Thursday, September 24, 2015

CM Fadnavis Shows His Distinctness

1.9 Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has showed his distinctness with his measured yet aggressive response to an open letter written by journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. This was not a unique action as many politicians of yore had taken to writing articles in the newspapers to articulate their position. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee even penned long muse when he was mired in political controversies and problems. However, what makes Fadnavis stand out is that he has taken to the medium often used against him for last one year and while defending his own position, he has put forward the work he was doing. This would serve not only in taming the hostility of the media towards him, in particular, and his government, in general, but also soothing his political ally Shiv Sena which is in the government bashing mode ever since it decided to share power.

Sardesai, often seen as an adversary of the Hinduist ideology which Fadnavis adheres to, had targeted Fadnavis of failing on many counts and letting down those who had hopes in him. "I was one of those who expected a lot from this leader who come to power with his youth and vision," Sardesai wrote. He had taken up mainly three points which underlined, in his eyes, the hopelessness of the present government. These points were - ban in certain municipal corporation limits on sale of the meat to be enforced for eight days during the Paryushan Parva of Jain community; transfer of Rakesh Maria, the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai during the course of investigation in high-profile Sheena Bora murder case, ostensibly to curtail the probe and third was a recent circular issued by the government which allegedly allowed the police to frame sedition charges against anyone who would criticize the public representatives. The letter was published in English, Hindi and Marathi publications as well and received due attention.

This ruffled quite few feathers in Bharatiya Janata Party and it was felt that this attack must be countered. But no one expected that CM himself would lead from the front and give a befitting reply to a journo with a stature such as Sardesai has.

That the CM replying to an open letter was itself a novelty. But Fadnavis added another dimension to it by twisting the reply and coloring it in an Urban-Agrarian conflict. His terse sentence that 'I am more concerned with providing food to the drought-hit farmers than filling your plate with non-veg' is a classic example of how a politician, even when well wishing and sincere, can turn any debate in his or her own stride. The BJP has outfoxed Congress with great cunningness in recent times because of this type of willy politicians. In fact, Congress is now almost bereft of clever leader who could mould the discourse any way they like.

The Twitter was abuzz with the development and the hashtag #DevendraSlapsRajdeep remained among top trends for two days. Various groups on WhatsApp were replete with the text of the letter. It took 24 hours for Sardesai to reply to CM's letter but in his immediate reaction, he just tweeted -

Whatever the outcome of the debate, one thing is sure - that this BJP government is a different pot to handle for the critics and it is going to break more norms in the future.

Sunday, September 06, 2015

People are enjoying religion as never before

WP_20150904_025 Twice within last ten days, I travelled to Nashik, that old city in North Maharashtra which, it is said, Lord Ram, Seeta and Lakshman visited while in their exile to forest. The city reverberates with the same ancient spirit of holiness and faith. And this time, the spirit is especially evident as millions of devotees throng to the banks of river Godavari to have a dip in its specially-made clean stream during the auspicious period of Sinhastha.

Kumbh Mela, the grandest of all festivals is currently on in the city. Kumbh is the 12-yearly gathering of almost all important saints and holy men in Hindu faith. But my trips to Nashik were not connected in any way to it and I was not there at the shahi snaan, the extravagant holy bath done by sadhus and devotees. However, once after putting my feet on this land of pious worshippers, I couldn't keep myself off from the enchanting glimpses offered at the ghats.

The main ghat of the Panchvati area glittered with all kinds of lightings. Men, women and children, in all kinds of attires and with varying ages, filled themselves and their kin with happiness of having attained one of the most relieving satisfaction ordained by the culture. Innumerable ascetics, with almost everyone in his unique dressing and hairstyle, walked past the frenzied crowds with ease, with barely any concern or disdain for the scene around them. They were just a fraction of the sadhus camping around this city and tens, if not hundred, times more than them station in specially created colony.

WP_20150904_010 The pantheon of godmen keeps enlarging, not only in Hindu but probably every religion of the world. It may not particularly point towards the increasing piety of the faith but it doesn't show any diminishing of its hold either. True, people are not bound by the religious dogmas the way they used to be, say, a hundred years ago. But they are not letting it go out of their conscience either.

Speaking more accurately, the people are enjoying the religion as they never did in the past. This holds true especially in case of Hindu faith where all leashes are open in an already disorganized fold and everyone is free to follow his own path.

For centuries, Hindus were infected with caste system with its strict hierarchical demarcations and very few individuals, if any, took joy in adhering to his or her rituals. This was true for the castes at lower rung of social ladder and even more for the so called upper castes. The members of some of the outcast castes were not even allowed to walk side by side with those ruling them.

After independence in 1947 and introduction of the Constitution of India, these socially deprived people attained the freedom and equality, howsoever compromised they might be at times. However, the members of these communities were still languishing in economic deprivation as centuries of slavery and exploitation left them in penury. They struggled for existence while ruling castes jostled with each other to capture modern means of progress.

Add to this that elusive emancipation of women which was on debating table for two centuries. That is realized, again, in a limited manner. But whatever is realized is enough to bring about a new uprising in the hitherto repressed expressions of emotions.  Female were no longer weaker sex. All shackles binding them were free.

All this changed in 1991-92 when India, having forced by the abject restrictions, mended its path - from Nahruvian economy of deprivation to liberal economy of post-Cold War era. Coupled with reservation in jobs and education, the backward classes came closer to their former masters while forward castes, due to their advantageous position, accumulated fortunes in greater proportion where once even shadows of their forefathers was forbidden.

WP_20150904_027These developments manifested in the form of frolicking women in Ram Ghat at Panchwati in Nashik where Lakshman said to have marked a line for Seeta warning her not to cross it. They came to fore in the form of groups of villagers, clearly showing their rural origins and caste markings, freely offering aartis to the river Godavari.

These all are signs that gone are the days when religion used to be a force to be feared of, an all pervasive power which curtailed individual’s freedom. Now, individual is bending his faith at his comfort and relishing the offerings as just another recipe to be savored.

In Nashik, the traders and businessmen complained that their business was hit by low numbers of devotees who did not turn up on the auspicious day because of heavy deployment of security personnel. The merit of this complaint is another thing. But the very fact that these businessmen looked at this event as an opportunity to make money because of large number of devotees itself proved that this was not just a spiritual and sacred occasion, but a chance of wealth creation and this because devotees were prepared to shed their money for earthly pleasures.

The self-professed progressives pride themselves in deriding the religion and rituals. They don’t feel any need to separate grain and chaff. Last month, in a program organized by weekly Sadhana, veteran journalist warned the intellectuals of the pitfall. “You are right in denouncing religious dogmas and taboos. But I tell you, please look at the religion seriously,” he said. If the ongoing Kumbh has any message to give, it is this.