dreamt of being born when India was fighting for her independence and had become free. The description of the time when India gained freedom still evinces my interest and stirs my imagination. As a child Netaji was my hero and he still continues to be my greatest patriot. As a young boy, whenever I would have seen a statue of Netaji, be it by the side of B T Road at Baranagar or at the five-point crossing at Shyambazar or at the Maidan, I used to salute him and the expression of respect filled with pride would amuse others, often causing laughter.
As I matured and was exposed to more reading about Indian independence, I felt that probably Netaji was more of an emotional person and those with emotions rarely succeed in the craft of politics, but his love for our motherland India was unflinching. Netaji seeking the support of Germany and Japan only shows his eagerness to make India free. Notwithstanding the ideological allegations that many have against Netaji, he still remains my patriotic hero.
Many years back when I was doing a radio feature on Shyam Benegal's film Netaji -The Last Hero for the BBC, I came across Netaji's daughter Anita Bose Pfaff and her economist husband, Martin Pfaff. Our interaction at the Indian Gymkhana Club in Osterley was indeed a great experience and I still hold the cassette with their interviews as a prized possession.
When I mentioned to Anita Bose Pfaff that Netaji was my childhood hero and I used to slaute his statue, she burst out in laughter, but was very measured in her assessment. She had no complaints about being so far away from India, despite her father being one of India's greatest leaders. Her husband Dr Martin Pfaff is a very open-hearted and jovial person. He told me that he always enjoyed the care and attention that a 'Bangali-barir jamai' (son-in-law of a Bengali household) gets in India.
As India celebrates the 65th anniversary of its independence, the nation is faced with many challenges but the remarkable achievements also can't be overlooked. There is poverty, hunger, disease, malnourishment, illiteracy, unemployment - and all of them are daunting tasks which India as a nation needs to take on in its stride. But India has also shown what it has on offer for the world and how it can shape the global order. She has bestowed a sense of pride to her people, which will undoubtedly instill greater self-confidence to ensure bigger successes in the future.
All comments are personal.
Tirthankar.Bandyopadhyay.Blog@gmail.com
On my way to work, I was awash with memories of independence day celebrations. As a child it was a very special day for me. I felt standing in apt attention during the flag hoisting ceremony and saluting the tri-colour was a fitting tribute from a young boy to his predecessors, who laid down their lives for our motherland. Often my voice would get choked and eyes moistened while singing the national anthem.
In our childhood days, it was a practice to expose the young to the golden days of Indian freedom struggle. We were shown movies on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Kshudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh and many others. May be those films had their reverberations on my young mind as I used to stand in pride in front of the unfurling tri-colour.
Whenever I used to be in my hometown of Belgharia, I used to attend the independence day celebrations at my local club Udayan. After the flag hoisting, a picture of Netaji used to be garlanded. This was followed by a parade, and saluting the tri-colour used to be my proudest moment. The sweets and savouries (jilipi and singara) were a bonus for the kids.
Often I have dreamt of being born when India was fighting for her independence and had become free. The description of the time when India gained freedom still evinces my interest and stirs my imagination. As a child Netaji was my hero and he still continues to be my greatest patriot. As a young boy, whenever I would have seen a statue of Netaji, be it by the side of B T Road at Baranagar or at the five-point crossing at Shyambazar or at the Maidan, I used to salute him and the expression of respect filled with pride would amuse others, often causing laughter.
As I matured and was exposed to more reading about Indian independence, I felt that probably Netaji was more of an emotional person and those with emotions rarely succeed in the craft of politics, but his love for our motherland India was unflinching. Netaji seeking the support of Germany and Japan only shows his eagerness to make India free. Notwithstanding the ideological allegations that many have against Netaji, he still remains my patriotic hero.
Many years back when I was doing a radio feature on Shyam Benegal's film Netaji -The Last Hero for the BBC, I came across Netaji's daughter Anita Bose Pfaff and her economist husband, Martin Pfaff. Our interaction at the Indian Gymkhana Club in Osterley was indeed a great experience and I still hold the cassette with their interviews as a prized possession.
When I mentioned to Anita Bose Pfaff that Netaji was my childhood hero and I used to slaute his statue, she burst out in laughter, but was very measured in her assessment. She had no complaints about being so far away from India, despite her father being one of India's greatest leaders. Her husband Dr Martin Pfaff is a very open-hearted and jovial person. He told me that he always enjoyed the care and attention that a 'Bangali-barir jamai' (son-in-law of a Bengali household) gets in India.
As India celebrates the 65th anniversary of its independence, the nation is faced with many challenges but the remarkable achievements also can't be overlooked. There is poverty, hunger, disease, malnourishment, illiteracy, unemployment - and all of them are daunting tasks which India as a nation needs to take on in its stride. But India has also shown what it has on offer for the world and how it can shape the global order. She has bestowed a sense of pride to her people, which will undoubtedly instill greater self-confidence to ensure bigger successes in the future.
All comments are personal.
Tirthankar.Bandyopadhyay.Blog@gmail.com
Sunday
London 2012: In true spirit and style
 |
| London 2012 is a tribute to the city's indomitable spirit |
Arguing the case for London in Singapore, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair was all praise for the city, and here we were stuck in the Piccadilly Line the very next morning. Many of us were pouring our hearts out only to call the bluff of the people running London. Little did we know then that one of the most vibrant cities of the world was under a severe terrorist attack, but London's public transport system never regained the faith of many over the past seven years.
Since then, till the very last day - 26 July 2012, I had my doubts about the possibility of any success of London 2012. Over the years the public facilities have crumbled in London causing huge discomfort for the residents and visitors. The cuts in public finances made London the melting pot of protests throwing the city into chaos and disarray. The tough negotiations that followed between the government and the trade unions cast further doubts over the smooth sailing of London 2012.
In the end though, I must admit, London 2012 has been a huge success. As the terrorists who masterminded the attacks of 7 July 2005 failed to undermine the indomitable spirit of the Londoners, similarly all those who questioned London's potential, including myself, to host a successful Olympics were proved wrong. All the doubts and apprehensions were thrown out of the window as life in London, during the Games, was reasonably normal.
 |
| Volunteers can take pride in making the Games a success |
As I was watching the spectacular closing ceremony of London 2012, I was trying to figure out the real heroes of the Games. Undoubtedly, the athletes and the other participants, irrespective of how they performed, provided the necessary life to the Games. All those who worked so hard over the past seven years to make London 2012 a success deserve to be duly credited for what they have delivered. The members of the armed forces, the transport workers, the security staff, the people working in food stalls and thousands of others in airports, train stations and in many other places, all have made valuable contributions to the success of London 2012.
Yet for me the real heroes were the thousands of volunteers who provided their service without the expectation of any reward other than the personal satisfaction of being associated with this great Games. Clad in magenta tabards, these volunteers always retained their smile and maintained their cool wherever they were at whatever time of the day. Their motto, as a 60-year-old volunteer told me at the Excel Arena, was to uphold the true spirit of London of being friendly and helpful.
On a personal note, the legacy of London 2012 has been the opportunity of being part, even if it was only as a spectator, of this truly global event, which was indeed a unique experience for me. Never before did I feel so proud to be a Londoner, especially after the ease with which London managed the Games.
For my eight-year-old daughter, it was a demonstration and celebration of her British identity. Over the past two weeks she was literally glued to the television, apart from the events that we watched at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and at the Excel Arena. Every time Britain won a medal, she waved the Union Jack with pride and her joy was doubled only to find that the men's 10,000m and 5,000m gold winner, Mo Farah, took to athletics when he was a resident of our London Borough of Hounslow.
 |
| For two weeks London was the melting pot of world cultures |
As Britain wakes up on Monday morning after a very successful Olympics, the British economy will still be in double dip recession, yet the nation can take pride in its indomitable spirit, which once withstood the terrorist attacks from making a dent in London, and gather strength in coping with the difficult days ahead with much greater confidence.
And the 70,000 who volunteered in London 2012, will definitely cherish the memory of being part of the greatest show on earth and making valuable contributions to its success.
All comments are personal.
Tirthankar.Bandyopadhyay.Blog@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)