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
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
Monday
London 2012: Facelift, fiasco and fear
I was pleasantly surprised to have a no-glitch journey to work on Monday, 30 July 2012, the first working day after the opening of the London Olympic Games. The tube was unusually empty, and my journey from Piccadilly Circus along Regent Street was more like a stroll rather than a brisk walk interrupted by the usual stream of visitors.
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| Volunteers had all the time to pose for the camera |
In the tube, I was seated next to two London 2012 volunteers who were saying how lucky they were to be part of this great event. It is indeed a special moment for the youth in this country to have the flavour of a high profile work experience, especially at a time when jobs are few and far between.
However, not everybody is interested to be part of the great experience. The G4S fiasco speaks not only of the inefficiency of the organisation assigned with the responsibility of providing the necessary security for the London games, but also about the apathy of a section of the youth to excel themselves.
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| Oxford Circus, London's celebrated shopping district was unusually quiet |
People at the helm of affairs in Britain are yet to come to terms with the geo-political reality that their heydays are over and British history is no longer synonymous to the phenomenal changes taking place all around the world. Notwithstanding their tall claims, Britain in particular and Europe in general are the biggest losers in the socio-economic upheaval that is shaping the world today as a fall out of the current phase of globalisation.
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| Shops are even hiring models to lure customers |
The economic fulcrum has tilted to the East, and coupled with the demographic dividends that the oriental countries are reaping, they have rendered Britain and Europe forces of the past.
Performers often ensure their superiority and success by the way they manage human emotions, which is intrinsically linked to the societal changes that take place around the world, and Danny Boyle is no exception. That Britain is now a backbencher in the global arena - both politically and economically, probably tempted him to rely on the golden days of the past rather than the harsh reality of the present.
I must admit that initially I was overwhelmed by the opening ceremony of London 2012 - its treatment of the trajectory of the modern civilisation and synchronising it with that of Britain, the cerebral component, the suave and sophisticated approach rather than a blatant exhibition of national might, as was demonstrated four years ago in Beijing.
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| The Dutch tourists tried to boost themselves up |
However, since Saturday morning, Friday night's euphoria evaporated and gave way to a more realistic assessment of things.
If China exhibited the national might of the present, Britain tried to showcase why it was ahead of others in the past. Moreover, Boyle and his advisors were so sipped into the glory of Britannia of the past that they probably overlooked that Olympics after all is an organic - not archaic - global event and the world has moved a long distance away from the period which epitomises the heydays of Britain.
Despite the best of efforts to portray an acrobatic Queen, accompanied by an iconic on screen James Bond, probably to demonstrate an interface of a monolithic monarchy and its dwindling empire (receding influence of Britain in geo-politics) with a fast changing moment of time, yet her grumpy face often scripted with gestures of disinterest - like surveying the nails of her fingers, extremely dull peach attire and an out of fashion hair-do were symbolic of the fact that 2012 was not a time to cheer for Britain.
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| Activities to drum up the spirit haven't had much success so far |
The empty seats in the games venues, an exceptionally quiet afternoon in the heart of London on the first working day of London 2012 were stark reminders that the best of Britain was over.
Prime Minister David Cameron and his spin doctors may be trumpeting that London 2012 will lift Britain from the miseries of a double dip recession, but as the latest figures show, the socio-economic woes are much deep-rooted and profound than it catches a politician's eye.
If the thin crowd at the Piccadilly Circus or the empty shops at Regent Street are any indication, the worst for Britain is not over yet.
All comments are personal.
All comments are personal.
Tirthankar.Bandyopadhyay.Blog@gmail.com
Friday
Hell in Hounslow: London's dirtiest borough
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| An alley beside a popular shop on Staines Road is a fly-tipping hotspot |
In 2010, Hounslow streets were labelled second dirtiest in England, following compilation of the Audit Commission league table figures by the campaigning trade union, GMB.
This time however, Hounslow was adjudged the dirtiest London borough on the basis of a study of the combined figures of 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, and it was published last week by the council's own overview and security committee.
The day the results of the latest finding was made public, I went around some areas of central Hounslow, notoriously known for illegally dumping rubbish and fly-tipping.
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| Dumping rubbish in backyards, as on Clipstone Road, is like hiding head in sand |
The lackadiasical and often "feather-touch" approach of the Hounslow Council is also to be blamed. In theory, they claim to be doing their best, in reality, however, they often shrug off their responsibilities, making it easy for the errants to go scot free. Adequate actions are not taken even after the necessary complaints and reporting procedures are complied with by the responsible residents.
After Hounslow streets were labelled second dirtiest in England, Councillor Corinna Smart, then Lead Member for Environment, had written to me stating: "The GMB figures date back to 2008 and there has been some improvements since then. But overall there is clearly much more that must be done. So we need to take a long hard look at the current cleansing regime and respond more swiftly when residents report litter, dumped rubbish and graffiti. That's why one of our pledges is Grimebusters 24/7 Phone line to respond to graffiti, litter and dumped rubbish."
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| Despite tall promises nothing has changed in Cromwell Street |
This is a communication I received from a Hounslow Council official after complaining against rubbish dumping: "I visited the area in Hanworth Road between Clarence Terrace and Derby Road on Wednesday 23rd June, no rubbish or litter was seen. I have on previous occasions seen domestic black bags along this stretch. I have emailed the Waste and Recycling team to ask for an officer to look into this problem, I think the domestic premises do not have a rear area to store their waste between weekly collections, so a solution needs to be found."
The reality, however, is that even today bin bags are dumped ahead of schedule at the junction of Clarence Terrace and Hanworth Road, sometimes on the very day of bin collection, hours after the rubbish has been disposed off by the council staff. Many people are making big money by renting out every inch of their properties without providing the basic facilities to the tenants, like an area to dump rubbish ahead of the scheduled bin collection day.
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| On any day a bin bag can be seen at the Clarence Terrace-Hanworth Road junction |
Dog fouling is another serious problem facing Hounslow. The concerned department dealing with this issue are cash-strapped and short-staffed. They often seek information from the complaining residents. While many residents are willing to offer their help, they do not necessarily have the information about the errants and the authority to deal with the issue. I had previously suggested that those with pets pay an additional amount as council tax to deal with the financial black hole of the department dealing with dog fouling.
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| Even relatively well off places, like Williams Drive housing professionals, are no diffferent |
Over the past few years, I tried to understand the reasons behind the apathy of the Hounslowites to keep their borough nice and clean. I tried to find out if there is any co-relation between the profile of the borough residents and their attitude towards general cleanliness.
According to the figures available from the Office of National Statistics based on the findings of the 2001 census, "Hounslow is generally economically buoyant, providing approximately 140,000 jobs and has an important role to play in the health and well-being of West London, London and the UK as a whole."
The figures also reveal that unemployment is relatively low in Hounslow, over three per cent according to the 2001 census (lower than the similar figures in London and England), with "one in six adults working full-time" and almost two-thirds working part-time, on wages higher than the corresponding average figures in Greater London."
The annual average household gross income in Hounslow, according to the 2001 figures, is around £38,000, with a large number of professionals choosing the borough as their place of residence.
However, the education figures are not that promising with the GCSE attainment level (52.1%) in Hounslow schools being lower than the national average (53.7%), as per the 2005 figures, although there are some signs of improvement in recent years.
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| Many landlords, like this one at Station Road -St Stephens Road junction, rent out properties for hefty profit without providing all amenities |
There is also a demand for the people renting out their properties for hefty profits to take a share of the blame. There are allegations that those who are renting out their properties often do not provide the minimum amenities, like dedicated bin areas etc., to the tenants forcing them to dump rubbish in the open.
Whatever be the reasons, it goes without saying that the crux of the problem in Hounslow is much more deep-seated and complicated than it seems from the outside. However, it is high time that both the council authorities and the residents take their call before it gets too late and Hounslow becomes the rubbish capital of the country.
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