2021

In this highly politicised and polarised state, the Left front’s hegemony extended into its culture for 34 long years, and it was followed by a regime that also demanded absolute allegiance to its version of culture and politics for the next decade. Ghosh was among the remarkable few who defied both regimes and held his head high. His clear views were never accompanied by any overt display of belligerence, but appeared through his extremely popular writings and rare utterances. His pithy verses simplified complex issues of politics into eloquent but firm statements that ripped apart the hypocrisy of the ruling elites. The soft spoken poet and essayist had obviously more fire in him than most professional revolutionaries.

Few bureaucrats are endowed with a great sense of humour, or else they would not be bureaucrats in the first place. And, a profession that claims to be the world’s second oldest surely lacks the excitement of the first. There are, however, certain similarities and Avay Shukla’s PolyTicks, DeMockrazy & Mumbo Jumbo lifts the hemline to reveal saucy bits, but leaves it to the reader to fantasise. We benefit from his insider’s ring-side views about “babus, mantris and netas (un) making our nation”. His wit has surely not deserted him even after cohabiting for thirty five long years with dull, dusty and musty files. Behind his satire and flippant delivery, however, he displays his utter seriousness with facts and figures, as is expected from a senior administrator.

Some 46 years ago, I left a blue chip company to join the IAS and while many of my colleagues there retired with tens of crores of rupees, some in hundreds as well, my savings and investments at the end of almost 42 years are too embarrassingly small to mention. Be that as it may, the experience that I picked up is worth millions, as is the feeling, however misplaced, that one has served the nation — in spite of odds. The India of today is, however, dramatically different from what it was four decades ago and it feels good to think that we have contributed to many of the changes.

Sunil Arora retired on April 13 with the dubious distinction of being the most controversial Chief Election Commissioner in recent memory. His was a surprise selection for the post as his name had figured in the PR woman Nira Radia tapes. Accused of helping the BJP with several decisions, he led the Election Commission in key decisions in holding the elections to five Assemblies including West Bengal’s, the most crucial one.

Whenever someone is pulled up for jumping the queue at, say, passport counters in international airports, we are embarrassed—as it is almost always an Indian or an equally insensitive person from our immediate neighbours. As soon as a plane lands or a train stops, everyone jumps up and seems to be in a tearing hurry, jostling with co-passengers, to get out. It may sound too sweeping to brand an entire people as too restlessly self-centred, but we all know that it is quite true.

ভারতের অন্য লোকেরা বলে বাঙালি ভোট নিয়ে বেশি বাড়াবাড়ি করে আর রাজনীতিতে এতই ব্যস্ত থাকে যে, অর্থনীতির জন্যে কোনও সময়ই নেই। এ কথাটি অনস্বীকার্য যে, রাজনীতি আমাদের মধ্যে অনেকখানি মজ্জাগত। এবং তার সঙ্গে সঙ্গেই মনে রাখতে হবে যে, স্বাধীনতা সংগ্রামে বাঙালির দেশপ্রেম, উৎসাহ, সাহস ও বলিদান সত্যিই অতুলনীয়।

I must compliment the author and the publisher for coming up with this very interesting publication that would interest readers to learn more about the soul of these two neighbouring countries that were linked by geography, geology, history and God. Both nations that are so physically close to each other, however, tend to take each other for granted, and do not stretch themselves to understand the subtle nuances of each other’s cultural expressions.

India has always been proud of its culture, some elements of which can be traced back to five millennia. Such cultural continuity is indeed, quite rare to find. Besides, culture has played a unique role in getting together and coalescing widely different ethnic and linguistic groups—including those influenced by foreign cultures—across the vast subcontinent into one identifiable civilisation.

We will not dwell upon the recent comment made by the new chief minister of Uttarakhand on women wearing ripped jeans. He obviously spoke for certain sections that are yet to come to terms with the newer dress preferences of Indian women. We will not even discuss individual tastes and freedoms here, because history is really not bothered about our opinions.

Voters in Bengal feel quite amused when told that the next assembly elections are all done and dusted. But it is rather distressing to see how personal biases or received wisdom (tonnes of which is freely offloaded in the national capital) masquerading as profound political analysis. Despite what poll surveys tell us, a very tough battle lies ahead, not only for Mamata Banerjee but also for the liberal principles and secular ideologies that the people of the state have prided in.

One of the reasons why secularism is floundering in India today is that we hardly know or care to know the other’s religion, festivals and culture, beyond just a few essentials and stereotypes. We are, of course, happy to enjoy an extra holiday on the important festival days of another religion, but there has never been any conscious attempt to empathise and bond with them — except of course, the very showily political Iftar meals.

নির্বাচনের ঘণ্টা বাজার অনেক আগে থেকেই প্রচুর অভিযোগ, আশ্বাস, বিবৃতি আর বক্তব্যে আবহাওয়া গরম হয়ে উঠেছে। এইসবের মাঝে যে প্রস্তাবটি নকশালপন্থী নেতা দীপঙ্কর ভট্টাচার্য বিহারের নির্বাচনের পরেই দিয়েছিলেন অনেকের কাছে তা খুবই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বলে মনে হয়েছে। তিনি বিজেপি-বিরোধী দলগুলিকে একসঙ্গে লড়ার জন্যে আবেদন করেছেন। তা না করলে ওই বৃহৎ শক্তিশালী, সমৃদ্ধ ও অপ্রতিরোধ্য দলের আক্রমণের হাত থেকে কেউই বাঁচবেন না। যে যাই বলুক, আমাদের মানতেই হবে যে গত সাতদশক ধরে যে তিনটি প্রধান রাজনৈতিক দল বাংলায় রাজ করেছে তারা সকলেই মূলত ধর্মনিরপেক্ষতায় বিশ্বাস রাখে।

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent criticism of the IAS and the bureaucracy, two distinct entities, must have pleased many. In the central bureaucracy of 33 lakh, the IAS accounts for less than 500 or just 0.015%. Similarly, while state governments cumulatively employ some 2 crore bureaucrats, IAS officers are only around 5,000—just too minuscule a fraction.

Recent media reports note that the Supreme Court has observed that the new OTT (over the top technology) rules have no teeth, going on to add that some platforms even show pornography in the absence of effective oversight.

On August 8, 1969, I was thrilled as I entered the portals of modern India’s oldest college and the fountainhead of the great Indian awakening, Presidency College, Calcutta. A bright red flag fluttered atop the college from the pole that had hosted the national flag. Handwritten posters were plastered all over the walls, proclaiming the arrival of the Indian revolution. There were also bold stencil portraits of Chairman Mao on the college walls though the most oversized, overawing one was in the canteen.

With 53% of India’s 100 crore people older than 14 years using WhatsApp, a totally encrypted platform, it was only a matter of time before government stepped in to try to find out what on earth is going on. The numbers are staggering: 45 crore people watch YouTube while 41 are on Facebook. Even so, few were prepared for the avalanche of instructions that tumbled out on February 25.

Civilisational studies are quite complex as each one is quite unique or else it would not qualify for the term. Basically, cultures represent natural responses of a people to the requirements of their ecosystem, both organic and inorganic. In India, for instance, we really do not wish “good morning” and “good evening”, except to a Westernised clientele or (in recent times) to colleagues.

২০১৬ তে যখন ডোনাল্ড ট্রাম্প মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের রাষ্ট্রপতি নির্বাচনের প্রচারে তাঁর সেই কুখ্যাত, কুৎসিততম ভাষা ব্যবহার করছিলেন, ঠিক তখন স্ট্যানফোর্ড বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের অধ্যাপক কীথ জে বাইবি (Keith J. Bybee) তাঁর 'How Civility Works' (সৌজন্যতা কী করে সফল হয়) বইতে বেশ কয়েকটি মৌলিক প্রশ্ন তুলেছিলেন। তিনি তাঁর দেশ কি করে ধাপে ধাপে এক অসভ্য বর্বর রাষ্ট্রে পরিণত হচ্ছে বোঝার চেষ্টা করেছিলেন। সাধারণ মানুষের উগ্র ব্যবহার থেকে শুরু করে তিনি সামাজিক ও রাজনৈতিক জীবনের বেশ কয়েকটি দিক তুলে ধরেছিলেন। তিনি অন্যান্য বিষয়ের সাথে সামাজিক মিডিয়ার ভূমিকা ও অশালীন ভাষার ব্যবহার নিয়ে আলোচনা করেছেন কিন্তু তিনি গবেষক, তাই নৈতিকতা নিয়ে প্রশ্ন করেন নি বা ইতিবাচক প্রস্তাবও দেন নি।

“India was saddened by the insult to the tricolour on Republic Day” stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a few days ago. He was referring, obviously, to the mayhem that broke out when farmers, their friends and enemies, streamed into Delhi on January 26.