aditya kumar's weblog

Update
A whole lot of discussion going on at DC and I am thankful it hasn’t got into personal feuds just yet. But some sentiments for sure. Worth a dekko, the whole thing here.

Something I wrote for desicritics, cross posted here. Your comments, criticism always welcome.

Questions for Raj Thackeray:

1. Are you specifically against UP-wallahs and Biharis because, as you allege, they spread “filth”?

2. Or do North-Indians in general, spread filth?

3. If any of the above is true, can we assume that you have no problems with South-Indians? Does it mean that you are okay with South Indians coming to Mumbai?

4. When you say that outsiders being a menace to Mumbai, what exactly do you mean? If a Maharashtrian living in Nashik comes to Mumbai to earn a living, would he qualify to be called an “outsider” and in effect, spread “filth”?

5. Or could it be that a Maharashtrian living elsewhere in Maharashtra is a lesser “outsider” than a person who has crossed several states to come to Mumbai? Doesn’t it then look like a matter of convenience?

6. And what about a Maharashtrian who has lived all his life in Patna and decides to come to Mumbai for a living? Is he an outsider too? Would he be a problem?

7. Lastly, what about me, Sir? I have lived almost 10 years in Maharashtra. I love eating pooran poli and I understand Marathi. I am not that good when it comes to speaking Marathi but compared to Punjabi, which happens to be my mother tongue, I find Marathi more comfortable. Oh and yes, I was born in New Delhi to a Punjabi family. Can I come back to Mumbai? Or will you throw me out since I do not have a Maharashtrian Surname?

In Patna and Gaya, LLB students go on a rampage because they aren’t allowed to cheat by the authorities. Yes, it is the same Gaya where, in 500 BC, Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. After 2500 years, surely, this is some kind of enlightenment the students are looking for. It also gives you a picture of how strong this section-in-making, of one of the pillars of our democracy will turn out to be.

I think this is exactly what Shashi Tharoor meant when he mentioned in the first page of his book, “The Great Indian Novel” that “India is a highly developed country in an advanced stage of decay”.

What Modi did, when he made those comments about Sohrabuddin was that he provoked the little devil living in each man, in this case, the hindu front benchers who chanted “Kill him! Kill him!” when he raised up the issue.

Modi has been smart enough to show some state development on his performance report card. It would serve him right and because the Gujarati Hindu voter is always more than willing to give him that benefit of doubt because afterall, he views the CM’s efforts of development as perhaps, ten times of what has actually been done.

Whats disturbing in all this is that Modi saw it coming. He knew that his pro-Hindu (and Anti-Muslim) stance could turn on a backlash if he did not have real development figures to show up. So he had his figures ready.

In other words, this has been Modi’s stance — There has been development in Gujarat, I hate Muslims and I am the Extremist Hindu that you perceive me to be. Its all a part of the deal.

So, a large section of would-be-Modi voters need not worry about his remarks on Sohrabuddin. Why after all, there has been some work done and they need to vote for him. The real, unsaid reason is simple — His antics as Gujarat’s CM, the reasons we all know him for. The speeches ofcourse provoke that little devil in each one of them and the development figures are enough to devoid the voter of the guilt that he may have after voting for the man.

Congress’s comments on the issue have not helped the party; The muddy hands they have got now after all this mudslinging could put the busiest potter to shame. Perhaps it was wrong that Congress started the whole thing but then again, do two wrongs make a right? And don’t our leaders fear the law anymore — that they openly justify and advocate for the killing of a man who, though was accused by law of a crime, had not yet been convicted of it?

The third pillar of democracy, our courts are rotting. Our judiciary has become ineffective for the common man. Our politicians advocate killing people in election speeches. Democracy is being abused in India; we are bending it, breaking it to suit ourselves.

And here we are, hailing to our world of our Democracy. Politics has become such a crying shame.

All this, for the moment, happening in Gujarat — once known as the land of one Mr. Mohandas K Gandhi. I see him turning in his grave.