Appeasement Post Modern: Maya Envelop for CPIM
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams: Chapter 24
Palash Biswas
It is Appeasement Post Modern!
It is Maya Envelop for CPIM!
Headstrong, Rigid CPIM General secretary JNU return Prakash karat
knocked the Doors of a most Unexpected host in Communist History of
India. The leaders discussed the India-U.S. nuclear agreement and the
coming confidence vote. Mr. Karat drove to the Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister's residence in New Delhi for the meeting that lasted about
45 minutes.CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat and BSP supremo
Mayawati, two staunch opponents of the Indo-US nuclear deal, met on
Sunday in an apparent move to take on the government during the trust
vote in Lok Sabha on July 22. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati
has powerful foes gunning for her. They want her to be forced out of
power prematurely.Congress president Sonia Gandhi [Images] just does
not like Mayawati challenging her. Rahulbaba wants to defeat Mayawati
on her home turf. Their confidant-cum-advisor on UP affairs, Rajiv
Shukla, simply cannot abide the Dalit devi .Mulayam Singh Yadav and
Amar Singh of the Samajwadi Party are her sworn enemies.
Meanwhile, A crucial meeting of the Board of Governors of
International Atomic Energy Agency to build a consensus on India-
specific safeguards accord essential to help implement Indo-US
nuclear deal has been postponed from July 28 and is likely to be held
on August 1, IAEA sources said.They said informal consultations among
35 members of IAEA Board of Governors were on seeking the consensus
and a formal meeting is likely on August 1.The safeguards agreement
initialled by India and IAEA on July 7 this year was circulated among
all 144 member-countries of the world body on the same day.The
document was put on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs,
a day after the Left parties accused the government of refusing to
make it public.The IAEA safeguards agreement is an essential step
India has to take to integrate with international nuclear commerce
before it secures a one-time waiver from the 45-nation Nuclear
Suppliers Group.
BJP President Rajnath Singh on Monday said that NDA would do
everything to oust the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.He,
however, made it clear that BJP would not ''adopt unfair means'' in
this regard and requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resign and
seek fresh mandate.
''NDA will attempt that UPA government did not win the confidence
vote. But we will not adopt unfair means in this regard,'' he told
reporters in Bhopal.Talking to reporters after addressing a Youth
rally at the Lal Parade Ground, Singh said his party would contact
all its MPs and apprise them about the losses the country would
suffer after signing the nuclear deal.
Karat, who is spearheading the Left opposition on the deal, drove to
the UP Chief Minister's residence for the meeting.
This is the first meeting between the two leaders after the recent
political developments that saw Mayawati withdrawing support to the
government followed by the Left last week.
The Supreme Court will hear on July 28 the petition filed by Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati challenging her prosecution in the
disproportionate assets case.The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo is
facing allegations of acquiring assets beyond her known sources of
income and through corrupt means by misusing her status as Chief
Minister during her previous tenure.Mayawati has challenged her
prosecution on the grounds that the case has been registered against
her by the CBI at the behest of its political masters and is aimed at
maligning her reputation in the public.The CBI, in its counter
affidavit filed last week, has, however, opposed her petition on the
grounds that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to prosecute
her under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.According to the
CBI, Mayawati opened 94 bank accounts and she along with her
relatives and family members acquired 96 immovable properties in
Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. A large number of political leaders are also
facing similar cases of corruption, who include former UP Chief
Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family members, former Punjab
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, present Chief Minister Parkash
Singh Badal, former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala,
former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, former Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister J Jayalalithaa, former Karnataka Chief Minister H D
Kumaraswamy, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, former Bihar Chief
Minister Rabri Devi and others.Mayawati has also raised questions
about the timing of filing of the counter affidavit by the CBI when
the UPA government is facing a trust vote on July 21-22 in Parliament
following withdrawal of support by the Left parties on the Indo-US
nuclear deal.The Chief Minister withdrew support from the UPA
government, while the Samajwadi Party is backing the Congress on the
issue.According to Mayawati, the Congress is using the CBI to arm-
twist her for opposing the Manmohan Singh government on the nuclear
deal.In the Taj Corridor scandal, Mayawati could not be proceeded
against as Governor T V Rajeswar refused to grant sanction for her
prosecution as at that time she was having cordial relations with the
Congress.The trial Judge in that case directed the CBI to obtain
sanction from the Governor in spite of the fact that the apex court
in the Parkash Singh Badal case had clearly ruled out that provision
of sanction is not available to the public servants, both politicians
and bureaucrats, who are facing allegations of the corruption.A
review petition, filed by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son and
SP MP Akhilesh Yadav and his daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav against the
Supreme Court's order directing CBI to investigate the allegations of
corruption, is already pending in the apex court.Justice A R
Lakshmanan, who is also presently Chairman of the Law Commission, had
broken down in the open court when he got a faxed message at his
residence casting aspersions on his personal integrity on the day
when a PIL against Mulayam Singh Yadav was listed in his court. The
Judge withdrew from the case.
In what is being seen as the first sign of revolt within the Left,
West Bengal Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Subhas Chakraborty
backed Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and said he should not
quit as the Speaker before the trust vote in Parliament.
Chakraborty also said that the CPI-M should not vote with the BJP on
the Indo-US nuclear deal as "voting with the saffron party will harm
our party's interests".
With political parties bracing themselves for the trust vote, CPI
general secretary A B Bardhan on Monday accused the Congress-led UPA
of horsetrading and alleged that the going rate of an MP is Rs 25
crore.Speaking at a press conference to announce a national campaign
by the Left parties against the deal and the "anti-people" policies
of the government, Communist Party of India leader A.B. Bardhan said
he had been in touch with Ms. Mayawati and she had assured him of her
support during the trust vote.
He said the CBI had become a "political tool" in the hands of the
government and was being used to "switch on and switch off the so-
called investigations."
"It is so obvious and the intention is so clear. We have told her
[Ms. Mayawati] that we condemn all such efforts," Mr. Bardhan said.
"No one has principles anymore. It is not a question of few crores
but Rs 25 crore for horsetrading," Bardhan said addressing a meeting
to launch Left parties' nationwide campaign against the government.
"I have never seen Rs 25 crore in my lifetime. I am sure that none of
you (audience) have seen it either," the top CPI leader said.
With UPA government's new found ally Samajwadi Party gunning for
Reliance Industries, the company head Mukesh Ambani on Monday met
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a host of other senior government
functionaries to explain how demands for levy of windfall tax was bad
economics. Ambani first met Singh and there were unsubstantiated
reports that he followed this with a meeting with Congress President
and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Flying in from Mumbai this morning, Mukesh started a series of
meeting with top bureaucrats, including a call to Cabinet Secretary K
M Chandrasekhar.
Ambani's visit assumes importance in the wake of Amar Singh raising a
number of issues, including a demand for withdrawal of EOU status for
RIL's Jamnagar refinery along with a suggestion that Prime Minister
should intervene to bring peace between Mukesh and younger brother
Anil.
Sources said Ambani pleaded that the demand for levy of so-called
windfall profit tax on private firms was no more than a populist
slogan based on the misleading logic that with rising prices of oil
across the globe, these companies are making profits far in excess of
what they legitimately deserve.
While government shares production from oil and gas fields and is a
beneficiary of high oil prices, the refinery business is highly
cyclical and with new capacities coming on stream world over margins
will decline precipitously. Ambani is believed to have told policy
makers that fiscal revenue gain from a WPT would be short-term in
nature, but the economic costs of introducing an unstable fiscal
regime could be long lasting.
Ms. Mayawati charged the government on Friday with "targeting her"
after the CBI filed a counter-affidavit in the Supreme Court in
the "disproportionate assets case" against her. At a press conference
here, she declined to divulge her strategy on the trust vote but made
clear her opposition to the deal.
While Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has allegedly not
furnished details of her Rs 9.78 crore deposits yet, the CBI has
informed the Supreme Court that the BSP supremo had adopted delaying
tactics by filing "numerous" petitions before the investigating
agency.
Detailing her income in a counter-affidavit filed in the Supreme
Court, the CBI alleged that Mayawati has not given the details of the
institutions or banks where the deposits have been made.
"She has not given the details of other immovable properties in her
name including agricultural land. Investigation in this regard is
being carried out," CBI said.
What a rhythmic unity among the Left Front partners to indulge the
communistts in subaltern politics of India at last!
In a realignment of forces in the wake of the Congress and the SP
coming together, the Left parties Sunday made a common cause with the
BSP by roping in Miss Mayawati to oppose the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Reaching out to the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh, which has 17 MPs
in the Lok Sabha, the CPI-M general secretary Mr Prakash Karat drove
to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's residence here to hold the
first meeting after the Left parties withdrew support to the UPA
government over the nuclear deal. This came a day before the Left is
to launch a nationwide campaign against the Congress-led UPA
government.
After the 45-minute meeting, Mr Karat announced that the two parties
would "cooperate" to ensure the defeat of the Congress-led government
when the motion of confidence was moved in the Lok Sabha on 22 July.
"Mayawati reiterated her opposition to the deal. It was decided that
there should be cooperation to stop the deal and in the struggle
against the UPA government in this regard," Mr Karat said. Sources
said the Left parties sent feelers to Miss Mayawati three days ago
with top CPI leadership seeking her cooperation "in the fight against
the government".
Significantly, Mr Karat's meeting with Mayawati came a day after the
CPI-M condemned the filing of a fresh affidavit by CBI against the
BSP chief in a disproportionate assets case. BSP sources said that
today's meeting was an attempt by the party to ensure that it didn't
remain isolated on the national political scene, particularly at a
time when the Samajwadi Party had begun to cosy up to the UPA. The
BSP is already facing the heat what with Miss Mayawati facing trial
in the disproportionate assets case.
The CBI action was also condemned by the CPI, whose general secretary
Mr AB Bardhan raised questions about the timing of filing of the
affidavit. Mr Bardhan told reporters after his party's national
executive that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), former Prime Minister Mr
HD Deve Gowda, and Mr MP Veerendrakumar had already got in touch with
the Left, and expressed their opposition to the deal. Ms Mayawati had
a telephonic talk with the TDP leader, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, after
meeting Mr Karat.
Marxist always neglected the Social realism in India.Marxist Think
tanks never tried to understand the social fabrics in India. Indian
Communist Movement always defended the interests of ruling
Brahminical Hegemony. In West Bengal,where the Left Front has won
consecutive seven assembly elections and held power for over three
decades, only three percent Brahmins hold the key of Power in every
speheres in life. No less than sixteen Cabinet Ministers belong to
the single caste BRAHMAN . Sixty four MLAs are Brahman. It is all the
way a Brahman Front. So is the case in Kerala, where Malyali Brahmins
decide everything. Only it is Tripura, Marxists quote Ambedkar and
dalit movement so often just to appease the Dalit Indigenous
majority. CPIM passed a dalit agenda long before in Hyderabad
Congress. Biman Bose finalised the manuscript with active help of
Tripura Dalit Minister and Poet Anil Sarkar.
Mind you, Anil sarkar runs a string of Ambedkar Mission Branches in
Tripura as well as West Bengal. He happens to be a well known poet in
Entire North East and holds the key of majority indigenous vote bank
in Tripura. Sarkar also happens to be the Chief patron of Dalit
Sahitya Movement in two Marxist ruled Bengali speaking states in
India. He is equally popular in Bangladesh as well as among the dalit
Bengali refugees scattered countrywide. He happens to be the
organiser of annual Dalit Sanskriti Utsav and Agartal book fair.
I myself have been the Chief Guest in Dalit Sanskriti Utsav,2002 in
Tripura. Sarkar also manages annual prize ceremony on Bengali dalit
writing. Adawit Mallaburman Prize is instituted by Anil Sarkar. The
leaders of West Bengal Dalit Sahitya Andolan and Dalit Samanyaya
Smiti are the main reciepants of the Adwait Malla Burman Prize for
literature. He is often censored by the party Leadership for his
links with Non Marxists and dalit Movement.
Anil Sarkar wrote poems on Mayawati just after Mayawati won the Uttar
Pradesh elections with land slide majority. party leaders including
Brinda Karat and Subhasini Ali were agitated most. Sources tell, Anil
sarkar had been issued show cause Notice for his poems on Mayawati,
widely circulated by mainstream media.
Marxists hated most Mayawati and dalit movement in the Cow Belt.
Marxist are known for their alliance with RSS, Congress and OBC
leaders mulayam singh Yadav and lalu Prasad Yadav. Marxists never
had any alliance with dalit leaders and dalit movement. Thus, anil
sarkar is as much hated a person as Subhash Chakrabarti in West
Bengal. High Caste CPIM leaders despise Anil Sarkar as they hated
Ambedkar.As Subhas has always been cut to size, the same prescription
is prescribed for the Tripura leader. But the two dissident most
leaders in CPIM survive creating so much headache for the Party all
these years.
Now it is a REVERSE Historical as CPIM General secretary knocked the
doors of the dalit Leader Mayawati praised as Incarnation revolution
by Anil Sarkar.It is considered to be a masterstroke by the CPIM
leader to appease its MUSLIM DaliT prominent Vote Bank in West Bengal
where the Party has to face the maximum damage if the UPA government
falls and fresh election held.On the other hand, the Left parties may
have snapped ties with the UPA over nuclear deal on an acrimonious
note, but the CPM is not averse to supporting the Congress-led
coalition after the next elections provided "that they do not betray
it like this time". Senior CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said
the present "experience will be a shadow" in the ties but did not
rule out Left extending support to Congress based on
the "circumstances and policies" it follows.
It seems Marxist leaders have opted for a Third Front led by no one
less, But the Dalit Queen from Uttar Pradesh.Sand witched between RSS
and Congress , it might be the best Escape route to keep intact
prestige as well as VOTE BANK! It might also open the door for
primeministership for a dalit Leader for the first time provided the
fresh Elections trows up another Hung parliament. Mayawati has proved
her capacity of social Engineering as well as Power bargaining
despite unpleasant Corruption scandals and viscios personal ambition.
She is well equipped to set new power equations and upset the Apple
cart of Lal Krishna Adwani. Karat Knocking may be the first sign of
the Future untold!
Both Congress and the CPI-M are not ready to face election 'right
now', Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday said while
stating that she would decide whom to support in the trust vote
keeping in mind the interest of the people of West Bengal. The TC
leader who is the party's lone Lok Sabha member said, "I will vote
only after considering the interest of the people of Bengal." She
said she would decide after her party's programme in Kolkata on July
21. Referring to the issue of Lok Sabha Speaker's continuance in
office, she told a press conference that with so many voices the CPI-
M was on the road to disintegration. Saying this is not the first
time it has joined hands with the BJP, having done so earlier in 1977
and 1989, she said the party demonstrated lack of principle on the
question of the Lok Sabha Speaker's continuance in office and
survival of the UPA government.
"This becomes the consequence if a party remains in power for a long
time," she emphasised.
"The controversy over the Speaker (Somnath Chatterjee) is not merely
an internal party affair of the CPI-M, but also a political and
constitutional issue," she told a press conference here.
Saying she hated horse-trading, Banerjee said "What is going on in
Delhi is unfortunate. The battle should be fought on the basis of
ideology and principles."
With the Lok Sabha polls less than a year away and with Mayawati
planning to make the BSP a national force at the expense of the
Congress (whose election symbol is the Hand), it was time for Mulayam
and Sonia to patch up even if the immediate provocation was the Left
Front's decision to withdraw support from the UPA once the PM
announced that the government would approach the IAEA "very soon" for
ratification of the safeguards agreement on the Indo-US nuclear deal,
which is the pre-requisite for taking the deal to the Nuclear
Suppliers Group.
All of which should lay to rest any talk of a bipartisan Indian
foreign policy! A `bad' nuclear deal can become a `good' one for the
SP if it helps the party regain its relevance in India's largest
state of UP.
On the other hand , in accordance an Indian Express story, Attempts
to revive the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) received a
major boost on Sunday when BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Mayawati called up Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu
Naidu while he was touring Khammam under his "Mee Kosam (For You)
Yatra".
Sources said Mayawati spoke to Naidu on the phone after CPI(M)
general secretary Prakash Karat called on her at her Delhi residence.
The Indian Express in its July 9 edition had reported that the BSP
and TDP were trying to establish contact and that this could lead to
a realignment of political forces at the Centre.
Sources said that the BSP supremo and TDP chief discussed in
their "over 10-minute-long chat" the need to adopt a common strategy
when the UPA Government faces a trust vote on the nuclear deal on
July 22. Naidu is likely to take time off his yatra to visit Delhi on
July 19 and 20, when he's likely to meet Mayawati among other
leaders.
With the Samajwadi Party leaving it in the lurch, the UNPA will more
than welcome the BSP's addition. Both the BSP and TDP, in addition to
the Left, are against the nuclear deal, and cannot afford to take any
position other than a "policy of equidistance" from the Congress and
BJP in their states.
Sources privy to the discussions told this paper that if things fall
in place, post-trust vote, Mayawati could be projected as the leader,
and thus a contender for the Prime Minister's position. Naidu is
looking at having both the CPI(M) and CPI on his side, apart from
adding the BSP to his alliance, for the ensuing Assembly elections in
the state.
Meanwhile,far away from West Bengal, in London Biman Bose, one of
India's most influential Marxist leaders, has said that the Left can
consider supporting a BJP-led coalition if that party sheds what he
called its "communal agenda". In surprising remarks made in London
Thursday, he also said the Left may have made "a mistake" by not
withdrawing its support from the Congress-led United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) government earlier and accused the Congress of trying
to "bail out" the Republican Party through the nuclear deal ahead of
US elections. Bose, one of the most senior leaders in West Bengal and
a member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist's (CPI-M) politburo,
made his startling remarks while briefing a select group of British
diplomats, bankers, and government and Commonwealth officials over
dinner in London Thursday night. IANS was the only Indian media group
invited to this meeting.
The dinner was hosted by industrialist Shishir Bajoria of the Kolkata-
based multinational, Bajoria Group. Bose, who is general secretary of
the West Bengal CPI-M, was asked pointedly if there were any
circumstances under which the Left would support a Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP)-led coalition in New Delhi.
Striking the first note of dissent within the CPM over party moves to
seek Somnath Chatterjee's resignation as Speaker and vote alongside
the BJP against the trust vote being sought by the UPA government,
Subhas Chakraborty, West Bengal Minister for Sports and Youth
Affairs, said "the Speaker's case should not be viewed as a CPM party
affair" and "voting with the BJP will harm our party's interests".
Asked about the CPM pressure on Chatterjee to relinquish his post as
Speaker, Chakraborty, a six-time minister, initially declined comment
on what he said was the party's "internal matter." But then
said: "The Speaker's case should not be viewed as a CPM party affair.
One must remember that when Somnath Chatterjee was chosen as Speaker
of Lok Sabha, he was the unanimous choice of all coalition partners.
His candidature and position should not be viewed as one that is
backed by only one party. So any decision regarding him should have
unanimity."
Chakraborty was candid on the other big issue that has been troubling
the party rank and file — voting with the BJP against the UPA. Asked
what was his assessment about the CPM decision to vote alongside the
BJP during the floor test in Parliament, he said: "Voting with the
BJP will harm our party's interests."
Mayawati targeting Big B and me: Amar Singh
13 Jul 2008, 2000 hrs IST,PTI
MUMBAI: Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Sunday accused Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of implicating him and superstar
Amitabh Bachchan with the help of an investigating officer. ( Watch )
Talking to reporters here, the SP general secretary showed clippings
of the "sting operation" carried out on K K Dwivedi, a UP Police
officer investigating his case, and alleged that the BSP supremo was
indulging in "vindictive politics."
Singh claimed that the "sting operation" was carried out by himself
with a button camera attached to his shirt during the interrogation
by Dwivedi.
The SP leader said Dwivedi had told him he was being allegedly forced
by Mayawati to implicate him and Bachchan. Amar
Singh uses Aarushi to further malign Mayawati
Submitted by editor on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 23:03
http://www.webnewswire.com/node/444857
Amar Singh harped upon Aarushi's issue to further malign Mayawati. He
talked about all details of Aarushi's details and blamed Mayawati for
the fiasco.
He alleged that she tried to take back officers from UP cadre who
were deputed to CBI to adversely affect the investigation. He said
that Mayawati does not have respect for family values since she does
not have a child.
One cheer for Mayawati
13 Jul 2008, 0127 hrs IST, Gurcharan Das
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Columnists/One_cheer_for_Ma
yawati/articleshow/3227306.cms
On July 1, 86 lakh children in class I and II began to learn English
in government schools of Uttar Pradesh. It fulfilled a longstanding
demand of parents who believe that they have lost two generations to
Hindi chauvinists. They know that a child who learns English by age
10 has a natural advantage for the rest of its life. Shortage of
English speakers is one reason why software companies, call centres,
export oriented industry has been slow in coming to UP and the
caricature of the `bhaiya' persists.
Mayawati's decision on English was hailed by Dalits, and for good
reason. A study in Mumbai shows that among Dalit women, those who
learn English rise economically and socially by marrying outside
their caste. About 31% of Dalit women who knew English had inter-
caste marriages compared to 9% who did not know English. This makes
sense. Knowing English gives a Dalit woman a chance to work in call
centres and other modern jobs where there are fewer caste barriers.
Is Mayawati finally realising that there may be more votes in meeting
people's real needs than in erecting statues to Ambedkar? She has
also ordered toilets for girls in 90,000 primary schools.
It must have taken some courage to challenge the teachers' union and
the Hindi establishment. So, why do i offer only a single cheer to
Mayawati? I would give her three cheers had she attacked the basic
disease of teacher absenteeism. The famous Kremer-Murlidharan report
shows that one in four teachers is not present in school, and one in
four present is not teaching. As a result, 53.1% of UP's children in
Class V cannot read a Class II text, according to ASER surveys.
Nearly 67.2% of children in urban UP and 29.1% in rural UP are now in
private schools. What is the answer? Quite simply, the government
should fund students and not schools.
When a child reaches age 5, the government should give parents a
voucher (like a scholarship), which can only be exchanged for
education at a school of the parent's choice. Since all parents want
a good school for their kids, vouchers will create competition among
schools. As vouchers will be the only source of a school's income,
and as teachers will be paid salaries only from vouchers, teachers
will show up and even teach with inspiration. Teachers will have an
incentive to perform. Good teachers will be able to earn more thanks
to higher voucher income earned by their school. Teacher morale will
thus rise. They will be accountable to parents rather than remote
officials in the state capital.
Competition for vouchers will improve both government and private
schools. Bad schools will close down, good ones will flourish. The
poorest parents will be able to send their child to a quality school.
The ability to exit their children from a bad school is hugely
empowering — it is like having a`voice' in a democracy. The rich have
it because of their money power. Vouchers will give them purchasing
power and a `voice'. A poor child will get the same opportunity as a
rich one to rise in the world, and we will progress to our dream of
equality of opportunity.
Mayawati used to be a teacher. So, she will appreciate this public-
private partnership. Teachers' unions will oppose
her, of course. She will be scared of losing lakhs of teachers'
votes, but she must remember that she will gain crores of votes of
grateful parents. I'm convinced that more and more sensible policies
will come from Dalit/OBC leaders who have fewer vested interests to
protect (like teachers' unions).
Maya introduces tough law to check organised crime
31 Oct 2007, 1918 hrs IST,PTI
LUCKNOW: The Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced a
tough legislation to prevent, tackle and control organised crime with
death penalty as the maximum punishment.
Under the provisions of the Bill, the government would not provide
police security to members of the crime syndicate whose list would be
kept at police stations, a move seen as the government's attempt to
withdraw security to politicians with criminal antecedents.
Tabling the Uttar Pradesh Organised Crime Control Bill, 2007,
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Lalji Verma said the Bill was
necessitated as existing legal provisions appear to be inadequate to
tackle and control organised crime.
It is apprehended that there is a nexus between organised crime
syndicates and terrorists outfits and there are reasons to believe
that such syndicates are active in the state, the Bill said.
The Bill provides for capital punishment or life imprisonment and a
minimum fine of Rs. one lakh in case of death of a person as a result
of the crime.
Those providing shelter or facilitates commitment of such a crime
would face imprisonment for a minimum period of five years besides
fine.
According to the Bill, organised crime would include terrorist
activities, kidnapping for ransom, trying to obtain government
tenders by force, contract killings, occupying a vacant government or
private land through forged documents or by force, money laundering,
indulging in human trafficking, manufacture of spurious drugs.
New panel to probe UP recruitment scam
5 Oct 2007, 0145 hrs IST,TNN
LUCKNOW: In an attempt to tighten the noose around former PWD
minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, the Mayawati government has decided to
set up a new committee to probe the charges of corruption and
political pressure in the recruitment of police and PAC constables
during the Mulayam regime.
The new committee will be headed by chief secretary P K Mishra. The
decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by CM Mayawati
in Lucknow on Thursday. The two other members of the panel are DGP
Vikram Singh and divisional commissioner, Lucknow, Vijay Shanker
Pandey.
The move is being seen as a retaliation by CM Mayawati as it comes a
day after Shivpal, Mulayam's brother, made unprintable comments
against her, while Mulayam threatened to have Shailja Kant Mishra,
ADG, special task force, arrested on coming to power. While declaring
war on the government, the Yadav brothers went hammer and tongs
against the S K Mishra committee report.
Meanwhile, the cabinet decided to wind up the Mishra committee which
completed its inquiries into all the 42 recruitment boards and
submitted its reports to the government. The cases of two boards are
pending before the Allahabad High Court and those of eight others
have been referred to the advocate-general for action.
The new committee will suggest how to proceed with fresh recruitment
process and also suggest ways to prevent recurrence of the
irregularities committed during the previous regime.
Besides, the committee will also examine the recommendations made by
another panel headed by home secretary Renuka Kumar on improving the
recruitment process. The most important task assigned to the new
committee is to look into the allegations of corruption against those
who put undue pressure on police officers for recruitment.
Maya shutters farm retail stores of Reliance, RPG
24 Aug 2007, 0107 hrs IST,TNN
LUCKNOW: After opposition in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand to
retail chains selling farm produce, it was the turn of Uttar Pradesh
to slam its doors on Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Fresh stores and also
RPG group's Spencer's.
In a sudden policy switch, chief minister Mayawati and her cabinet on
Thursday decided to order closure of 10 Reliance Fresh stores which
had opened in Lucknow on Wednesday. The opening of the stores
coincided with Mayawati's completion of 100 days in office.
There was confusion about the scope of the government's decision.
While the CM referred to "opposition of people to the opening of
Reliance Fresh stores in Lucknow and Varanasi," she did not specify
whether the ban would cover malls and Reliance Fresh stores in
Ghaziabad and Noida though there have been trader demonstrations in
Ghaziabad as well against retail chains.
A senior government official later clarified that counters selling
fruit and vegetables were also to be closed
and so would Reliance Fresh stores in Ghaziabad and Noida. The order
comes into immediate effect.
Ghaziabad has 12 Reliance Fresh outlets, 13 of Subhiksha and three
Spencer's stores. Noida has three of Reliance Fresh, six Subhiksha
outlets and one of Spencer's.
There are also some other retail chains for fruits and vegetables.
It's not immediately clear whether the ban would affect all these
stores or would be restricted to Reliance Fresh and Spencer's.
Political ammo in Ambani rift
JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY & R. SURYAMURTHY
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080714/jsp/business/story_9546389.jsp
Mukesh and Anil Ambani: Battle intensifies
New Delhi, July 13: The battle between the Ambani brothers, till now
confined to the boardrooms and courts, is threatening to spill into
the political arena, though all concerned deny it.
Elder brother Mukesh, who is believed to be close to several Congress
leaders, could be in a fix if certain "suggestions" for changes in
the retail and oil policies made by the Samajwadi Party are accepted.
The party, with Amar Singh leading the charge, have not only ruled
out foreign direct investment in the domestic retail market but also
suggested the setting up of a regulator to ensure that small stores
were not affected by the bigger players. Mukesh, through Reliance
Fresh, is setting up one of the biggest domestic retail chains in the
country.
The Uttar Pradesh-based Samajwadi Party, an offshoot of the Socialist
movement, has also demanded a tax on the "windfall" profit made by
Mukesh's Jamnagar refinery from selling petroleum products in the
global market. The refinery enjoys the status of an export-oriented
unit and is tax exempt.
Samajwadi Party leaders say their demands have nothing to do with the
rivalry between the Ambani brothers, though younger brother Anil is
known for his proximity to the party. Their contention is that the
tax, if imposed, could fetch the government Rs 100,000 crore in
revenue.
The party is also believed to have demanded that the production of
gas from newly discovered fields be allowed only after court
proceedings over the gas allocations are settled.
The brothers are caught in a legal spat over the pricing and
allocation of gas from the Krishna-Godavari basin, where Mukesh's
Reliance Industries has made a huge find.
In telecom, Mukesh has claimed the right of first refusal over a
stake sale in Anil's Reliance Communications (R-Com).
The younger Ambani at one stage was reported to be considering the
transfer of a significant chunk of R-Com to South Africa's MTN as
part of a complex reverse merger deal.
The party has also made some other suggestions that could impact the
way telecom firms compete.
Amar Singh had demanded in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
that GSM operators be charged a one-time market-linked fee for
spectrum held beyond 6.2 Mhz.
While this is yet to be accepted, the telecom regulator, nudged some
say by the government, has agreed to hike the minimum base price by
25 per cent to Rs 2,200 crore for the auction of pan-India 3G
licences.
Many believe that Mukesh has enough clout in Delhi to be able to
counter moves that could impact his business empire.
Suspense over Chatterjee continues
Press Trust of India / New Delhi/Kolkata July 14, 2008, 17:50 IST
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?
leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=42134
Suspense over Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee continued today
with CPI(M) appearing to put further pressure on him but a senior
party leader came out in support of his continuance in the post.
With Chatterjee apparently reluctant to quit the post, CPI(M) General
Secretary Prakash Karat issued a statement in which he said he has
already stated that any decision will be taken by the Speaker
himself.
"This has been reiterated by the Speaker through a statement by his
office on July 10, 2008," he said in the release.
Interestingly, Karat called the Speaker as "Comrade" Somanth
Chatterjee and refered to a lot of speculation in the media regarding
his position.
"We do not want the office of the Speaker being dragged into any
unnecessary controversy," Karat said.
While there was no word from the Speaker, maverick CPI(M) Leader from
West Bengal Subhas Chakrabarty, considered a protege of Marxist
patriarch Jyoti Basu, said the post of Speaker has its sanctity and
is above politics.
Chatterjee was elected unanimously by members of all parties and his
case should not be viewed as a CPI(M) party affair, he said.
While withdrawing support to the UPA Government on July nine, the
Left parties put the Speaker's name in the list of MPs for the
purpose.
You are Comrade Somnath first, Basu tells LS Speaker
14 Jul, 2008, 0149 hrs IST, ET Bureau
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/You_are_Comrad
e_Somnath_first_Basu_tells_LS_Speaker/articleshow/3229622.cms
NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: With CPM general secretary Prakash Karat making it
clear that he will have to quit the Speaker's post, Mr Somnath
Chatterjee may find it difficult to delay the inevitable. Mr
Chatterjee, who travelled to Kolkata for a meeting with Jyoti Basu,
is learnt to have got the same advise: Toe the party line.
After Mr Prakash Karat included Mr Chatterjee's name in the list of
MPs snapping ties with the government, the Speaker's office had
argued that the Speaker cannot be dragged into a partisan political
controversy. It reminded that he was elected by the Lok Sabha,
unopposed.
Mr Karat, however, made it known that Mr Chatterjee, who was elected
on a CPM ticket, should take the line of the party and `dissociate
from the government'. Incidentally, the Speaker's post was a price
for the CPM's wholesome backing for the Congress' power project. When
the offer was made in 2004, the party had deliberated on the issue at
length. The offer was taken up under pressure from its West Bengal
unit.
While there is no confirmation on whether Mr Basu had actually urged
him to step down, top political circles close to the developments
hinted that it was nearly certain that Mr Chatterjee would relinquish
`Speakership' as his party had included his name in the list of Left
MPs that has been submitted to President Pratibha Patil in the run up
to a trust vote against the UPA government.
Mr Chatterjee had reportedly taken exception to his name being
included in the list of Left MPs to the President.
Mr Chatterjee's meeting with Mr Basu came two days after chief
minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and industry minister Nirupam Sen
met the Marxist veteran reportedly at the instance of the party
leadership to persuade the Speaker to step down. Mr Basu, according
to party insiders, stressed on projecting a united face of the Left
on the trust vote issue.
CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said in Delhi on Saturday that
the Speaker understands the political situation and would take an
appropriate decision at the appropriate time.
Earlier in the day, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee called
on Mr Basu to assess the CPM's stand on Mr Chatterjee's continuance
as the Speaker. Mr Mukherjee, who was with Mr Basu for 15 minutes,
said he met the CPM leader to explain the circumstances under which
the coalition collapsed.
Describing Mr Basu and Mr Harkishan Singh Surjeet as architects of
the UPA-Left coalition, he said he thought it was his moral duty to
explain to Mr Basu why the coalition arrangement between the Left
parties and the UPA failed.
Mr Mukherjee was at his affable best following his session with the
CPM patriarch. "After all, Mr Basu was the architect of the UPA
government as it was he who had convinced his party leaders back in
2004 to support the Congress to run the central government, primarily
to keep the BJP at bay.
Accordingly, I believed it was my duty to meet the veteran leader and
explain why we had failed to continue our relationship with the Left.
Basu is also the most respected national leader," he told reporters
on Sunday outside Indira Bhavan.
Congress sources indicated that Mr Mukherjee had tried to convince
Basu that the "Left parties, especially the CPM, should not play a
major role in pulling down the UPA government.
While the CPM has all along maintained that it is dead against the
Indo-US nuke deal, Mr Mukherjee is learnt to have told Mr Basu
that "the Left should not do anything which would help the BJP to
topple the Congress-led government before it completes its five-year
term".
Congress sources added that Mukherjee had alerted Basu about BJP's
intentions to hold CPM responsible for the fall of the UPA
government.
Congress pins hopes on Jyoti Basu
13 Jul 2008, 1356 hrs IST,Times Now
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Congress_pins_hopes_on_Jyoti_
Basu/articleshow/3228282.cms
KOLKATA: Senior Congress leader and India's Foreign Minister Pranab
Mukherjee met the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) veteran
Jyoti Basu here on Sunday to explain the reasons of the Cong-Left
split. However, the visit was presumably aimed at ensuring Basu's
help in making sure the Left does not vote against the UPA government
in the trust vote.
Though Mukherjee termed it a courtesy call, it's believed Pranab
Mukherjee was trying to persuade the Left to abstain during the trust
vote against the UPA government.
Pranab Mukherjee's meeting comes ahead of Basu's meeting with Lok
Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
Basu had asked the top CPM leaders on Friday to refrain from voting
against the UPA.
"When this UPA-Left coalition was established, four years two months
ago, then Jyoti Basu and Harkishen Singh Surjeet were the two
architects of this coalition arrangement between UPA and the Left. I
thought as the leader of Lok Sabha, it is my responsibility to
explain, why this coalition failed. I took this opportunity to
explain that." Mukherjee said.
Not War, Philosophy of Love agaist Terrorism
Written by
Palash
In that war for Equality
Baba sahib attacked the Heaven!
The gods were trembling
And the Almighty lost his on eye!
Continue the War
It is not stopped at all
How much we stotre
Even today Intact is
the Stone( Untouchability)!
Let us join the War
The war Between
Dalits and Aristrocrates!
Sometimes it happens
To be a carnival
Sometimes Bloodshed!
From Anil sarkar on Ambedkar
Prof T B Vijayakumar from Thrissur,Kerala called me few days back and
wrote a thoght provoking mail involving SC ST OBC status in Left
ruled states in India. I had a telephonic talk with the Professor and
seeking answers to his burning questions. Meanwhile, I got an
opportunity to meet the Marxist Minister and Poet Anil Sarkar, one of
the architect of CPIM`s Dalit agenda passed in Hyderabad congress
years passed. Anil sarkar was also present on the dias of National
Dalit Bengali Refugee convention held in Abedkar Bhavan, New delhi on
21st August last. Anil Sarkar is one of the most powerful and
respected political leader in North East. He advocates for
developemental Corridors in NorthEast while he continues his war for
Social Justice for dalits, tribals and minorities. He prefers
literature and culture as tools of changes to mere politicalistion
and vote Bank mobilisation. He philosophises: Since all the lyrics
and literature have roots in the folk, cultural revolution must begin
only from there! He considers Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the greatest rebel
who provided the common masses the right to love and ensured the
freedom of faith and religion.Vaishnav Andolan was the most powerful
brekthrough to break the Brahminical Hegemony challanging State
Power.In addition to his deep influences on Hinduism (some contend
that Hinduism in Bengal might have been eradicated but for him),
Chaitanya's cultural legacy in Bengal remains deep, with many
residents performing daily worship to him as an avatar of Krishna.
Some attribute to him a Renaissance in Benga, different from the more
well known 19th century Bengal Renaissance. Salimullah Khan, a noted
linguist, maintains, "Sixteenth century is the time of Chaitanya Dev,
and it is the beginning of Modernism in Bengal. The concept
of 'humanity' that came into fruition is contemporaneous with that of
Europe". Chaitanya also influenced the Baul movement of Bengal, which
some say was established by the son of his close friend Nityananda
and is credited with locating a fragment of the lost scripture,
Brahma Samhita.
Although He is the Supreme Lord, Krishna, He posed as a devotee, and
revealed the most sublime sentiments and the natural disposition of a
devotee. He taught us by His own example how to establish a
connection with the Lord through the practice of pure devotion. When
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world, He brought His
dearest servitors with Him, personalities such as Lord Nityananda
Prabhu, Sri Advaita Acharya, Sri Gadadhar Pandit, Srivas Thakur, and
other exalted associates, and along with these devotees He spread the
Yuga-dharma, or the practice most recommended for the attainment of
pure love for Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. That process is Harinam
Sankirtan, or the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the
Lord:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
The marxist minister, an eminent dalit poet Anil Sarkar is the Patron
for The boul convention to be organised on 19th and 20th september
ahead by Tripura tribal Autonomous council in its headquarter
Khumlung. Chief erxecutive member Aghor Deb Burman and another memebr
Radhacharan Deb Burman are mobilising thousnads of bouls in North
east to launch the Philosophy of Love to resist Terrorism! He is also
the patron of more tahn fifty ambedkar mission units all over
Tripura. ambedkar Mission has its units in bengal also. Anil Sarkar
reinvents the dalit and subaltern ideology around Ambedkar, Karl Marx
and Rabindra Nath Tagore.He sees through history rather as an
Ambedkaraite and rejects all the myths as false!He visualise social
justice in a cultural revolution with campaigning for folk culture.
Folk festivals are the dearest medium for mass mobilisation for him.
His dalit movement begins with folk essentially. He also projects
casteology and the concept of Caste Struggle and believes in
liberation via Class Struggle.Anil sarkar reads rabindra literature
identifying its dalit content and negating brahminical bangla
nationality. His nationality is essentially a dalit nationality which
is identical with gautam Buddha, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Ambedkar
and nowhere it contradicts materialist interpratation of history or
the ideology Marxism!
Anil sarkar earlier had demanded to identify Creamy Layer in Caste
Hindu Society while the Creamy Layer was identified to deny
reservation. He demanded Constition amendment to accomodate deprived
communities including OBCs and religious minorities in reservation
and quota! Anil sarkar is prompt to support karunanidhi for his
decision for reservation to religious minorities. He claims that
governemnet of Tripura has implemented reservation and quota cent
percent.He regrets that Tripura has not got a private sector as it is
untouchable literally due to lack of connectivity. He is sure that in
that case Tripura would have implemented the quota. In Tripura the
population ratiohappens to be as follows: Tribals 31 percent, SC 17
percent, minorities 8 percent and OBC 24 percent. Despite insurgency
problems, Anil babu claims that Tripura is the rare example of
coexistence of Tribal Population with the mainstream nontribals!
Anil Sarkar demands that Judicial barriers should not be hinderance
in the way of Social justice! He wrote poems on Mayawati but
criticises her for withdrawing reservation recommendations for dalit
Bengali refugees in UP. He demands that Ms Maywati shoud give SC
status to namoshudras and Pods, the dalit Bengali refugees in UP.
The Marxist minister asys that the partition victim bengali dalit
refugees who are rehabiliated or resettled themselves in different
parts of the country are the most deprived lot in post independence
India. they have to pay for freedom! He also recognises these
communities as the main forces of National dalit Movement in Pre
Independence India! He alleged that barring Assam,Orrissa and West
Bengal , nowhere the dalit Bengali Refugees were granted resevation
even after full sixty years of independence as these people were
ejected out of their homeland , the base of National dalit Movement.
Only these people electd and ensured the entry of Dr Ambedkar to the
constitution Assembly and in return Ambedkar made reservation a
mandatory provision in the constitution of Independent India.
Ironically for whom the Dalits SC, ST and OBC enjoy reservation and
quota , they themeselves remain deprived of.
He said,` At last we organised the National dalit Bengali Refugee
Convention in Ambedkar Bhavan, New delhi on August 21st last. Vrinda
karat and varadarajan led the event.It is tragic that the most
militant community in India, The Namoshudras have been dehumanised
and they live a subhuman life. They have no opportunity in
Independent India. With this convention I am sure that they would
mobilise themselves and return to Delhi in lacs to get their rightful
right of reservation,education and mother tongue!'
He said,` There is no historical reality of the Myth of Rama. In
North Rama is worshipped whereas in South Ravana is
worshipped.Michael Madhusudan Dutta, the 19th century Bengali poet
painted Rama as a villain in his classic Meghnad badh Kavay whereas
Ravan`s Son Meghnad happens to be the hero and his wife Pramila , the
heroine.So the matter is controversial and debated all along the
history of Indian Intelligentsia!It is debated till this date.But
roughly, it iis quite unfortunate that Indian opportunist Politics
cunningly depends on this false Myth of Rama! Just to mobilise
favourable Vote Bank!'
According to the Poet, who was awarded by Poetry Foundation only last
evening in Kolkata for his contribution to the genre and whose poems
on dalit Kanya Mayawati have been flashed worldwide as his idetity
basically is based on his Marxist ideoplogy, war against Terrorism is
not the answer to Terrorism. It rather provokes the chain reactions,
he says. He may not accept, but as I know and believe he is not
asupporter of military solution of nationality problems in North East
and in the Rest of India or anywhere inthis Galaxy.
Anil sarkar says that the philosophy of Love is the best answer to
terrorism! He mobilises the folk artists, the Bouls, singers and folk
artists of different genre to resist subvertive activities.
Should President Bush learn a lesson?
I have detaild discussions with him ranging to Ram, Ram Mandir and
Ramsetu to SC ST and OBC Minority staus in general all over the
country. Understandablly he avoids particular questions involving
West Bengal and Keral as a responsible seniormost minister of
tripura, an Untouchable state itself. But he rather focuses on his
own state while dealing with SC ST OBC Minority issues.
I have to answer some of the questions of Prof Vijay Kumar anothjer
day. But I am forwarding his correspondence with this piece as those
questions are very relevant as relevant is the stance of the dalit
Poet and Marxist minister anil sarkar!
Well, as this is quite our focul point that the Black Dalit joint
forum is mandatory to resist post modern Galaxy Manusmriti Order
ruled by zionist Brahminical Imperialists and at the same time , we
consider Apartheid and Untouchability are two sides of the same coin
as aborigin Indian have always been Black Untouchability who were
defeated, killed, enslaved and displaced time to time. The process is
so refined nowadays in the global Village! We have not to go tracing
the line of history as the stream of history is so alive, haunting!
Infinite persecution and demographic rearrangement is the key of
White as well as zionist Brahminical Hegemony worldwide. Islamophobia
and dalit hatred based anti terror mechaninsm is nothing but the best
expression of the Nazi legacy of liquidation and dehumanisatio right
through the history. Thus, while Anil sarkar emphasises that the Myth
Of ramchandra is not a reality at all and toes the line of Chaitany
MahaPrabhu taming Jagai madhai to deal with Terrorism and cultural
aliegnation and separatism, he stands quite outstanding as a dalit
Poet and a marxist Leader should stand!
Aniil Sarkar said,` Chaitanya mahaprabhu was the first individual in
History of Hindu rule in Indian Subcontinent who dared to break
Brahminical Hegemony. he ensured the freedom of Religion for the
marginalised Dalit masses! He unified the Untouchable Blacks to break
white supremacy and his movement, hence, is still quite relevent. Not
only religion, with highclass classic spiritual philosophy his clan
produced supreme quality literature , art and music all rooted in
folk culture!Sanskrit Poet jaideV was the origianl Boul but Chaitnya
mahaprabhu`s impute in deh Tatva and Bouldhara was quite an aborigins!
Jaidev`s native palce Kenduli happnes to be the most sacred place for
Bauls accross the border. Joydev Kenduli is famous for Fair in
MakarSankranti. This place is visited by millions of people during
this period of year to take a holy dip in the River Ajay. The fair in
question is the three-day-long annual festival that is held in the
middle of January at Kenduli village in Birbhum . Kenduli is the
birth-placeof the great Sanskrit poet Joydeb .
Joydeb's 'Gitagovindam' is a collectionof poems on the divine love
between Lord Krishna and Radha . So, the Vaishnavites consider
Kenduli as a place of pilgrimage and visit this place atthis time of
the year . Moreover, Joydeb, being the propounder of attaining
salvation through love, is revered by the bauls of Bangla .
These bauls are a mysterious lot . Clad in saffron robes, you will
find them wandering from village to village singing songs,
accompanied by their one-stringed instruments.
The fair becomes More lively after dark, just like the Pujas . Spread
in and around the village, along the bank of river Ajoy, it was so
large that, at first, one feels lost and just drifted along with the
tide of humanity that was all around . In
the middle is the temple of Radha and Krishna . Around it, were shops
selling various kinds of goods . From articles of daily use to
fisherman's nets, you could find them all here . Equally varied are
the nature of food being sold .
Then there were the 'aakhras' or the sheds belonging to the various
sects of Vaishnavites . At a distance, the usual 'giant wheel'
and 'merry-go-round' could be seen . At all the aakhras, we saw
people dressed in saffron, singing songs in their high-pitched
voices . There were so many microphones blaring that it sounded like
total confusion .
Gita Govinda ("Song of the Cowherd") is a landmark literature in
Sanskrit by poet Jaidev. It describes the relationship between
Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular his love
affair with Radha. This work has been of great importance in the
development of the bhakti traditions of Hinduism.
In the middle of the 8th century A.D, the first Gopaldev by a
republican choice was elected to the throne of Bengal and he founded
the Pal dynasty. At that time Tantric Buddhism was at its peak of
influence in Bengal, having two opposing doctrines of preaching,
viz., Bajrajan and Sahajjan. A large class of poor and
underprivileged people at that time first adopted Sahajia Buddhism
and subsequently got converted to Islam. Though Muslim by their
religion they continued to carry some of their old religious
practices and ideas. They would shave off their heads as in their
past and kept on practicing and believing in many of the basic creeds
of Sahajia Buddhism. They came to be known as ?Fakirs? or ?Nerar
Fakirs?. They were also strongly influenced by Sufism and
simultaneously, to some extent of the Vaishnavism of Goud, propounded
by Sri Chaitanyadev.
Another down-trodden, poor class people which did not convert to
Islam despite neglect and oppression meted out to them by the upper
strata members of the contemporary society and had to stay aloof as
outcastes, chose to espouse the new ideas of Vaishnavism but kept on
adhering to some of the essential practices of the tantric Buddhism.
To indicate their converted status from Buddhism to Vaishnavism, they
would be known as ?Nera-Neri?. It is said that Biravadra, the son of
Sri Nityananda, brought them under the fold of Vishnavism. The Bauls
believe that Sri Chaitanya, the great proponent and preacher of the
Vaishnav cult of Goud, was the father of their religion and the book
named ?Chaitanyacharitamrita? by Sri Krishnadas Kaviraj is believed
by them to contain hidden references of the basic concept of their
religion. The communion of the eternal Masculine and the eternal
Feminine, symbolized through the love and union of Radha and Krishna
known to them as the Radha-Krishna creed is also synonymous to them
as Sri Chaitanya creed.
The Bauls believe that Sri Chaitanya was the symbol of the ultimate
union of the eternal Masculine and the eternal Feminine, viz., Radha
and Krishna. This concept of the Radha-Krishna creed or the Sri
Chaitanya creed also exerted strong influence upon the Muslim Bouls.
They accepted Sri Chaitanya as a great prophet and since many of the
ideas of Vaishnavism of Goud preached by him echo the same beliefs
and religious emotions nurtured by them, many of their songs are
found to have been composed on these ideas.
The Hindu Paintings of Krishna's playful dalliances with the 'gopis'
are interpreted as symbolic of the loving interplay between God and
the human soul. Radha's unflinching love for Krishna and their
relationship are often interpreted as the human quest for union with
the divine. This kind of love is of the highest form of devotion in
Vaishnavism, and is symbolically represented as the bond between the
wife and husband.
Radha, daughter of Vrishabhanu, was Krishna's faithful companion
since childhood and subsequently, lover during that period of his
life when he lived among the cowherds of Vrindavan. Their childhood
intimacy, as projected through lore, was indicative of the love that
was to blossom between them - they played, they danced, they fought,
they grew up together and wanted to be together forever, but the
world pulled them apart. He departed to safeguard the virtues of
truth, and she waited for him. He vanquished his enemies, became the
king, and came to be worshipped as a lord of the universe. She waited
for him. He married Rukmini and Satyabhama, raised a family, fought
the great war of Ayodhya, and she still held a torch for him. So
great was Radha's love for Krishna that even today her name is
uttered whenever Krishna is referred to, and Krishna worship is
though to be incomplete without the deification of Radha.
For ages, this evergreen love theme has engrossed poets, painters,
musicians and all Krishna devotees alike.
The origin of the Baul can be traced back to the 16th century to the
time of the advent of leader Chiatanya Deva (1486-1533). Although
they embraced many of the influences of Shri Chaitanya Deva, they
quickly became known as a unique, free-thinking group. They tended to
incorporate theory and customary interactions from the many different
religions in the region, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism,
giving rise to new theories that became known as the Baul philosophy.
Without prejudice, both Muslims and Hindus were attracted to the Baul
ways and were graciously included within their sect. Many of these
people changed their names, taking on Baul names, to proclaim their
devotion to the Baul philosophy and way of life.Even as simple street
musicians, the Bauls were considered important teachers in lessons of
human life and philosophy. As philosophers and sadhaks, song was
their teaching instrument as they continued their search for God.
They were known as performers 'mad' in a worshipping trance of joy -
transcending above both good and bad. Though fond of both Hinduism
and Islam, the Baul evolved into a religion focused on the individual
and centered on a spiritual quest for God from within. They came to
believe that God lives within each of us: translated simply, they
believe the soul that lives in all human bodies is God.
"The popular romantic imagination everywhere seeks expression through
its chosen bards: we have our Bob Dylans and Leonard Cohens, the
Bengalis have thier Bauls. All Bauls hold only this in common: that
God is hidden in the heart of man, and neither priest nor prophet,
nor the ritual of any organised religion, will help man to find him
there. The Bauls feel that both [hindu] temple and [muslim] mosque
stand across the path to truth, blocking the search. The search for
God is one which everyone must carry out for himself." Capwell thinks
that "the Baul tradition is a fusion of elements from Buddhism,
Saktism (worshippers of goddess Kali - the source of all energies),
Vaisnavism (worshippers of Lord Visnu) and Sufi Islam, may well have
its roots in the tantrik Buddhism of Bengal in the 9th and 10th
centuries
Mystic singers, wandering minstrels, the Baul of Bengal preserve one
of the oldest and fascinating Indian tradition. Born from the meeting
of different religious expressions, such as Tantrism, Buddhism,
Sufism, Vaishnavism they consacrate their existence to dance, music
and singing, conveying intimate joy, universal brotherhood,
discovering of divine in man's heart.
The Bouls are the folk heroes of Bengal.The Bouls of Bengal are the
wanderers at all time. The tonic drone of their Ektara is associated
with mendicants seeking alms and carries overtonesof sacrifi ce and
homelessness – the spirit of the Bairagi.The Bauls of Bengal are
spiritual sect of traveling minstrels whose songs of joy, love, and
longing for a mystical union with the divine have captivated
audiences for the past century. They are saffron-clad folk singers
who traditionally live in the huts of rural Bengal though they can be
found traveling, dancing, and singing their way around the world.
Their livelihood depends entirely on donations which have been given
to them freely over the centuries. They are teachers and spiritual
gurus and they are a peace loving people that embrace all and quarrel
with none.The Baul tradition cannot be characterised by any known or
distinct doctrine. According to Edward C. Dimock, Jr. the term baul
encompasses "a wide rage of religious opinion, traceable to several
Hindu schools of thought, to Sufi Islam, and much that is traceable
only to a man's own view of how he relates to God.
These orthodox religions see their unconventional modes of worship
somewhat offensive as Bauls tend to reject the rigid rituals and the
social mores generally found to be acceptable in their mainstream
society. Hence, the name 'Baul' was given to them, which is derived
from the Sanskrit word 'batul' which literally means 'afflicted with
the wind' or 'mad'. It is this brand as 'mad' together with their
acceptance of all men regardless of race, creed, or religion that
sets the Baul apart from most in this tortured and war torn region.
Another interesting meaning for the name Baul comes from the Persian
word 'aul' meaning a 'very important person'. Indeed as teachers,
gurus, and proponents of universal brotherhood, this latter
definition is very appropriate.
The great Buddhist, saint Saraha remarked, 'In my wanderings, I have
visited shrines and other places of pilgrimage, but I have not seen
another shrine as blissful as my body.'
rom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also
transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahaprabhu)
(Bengali ?????? ????????) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Vaishnava
monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal[1], (present-day West
Bengal and Bangladesh) and Orissa, India[2]. Chaitanya was a notable
proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning loving
devotion to Krishna/God) based on the philosophy of the Bhagavata
Purana and Bhagavad Gita[3]. Specifically he worshipped the forms of
Radha and Krishna and popularised the chanting of the Hare Krishna
mantra[4]. His line of followers, known as Gaudiya Vaishnavas, revere
him as an avatar of Krishna in the mood of Radharani[5] who was
prophesised to appear in the later verses of the Bhagavata Purana.[6]
He was also sometimes referred to by the names Gaura (Sanskrit
for "the fair / golden one") due to his light skin complexion[7], and
Nimai due to his being born underneath a Neem tree[8]. There are
numerous biographies available from the time giving details of
Chaitanya's life, the most prominent ones being the Chaitanya
Charitamrita of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami and the earlier
Chaitanya Bhagavata of Vrindavana Dasa Thakura[9] (both originally
written in the Bengali language but now widely available in English
and other languages) and the Chaitanya Mangala, written by Lochana
Dasa Thakura.[
Despite having been initiated in the Madhvacharya tradition,
Chaitanya's philosophy is sometimes regarded as a tradition of his
own within the Vaishnava framework - having some marked differences
with the practices and the theology of other followers of
Madhvacharya.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not known to have written anything himself
except for a series of verses known as the Siksastaka, "eight verses
of instruction"[20] which he spoke were recorded by one of his close
colleagues. The eight verses created by Mahaprabhu are considered to
contain the complete philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in condensed
form. Chaitanya requested a select few among his followers (who later
came to be known as the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan) to systematically
present the theology of bhakti he had taught to them in their own
writings[21]. The six saints and theologians were Rupa Goswami,
Sanatana Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami,
Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Jiva Goswami, a nephew of brothers Rupa
and Sanatana. These individuals were responsible for systematizing
Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology.
Narottama Dasa Thakur, Srinivasa Acarya and Syamananda Pandit were
among the stalwarts of the second generation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Having studied under Jiva Goswami, they were instrumental in
propagating the teachings of the Goswamis throughout Bengal, Orissa
and other regions of Eastern India. Many among their associates, such
as Ramacandra Kaviraja and Ganga Narayan Chakravarti, were also
eminent teachers in their own right.[22]
The festival of Kheturi, presided over by Jahnava Thakurani[23], the
wife of Nityananda Prabhu, was the first time the leaders of the
various branches of Chaitanya's followers assembled together. Through
such festivals, members of the loosely organized tradition became
acquainted with other branches along with their respective
theological and practical nuances[24]. Around these times, the
disciples and descendants of Nityananda and Advaita Acharya, headed
by Virabhadra and Krishna Mishra respectively, started their family
lineages (vamsa) to maintain the tradition. The vamsa descending from
Nityananda through his son Virabhadra forms the most prominent branch
of the modern Gaudiya tradition, though descendants of Advaita, along
with the descendants of many other associates of Chaitanya, maintain
their following especially in the rural areas of Bengal. Gopala Guru
Goswami, a young associate of Chaitanya and a follower of Vakresvara
Pandit, founded another branch based in Orissa. The writings of
Gopala, along with those of his disciple Dhyanacandra Goswami, have
had a substantial influence on the methods of internal worship in the
tradition.
20th C. English language version of Chaitanya's biography, translated
by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.In the 20th century the
teachings of Chaitanya were brought to the West by A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada, a representative of the Saraswata (i.e. disciples
of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) branch of Chaitanya's
tradition. Bhaktivedanta Swami founded his movement known as The
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to spread
Chaitanya's teachings throughout the world.[25]. Saraswata gurus and
acharyas, members of the Goswami lineages and several other Hindu
sects which revere Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, including devotees from the
major Vaishnava holy places in Mathura District, West Bengal and
Orissa, also established temples dedicated to Krishna and Chaitanya
outside India in the closing decades of the 20th century. In the 21st
century Vaishnava bhakti is now also being studied through the
academic medium of Krishnology in a number of academic institutions
[26]
Vijay Kumar <vapn2005@yahoo.co.in> to me, Palash
show details 3:33 pm (2 hours ago)
Prof T B Vijayakumar
Vice Chairman
All Kerala Reservation Protection Front [An umbrella organisation of
56 S C, S T, OBC communities]
Chief Public relations officer
"
Vice President
Akhila Kerala Ezhuthachan Samajam
Ground Floor, Park House, Round North
Thrissur- 1
Kerala State
M:9446229998
Ph:0487-2352956
Email: vapn2005@yahoo.co.in
Dear Mr Biswas
Kindly refer my telephonic talk with you today morning. All your blog
postings are wonderful and timely.congratulations!!!
Your assessment of Indian situation is correct.
I want to know more about WB dalits, OBC's and Muslims. What about
the historicity of upper caste domination in Bengal using Brahmanical
Marxism?
Muslims in Kerala 23% are fully politicised.
Why not in Bengal?
In Kerala Left parties are very entrenched ; but no continuous red
rule.
Kerala suffers from two cancerous ideologies,Brahmanism and Marxism.
How to get rid of this nuisance?
I am an OBC Ambedkarite activist and firmly believe that only dalits
can lead Indian revolution.
Our first task is to finish most dreaded judicial Brahmanical
terrorism. There is a parliamentary standing committee
reccommendation advising the government to implement SC, ST, OBC.
reservation in the appointment of supreme court and High court
judges. report is attached.
Kindly organise a campaign for that.
I want to make blogs on your lines.
Kindly guide me.
Earlier I used to write in Dalit Voice.
Through DV I came to know about you.
with warmest regards
Prof T B Vijayakumar
Thrissur
Kerala
PS: I want to know more about Namasudras and their deprivation and
Upper caste conspiracy against them. Mr S K Biswas was known to me.
At present I have no contact.
----------------------------------------------------------
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DELETE button is history. Unlimited mail storage is just a click away.
PARLIAMENT OF INDIA
RAJYA SABHA
DEPARTMENT RELATED PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL,
PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, LAW AND JUSTICE
TWENTY FIRST REPORT
ON
THE JUDGES (INQUIRY) BILL, 2006
(PRESENTED TO THE RAJYA SABHA ON 17TH AUGUST 2007)
(LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA ON 17TH AUGUST, 2007)
RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT
NEW DELHI
AUGUST, 2007/SRAVANA, 1928 (SAKA)
C O N T E N T S
1. Composition of the Committee
2. Introduction
3. Report
4. Minutes of dissent Submitted by Shri Ram Jethmalani, M.P.
5. Minutes of dissent submitted by Shri Virendra Bhatia, M.P.
6*. Relevant Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee
7*. Annexure
A. The Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2006.
B. Comments of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the
views/suggestions contained in memoranda submitted by
individuals/organisations/experts on various provisions of the Bill.
C. Comments/suggestions received from Various High Courts.
D. Views/suggestions received from former Chief Justices of
India/other Judges of the Supreme Court/eminent lawyers.
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE (2006-07)
(Constituted on 5th August, 2006)
1. Dr. E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan ¾ Chairman
RAJYA SABHA
2. Dr. Radhakant Nayak
3. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi
4. Shri Balavant alias Bal Apte
5. Shri Virendra Bhatia
6. Shri Tariq Anwar
7. Shri Ram Jethmalani
8. Dr. P.C. Alexander
9. Shri Tarlochan Singh
10. Shri Suresh Bhardwaj
LOK SABHA
11. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Barq
12. Shri Chhattar Singh Darbar
13. Shri N.Y. Hanumanthappa
14. Shri Shailendra Kumar
15. Dr. C. Krishnan
16. Shri Harin Pathak
17. Shri Dahyabhai Vallabhbhai Patel
18. Shri Varkala Radhakrishnan
19. Prof. M. Ramadass
20. Shri Vishvendra Singh
21. Shri Bhupendrasinh Solanki
22. Shri Raj Babbar
23. Shri S.K. Kharventhan
24. Shri A. Krishnaswamy
25. Shri Anirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav
26. Shri N.S.V. Chitthan
27. Vacant
28. Vacant
29. Vacant
30. Vacant
31. Vacant
(i)
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE (2007-08)
(Constituted on 5th August, 2007)
1. Dr. E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan ¾ Chairman
RAJYA SABHA
2. Dr. Radhakant Nayak
3. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi
4. Shri Balavant alias Bal Apte
5. Shri Suresh Bhardwaj
6. Shri Virendra Bhatia
7. Shri Tariq Anwar
8. Shri Ram Jethmalani
9. Dr. P.C. Alexander
Marxist Minister played cultural Trump card in Tripura
Sarkar, who has become quite a rebel in Marxist ruling Hegemony
after writing poetry on Mayawati, claims that the Marxists will romp
home with landslide victory. He has been talking on phone all these
days despite our stance against Nandigram and Singur.
I have written on Anil sarkar`s philosophy of Love against insurgency
in North east which is strikingly different from Delhi`s Mannerism to
address nationality problem with all the Guns of State Power! Rather,
the Marxist Minister, who had been instrumental to set up CPIM`s
political dalit agenda and has the key role to mobilise the Dalit
Bengali Refugees scattered countrywide as CPIM`s Vote bank, tries to
go back the cultural roots to solve the Identity Crisis of
nationalities. Tripura is an example of Co existance of SC Bengal
Ruling Hegemony with tribal identity. Patriotic and modern songs,
street plays, poems and colourful decorations using small trees were
the highlights in the run-up to Saturday's assembly elections in
Tripura, thanks to the Marxist dalit Minister.
Palash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur,
Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
Please read,react,circulate and Write.Just Visit:
http://www.nandigramunited.blogspot.com/
Forward as you wish. Permission is granted to circulate this article
among private individuals and groups, post on all Internet sites and
publish in full in all not-for-profit publications. Contact author
for all other rights, which are reserved.
West Bengal Left front Goverment executed Maraichjhanpi Massacre to
protect Environment violating International and inland water laws.
Just see:
On Line Video Petition against Marichjhanpi Genocide:
http://indiainteracts.com/videos/2008/02/07/Marichjhanpi-genocide/
Just read these documents:
morichjhanpi.blogspot.com
Our best friend and philosopher in North East, the poet and dalit
thinker, a Marxist minister in Tripura Left front minister, Anil
Sarkar has played the Cultural trump Card most effectively in
Assembly Votes. We will know the results on 7th March. Sarkar, who
has become quite a rebel in Marxist ruling Hegemony after writing
poetry on Mayawati, claims that the Marxists will romp home with
landslide victory. He has been talking on phone all these days
despite our stance against Nandigram and Singur. He always refrined
to comment on West bengal or Kerala. But he, at the same time, tries
his level best to differentiate Tripura from other two left ruled
states.He told me that all prdictions would go wrong and Congress has
no scope to get new grownd in West Bengal. According to Sarkar, in
fact, Congress will lose some more seats this time despite forward
Block factor. He described the phenomenon as the Political Will Power
of chief Minister Manik Sarkar to sustain peace, law and order - mass
mobilisation of Anil sarkar - and Party Organisation set up. Sarkar
said that he never tried to politicalise his election campain but he
tried his election campaign as mass mobilisation with Cultural
Dimensions all the way. And, thus, Patriotic Songs, Poems Dominated
Tripura Poll Campaign !
Sarkar, who is also a renowned poet and writer, is seeking re-
election to the assembly as CPI(M) nominee from the Pratapgarh
constituency in west Tripura for a record eighth time.He has himself
composed several folk songs in a bid to connect with the people.
I have written on Anil sarkar`s philosophy of Love against insurgency
in North east which is strikingly different from Delhi`s Mannerism to
address nationality problem with all the Guns of State Power! Rather,
the Marxist Minister, who had been instrumental to set up CPIM`s
political dalit agenda and has the key role to mobilise the Dalit
Bengali Refugees scattered countrywide as CPIM`s Vote bank, tries to
go back the cultural roots to solve the Identity Crisis of
nationalities. Tripura is an example of Co existance of SC Bengal
Ruling Hegemony with tribal identity.
Patriotic and modern songs, street plays, poems and colourful
decorations using small trees were the highlights in the run-up to
Saturday's assembly elections in Tripura, thanks to the Marxist dalit
Minister. Moreover, Both the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M) and the main opposition Congress had organised poll campaigns
using colourfully decorated vehicles draped with party flags and
festoons. Quite different from rest of the country. We witness the
dirty game of Vote bank in mainland as Raj Thackeray and later, his
mentor Bal Thakeray launched a campaign against Hindi Speaking People
in Maharashtra. It is vice versa in North India. Even in West
Bengal , the Marxist ruling Brahminical hegemony banks on
rearrangement of demography for vote Bank consolidation!
Anil sarkar told me, ` i was not tense anyway and I enjoyed this
Election as a Cultural Progrramme! I am not well and I had sound
sleep all the way!"
'Our campaign with the versatile cultural performance has largely
impacted the minds of the people and we have succeeded in winning the
hearts of voters by using cultural presentation,' said state
Information and Cultural Minister Anil Sarkar.
All the party booth offices of Congress here and other parts of the
state are echoing with Bankim Chandra's 'Vande Mataram' song.
Tripura goes ahead with imminent Assembelly elections. anil sarkar is
Sure that the ruling Left Front wil romp home once agin with thumping
majority! We discussed a lot on Tripura and North East. He has been
the architect of CPIM`s dalit agenda in Hyderabad conference along
with West bengal CPIM secretary Biman Bose! He is also involved with
dalit mobilisation nationwide. he played key role to organise dalit
Bengali refugee Convention In new delhi last year and subsiding the
Mulnivasi bamcef impact on dalit Bengali refugee politics antionwide.
Brinda Karat is working hard in Bengali Refugee bases outside Bengal.
Anil Sarkar has focused on dalit movement. He is leading Ambedkar
Missions in North east and east india. he is behind the Dalit Co
Ordination Committe in West Bengal. he leads the dalit sahitya
movement. He arranges book Fairs and folk festivals. He practices
Politics with cultural recipe! Last year he organised Grand Baul Mela
in ADC tribal area of Tripura. He prescribes Vaishnav Love to deal
with insurgency and extremism!
Anil Sarkar holds Information and Culture, Tourism and SC welfare
portfolios in the Cabinet. banking on these low profile portfolios
Anil sarkar in his indigenous spectacular mannerism and folk based
political rehtorics is well capable to interact on the on hand with
all states and nationalities in North eats and on the other hand
demolish Extrism in Tripura. Thus, the chief Minister manik sarkar is
unable to get an alternative of Anil Sarkar who has been successful
to use language, dilects, folk, music, dance,literature , dalit
movement, Ambedkar, tagore, mayawati, refugees and nationalities as
political tools in favour of the ruling Left front!
Leftist writerfaces caste slur SEKHAR DATTA
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030226/asp/northeast/story_1692847.asp
Agartala, Feb. 25: For all its reputation as a rebel-infested state,
Tripura has been free from the Bihar variety of caste-based political
violence.
Yet Marxist poet-politician Anil Sarkar has been accused of making a
conscious attempt to introduce such a trend in Tripura — albeit in
his own way. He named his dog "Brahmin" and even spurned prasad
(consecrated food) offered to him as education minister by students
during Saraswati Puja.
Now seeking a fresh term in the seat of power from the Pratapgarh
Assembly constituency, Anthony Firangi — the pseudonym under which
Sarkar pens ballads and rhymes — looks a harried man.
The first discordant note was struck by some Brahmin voters in the
Thakurpara hamlet, when the controversial education minister was on a
door-to-door campaign there on February 6. "You have been saying all
kinds of things against the Brahmins, now why do you come for votes?"
asked Benoy Chakraborty, a schoolteacher and a priest.
A constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes near Agartala,
Pratapgarh has only about 20 per cent "upper caste" voters among the
56,109-strong electorate.
"The point is, the so-called upper castes, mostly government
employees and rich businessmen, can influence voters down the social
ladder," said Bhajan Lal Das, a senior CPM leader and close ally of
Anil Sarkar. And this is what worries the CPM, as the Scheduled
Castes are drifting away from the party.
In Ananda Nagar, Jogendra Nagar, Jarul Bachai, Purba Aralia and other
villages, the Congress candidate, Narayan Das, has found good support
from the electorate.
"For all of Sarkar's rhetoric, the poor people of Pratapgarh have got
practically nothing from the CPM over the past decade and naturally
they welcome us this time," said Ranjit Das, a PCC member.
Sarkar worked his way up the CPM ladder the hard way, narrowly
escaping disciplinary action in 1994 for "taking to bourgeois ways",
according to a top CPM leader.
The education minister was photographed in all prominent national
dailies taking a snap of Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa at a
meeting in Delhi — construed as a "cardinal sin" in the CPM's spartan
code of conduct. "Had Nripen Chakraborty not been expelled from the
party in 1995, Anilda would have found himself thrown out," the CPM
leader said.
A "sensitive man" and a "Dalit poet", Sarkar could not bear the shock
of hundreds of stalls, including some from Tripura, at the Calcutta
Book Fair in 1998, go up in flames. He suffered a heart attack. The
bypass surgery he underwent had a telling effect on his political
mobility.
"The most bizarre spectacle was the veteran Marxist leader lecturing
friends and acquaintances on the virtue of the products of a
multinational company of which his son is the sole agent," Prabodh
Sarkar, a publisher, said.
The writing on the wall is clear: the battle for Pratapgarh will be a
tough one but Sarkar's die-hard followers are convinced that
the "Dalits of Pratapgarh will not deny Anilda his last victory".
"He has never lost an election since 1972 and won five times with
convincing margin from Pratapgarh, so we do not visualise him
losing," Samar Chakraborty, a local CPM committee secretary, said.
On the question of this being Sarkar's last election, Chakraborty
minced no words: "After the bypass surgery, he is physically down and
he knows it".
Strange as it may sound, Anil Sarkar is touring many constituencies
and addressing meetings to swing Scheduled Caste voters in the CPM's
favour.
"He knows his people will not let him down ultimately as the entire
Scheduled Caste community of Tripura awaits the outcome of the polls
in Pratapgarh," Chakraborty added.
Tripura Sanskriti Samannay Kendra, the literary and cultural front of
the CPI-M, composed modern and folk songs, which criticised the
Congress' failure across the country and its alliance with the tribal
based Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT).
On the other hand, Congress is trying to woo voters using old
patriotic songs of Lata Mangeshkar and other renowned singers.
'Our campaign with the versatile cultural performance has largely
impacted the minds of the people and we have succeeded in winning the
hearts of voters by using cultural presentation,' said state
Information and Cultural Minister Anil Sarkar.
Sarkar, who is also a renowned poet and writer, is seeking re-
election to the assembly as CPI(M) nominee from the Pratapgarh
constituency in west Tripura for a record eighth time.
He has himself composed several folk songs in a bid to connect with
the people.
All the party booth offices of Congress here and other parts of the
state are echoing with Bankim Chandra's 'Vande Mataram' song.
'We believe in true patriotism and that's why our party is using
patriotic songs during the poll campaign,' said Ratan Lal Nath,
leader of the state Congress.
The Tripura prevention of Defacement of property (Amendment) Act 1998
is now in force. Also, the Election Commission has asked the
political parties not to use any static assets and buildings besides
government properties as part of their poll campaign. So the
candidates have put up a large number of party flags on small trees,
bamboo groves and banana plants on the roadside.
Lanes and by-lanes are also decorated with flags of Left parties,
Congress and others.
'Poll fever has gripped the entire state even as the official
machinery and security forces are busy to ensure the elections are
held in a free and fair manner,' said Chief Electoral Officer G.S.G.
Ayyangar.
In all 313 candidates, including 31 women and 64 independents, are
testing their electoral fortune in Saturday's election to the 60-seat
Tripura assembly.
People's Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Vol. XXVI
No. 39
October 06,2002
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Tripura Solidarity Day Observed Nationwide
THE CPI(M) Delhi state committee organised a hall meeting on
September 30 to express solidarity with the people of Tripura, who
are waging a heroic struggle under the leadership of the Left Front
against secessionist attempts of the terrorists. The meeting, held as
part of the Party Central Committee call to observe September 30 as a
Tripura Solidarity Day, was addressed by Anil Sarkar, a minister in
the Left Front government of Tripura and by CPI(M) Polit Bureau
member, Prakash Karat.
The meeting began with a stirring song, in Kok Barak, the language of
the tribal people of Tripura, by well known cultural activist from
the state, Hemanta Jamatiya. He was once a member of NLFT, a
terrorist outfit led by Bejoy Hrangkhawl. From his own experience
Jamatiya came to realise the anti-people nature of the NLFT and quit
the outfit to join the Left.
Anil Sarkar traced the record of terrorist activities in Tripura
since 1978, when the first Left Front government came to power in the
state. He referred in detail to the attempts made by tribal terrorist
outfits and the Bengali chauvinist group, Amra Bengali, to disrupt
the unity of the tribal and non-tribal people. He also exposed the
thoroughly opportunist and anti-national role of the Congress in
allying with those forces which want to separate Tripura from India.
Hundreds of CPI(M) cadres have been killed in facing the nefarious
designs of these anti-national forces. He referred to the terror
tactics adopted by the extremists to capture the Autonomous District
Council and gave facts and figures to show how this had impacted
adversely on the lives of the tribal people. He expressed confidence
that the CPI(M)-led Left Front would once again emerge victorious in
the forthcoming state assembly elections in 2003.
Prakash Karat referred to the difficult security scenario in Tripura
and accused the BJP-led central government of playing partisan
politics at the cost of national integrity by consistently refusing
to provide Tripura with the security forces necessary to effectively
patrol the state's 856 km long border with Bangladesh. The terrorist
gangs have their bases in Bangladesh from where they operate their
campaign of murder and mayhem. The tribal cadres of the CPI(M), both
men and women are targeted by the extremists and as a result about
100 comrades are martyred each year. He dubbed the alliance of the
Congress with extremist groups in Tripura as an anti-national act and
called for exposure of this heinous role of the Congress through out
the country. The CPI(M) has a long history of struggle and sacrifice
in Tripura. Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that every
fourth inhabitant of the state is a member of the CPI(M) or its mass
organisations. He concluded with a call to take the facts regarding
Tripura to the people and to build widespread solidarity with the
Tripura Party, the Left Front government and the brave people of the
state.
WEST BENGAL
Tripura Solidarity Day was observed throughout Bengal at the call of
the Left Front on September 30. Meetings, rallies and conventions
marked the day when the people of Bengal expressed their solidarity
with the people of Tripura, which faces the conspiratorial moves of
the separatist elements backed by the vested interests of that small
hilly state.
Two central conventions were organised. Both were very well attended.
Manik Sarkar, the Tripura chief minister and Polit Bureau member of
the CPI (M), addressed the Kolkata convention. Aghor Deb Barman, a
minister in the Left Front government of Tripura spoke at the
convention held at Siliguri.
Manik Sarkar spoke at length on the contingent nature of the
situation that Tripura faces now. The democratic people of Tripura,
said Sarkar, faced a critical challenge from the separatists who were
being backed by the Tripura unit of the Congress.
The uneven nature of development and the neglect meted out to the
northeastern region of the country under successive union
governments, said the Tripura chief minister, caused the people there
to suffer from acute impoverishment. This led to a feeling of
frustration to the extent that in most of the northeastern states,
elements of separatism could spring up.
But that was not the whole story. Eager to draw political mileage
from the volatile situation, the Congress, both at the centre and in
Tripura, went in for a policy of dangerous opportunism when they
represented themselves as the party of the Bengalis. They also
attempted to emerge as the champion of the cause of the refugees from
erstwhile East Pakistan, who had been provided shelter in Tripura by
the tribal people indigenous to that part of the country.
During the long periods of time when it remained in office by means
fair and foul, the Tripura Congress leadership did almost nothing to
go in for economic development of the tracts of land where the tribal
people lived. Economic disparity ultimately led to political and
social frustration and a small percentage of the tribal youth was
driven to take up arms.
Sarkar argued how the Communist Party always had had a strong base
among the tribal people and how that was one reason why the Congress
would do nothing to improve the lot of the tribal groups in Tripura.
Sarkar mentioned how the separatist activities suddenly underwent a
sharp rise the moment the first Left Front government assumed office
in 1978.
Touching on the role of the CIA and the ISI, Manik Sarkar described
how training camps were run from neighbouring Bangladesh, and how the
BJP-led union government, following in the foot steps of its Congress
predecessors, would not lift a finger to speak to the government in
Bangladesh over this crucial issue.
The 86-odd kilometres long border between Tripura and Bangladesh has
not been protected with wire fencing. Units of the Indian Army are
being continuously withdrawn from Tripura. The call for augmenting
the units of the Border Security Force is patently ignored by the BJP-
led government up in Delhi.
In the meanwhile, the Tripura unit of the Congress has continued to
organise electoral alliances with various separatist groups,
including the Tripura National Volunteers (TNV), the Tripura Upajati
Juba Samity (TUJS), the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT),
and the Indigenous National Party of Tripura (INPT). And, recalled
Manik Sarkar, Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi would not respond to CPI
(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury's letter on the growing
alliance between the separatist forces and the Congress in Tripura.
With the Assembly elections approaching, there is a spurt in the
separatist activities in Tripura. Leaders like Hrangkhawl are allowed
to address international fora and to speak in favour of
the "rightful" demand for secessionism by the "indigenous people of
Tripura."
The democratic-minded people of Tripura said Manik Sarkar, whether
tribal or non-tribal, stood firm behind the Left Front and the Left
Front government in that province. They never forget for a moment how
it had been the Communist leadership, which had worked towards an
early establishment of unity between all sections of the working
people of Tripura. In conclusion, Sarkar exhorted upon the people of
Bengal to stand firmly behind the people of Tripura in this hour of
crisis when national and international forces of reaction were out to
destabilise not merely Tripura, and not only the resource-rich
northeastern India, but also the country as a whole.
Biman Basu, chairman of the Bengal Left Front presided over the
meeting where the entire array of the state leadership of the CPI (M)
and the Left Front was in present..
KERALA
All the fourteen district committees of CPI(M) observed `Tripura
Solidarity Day' with seminars and public meetings at district centers
on September 30. Speakers at these meetings offered full back up and
solidarity with the left and democratic forces of Tripura in their
heroic resistance to the divisive forces working in that state with
the active participation and help of outsiders. The earlier polices
of the Congress (I) and the present one of BJP in the centre have
been quite detrimental to the peaceful, ordinary economic and
democratic development of Tripura and the people are therefore
suffering much. The meetings urged the central government to review
its policy towards Tripura.
Left Front gets majority in Tripura
March 01, 2003 22:34 IST
The ruling Left Front in Tripura, in power continuously since 1992,
on Saturday secured an absolute majority in the 60-member house,
securing 40 seats.
The opposition Congress-Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura
combine cobbled up 19 seats each of the 59 results declared so far.
Left Front major Communist Party of India (Marxist) itself secured
absolute majority winning 36 seats, while partners RSP won two and
CPI one.
Prominent winners from among the the outgoing Manik Sarkar government
included Education Minister Anil Sarkar, Information Minister Jiten
Chowdhury, Minorities Minister Faizur Rehaman, Industries Minister
Pabitra Kar, Social Welfare Minister Bidhubhushan Malakar (all CPI-M)
and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Gopal Das of RSP.
The winners in the opposition included former Chief Minister Samir
Ranjan Burman [Congress], INPT president Bijoy Hrankhawl and former
speaker Jyotirmoy Nath [Congress], while former chief minister Sudhir
Ranjan Mazumdar, Leader of the Opposition Jawhar Saha [both Congress]
and former minister, Ratimohan Jamatiya [INPT] lost.
Tripura Elections 2008's Profile :
The state of Tripura went to the polls in February 2008 to elect 60
legislators, as declared by the Election Commission of India.
Voting was held on February 23, 2008. The vote counting will take
place on March 07, 2008.
Tripura Elections 2008 – vital statistics
Total Voters 20,36,980
Total Polling Stations 2391
Female Voters 9,96,582
Male Voters 1040398
The last Tripura assembly elections were held in 2003 where the
Communist Party of India (Marxist), led by Manik Sarkar had claimed a
comfortable victory.
Tripura Elections 2003 – Snapshot
Party % Vote
CPM 46.28
Congress 32.84
CPI 1.54
Others 19.34
Party Seats
CPM 38
Congress 13
CPI 1
Others 8
Read / Write Comments on any Tripura Election Seat / Candidate
Dhalai South Tripura
North Tripura West Tripura
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Tripura Elections 2008 in chronological order
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People's Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
----------------------------------------------------------
----------
Vol. XXXII
No. 09
March 02, 2008
TRIPURA
Unprecedented Voter Turnout In 10th Assembly Elections
Subrata Chakraborty
CREATING a major milestone in the history of the democratic movement
in Tripura, polling in the 10th Assembly elections of the state
recorded 91.86 per cent following the election held on February 23,
2008. The state electorate exercised their franchise in an
unprecedented festive fight of the people against all odds,
unprecedented not only in the country, but also within Tripura where
trouble-free polls in carnival atmosphere is the tradition.
The people of Tripura through the peaceful poll gave a befitting
reply to the campaign of deception and disinformation carried out by
the Congress party and its ally, the outlawed extremists' political
wing INPT, aided by a section of mercenary media miscreants and
militants. Even the central observer of the Congress party and union
minister Prithviraj Chauhan making a u-turn from his 24-hour earlier
statement, stated that the people's massive turnout in almost all the
seats of the state, is a landmark in the world's democratic election
scenario. Incidentally, hours before commencement of the polls,
Chauhan charged the CPI(M) with massively terrorising the state's
electorate. He, however, interpreted the electorate's massive turn
out as the harbinger of the poll verdict in favour of Congress-INPT
combine, a stock interpretation of the Congress leadership in
Tripura, designed to whitewash the unprecedented falsification of
polls with which the Congress-TUJS combine swept all the elections
during its barbarically semi-fascist jungle rule in 1988-93.
In fact, peaceful and historic turnout in the 10th Assembly elections
in Tripura was the culmination of the people's robust and rousing
rebuff and rebuttal of the Congress-INPT combine's two-pronged
campaign, campaign of terror making use of armed extremists and
miscreants in tribal areas on one hand, and campaign of deception and
disinformation by making use of a section of mercenary media in urban
areas, especially in the state capital, on the other. In the 2003
elections, Congress-INPT combine bagged 19 seats with such two-
pronged tactics, emboldening it to take to the same tactics for 2008
too, hoping against hope for anti-incumbency factor against the Left
Front government to capture power.
But a sea-change had taken place all over Tripura in the meantime.
The Left Front restored the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District
Council in 2005 from armed extremists stranglehold brought about by
the INPT high-jacking at extremist gunpoint the year 2000 ADC polls.
The restoration was the result of the ceaseless three-pronged counter-
insurgency struggle of the Left Front government by ideological,
administrative and developmental means. The Left Front's restoration
of ADC by a massive mandate at the first ADC village committee
elections in 2006 which finally turned the tide against the
extremists in Tripura through democratic local-self governance
spreading to the grass roots all over the ADC areas and making
possible the implementation of the development programmes in the ADC
areas languishing in the darkness of backwardness for decades.
At the same time the breaking of the backbone of extremists in
Tripura, enabled the pro-people Left Front government to carry on
massive welfare and development programmes with renewed vigour all
over the state in multifarious sectors including education,
healthcare, agriculture and communication bringing about a sea-change
in Tripura in all spheres. The Left Front government thus came to be
regarded as synonymous with peace, progress and prosperity in sharp
contrast to the retrogressive ravenous and rapacious track-record of
the Congress party, seriously aggravated by its alliance with the
INPT, the political mask of the outlawed and anti-national
extremists.
It is in this perspective that the historic turnout of the state
electorate in the 10th Assembly elections in Tripura is to be viewed.
This election saw an unprecedented upsurge of the people of Tripura
to vote with a vengeance to make amends for the earlier high-jacking
of the rural or remote area polls at extremist gunpoint on the one
hand, and the earlier hoodwinking of a huge section of the urban
people through campaign of maligning and misinformation.
The people had to confront yet another formidable odd in the form of
a "copybook vote" claimed to be carried out by the Election
Commission in Tripura in this election. Hardest hit were the female
voters that had a vast presence in each polling booth. Although the
tremendously complicated and time-consuming system in the name
of "copybook vote" made a sizeable section of voters to leave the
booths in disgust and despair, numerous voters, dauntlessly
determined to exercise their constitutional right did not fight shy
of even waiting in queues till midnight to cast their vote in several
booths.
The democratic-minded people of Tripura will have to wait for another
12 days for the counting of votes slated for March 7, 2008.
LAST MINUTE DESPERATION OF EXTREMISTS
Four CPI(M) activists were abducted at gunpoint by extremists on
February 21 from two remote villages of Chawmanu of Dhalai district.
The villages are situated besides Gobindabari, where a total of 60
Photo Identity Cards have yet been snatched away by extremists since
notification of the 10th Assembly election in the state. At about 9
a.m. yesterday, a group of around eight extremists of BNCT, outfit of
the outlawed NLFT(BM), raided the villages and abducted four CPI(M)
activists including a polling agent of CPI(M) candidate of Chawmanu
constituency. The other three are the candidate's nephew, the village
committee chairman's son and a village committee member.
Incidentally, village committee is the village panchayat equivalent
under Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.
CPI(M) state secretariat member Gautam Das vehemently protested the
violent atrocities of the extremist henchmen of the Congress-INPT
combine in certain remote areas of the state. He said these are
designed to secure a political mileage and it exposed the nefarious
nexus a couple of days ahead of the poll. He asserted that the people
of the state are determined to foil such terror tactics at any cost
and form the 6th Left Front government with a most massive mandate.
Incidentally, about 50 CPI(M) activists and supporters were injured
on February 20 in a violent raid at four remote villages of Khowai
Sub-Division, West Tripura by extremist gunmen and Congress-INPT
goons. Out of those injured, 28 people are now undergoing treatment
in G B Hospital, Agartala with grievous injuries mostly head
injuries. The villagers were also threatened with death unless they
voted in favour of the Congress-INPT combine.
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A senior government official said the largesse for AAI stems from the
government's decision to build three airports in the North East
region, ...
Agreement between India and US on MIA Recovery
TransWorldNews (press release), GA - 1 Mar 2008
In August 1974 an Indian Army Patrol was dispatched to a US aircraft
crash site reported by a hunter in Northeast India. These remains
were transferred to a ...
US support for Bhutanese refugees
American Chronicle, CA - 1 hour ago
Nava Thakuria is an independent journalist based in Guwahati,
Northeast India. He contributes articles for various media outlets in
India and abroad. ...
Arrests in India halt bid to make boat for LTTE
Gulf Times, Qatar - 18 hours ago
... guerrillas who the Sri Lanka Navy caught in October 1987 on
charges of gun running off Jaffna when Indian troops were deployed in
Sri Lanka's northeast. ...
Auburn council to update Indian Hills plan
Opelika Auburn News, AL - 3 Mar 2008
... DeKalb Street and East Univer-sity Drive. Under the agreement,
the developer will connect North and South DeKalb streets and include
a traffic circle. ...
Auburn council tables development agreement Opelika Auburn News
In a setback for the government, Dr. Sami Al-Arian was granted bail by Judge Leonie M. Brinkema today. Over the objections of the government and the pre-trial services, Judge Brinkema agreed that Dr. Al-Arian was not a flight risk and no danger to the community. The government has suggested that it may now block release by having Immigration officials hold Dr. Al-Arian for deportation — despite the fact that it is trying to hold him for years under a criminal sentence rather than deport him.
