West Bengal: Media in Power Struggle by Proxy

          West Bengal: Media in

         Power Struggle by Proxy

                                     Nidhu Bhusan Das

     

      When media tend to believe they are privileged to teach a pliable/gullible public and manufacture news accordingly, they are, in fact, involved in the struggle for political power by proxy. Politics is more important for them, and they seek to build and reshape the architecture of the state politics pitting one party against the other, and even go to the extent of helping coalition formation calling interested party leaders to come together to fight against the bete noire of the media baron(s).A particular political leader becomes the bete noire of the baron(s) because (s)he is not pliable.

     Would  Thomas Jefferson ,had he been in West Bengal now, assert what he said long ago as the President of the USA – “…were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter” ? Jefferson was of the view that where the basis of the government is the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep the opinion straight. None can question the sagacity of the assertion. But the wise man might have not anticipated that the media barons would dabble in politics and seek to control it when the political bosses lack wisdom, have scant respect for democracy and are only after power sans the sense of responsibility to the state and the people.

     Is it to keep the opinion of the people straight that the TV media show the Central Security personnel in Murshidabad are in the markets to buy things when elections were on in Jangalmahal to make people believe that the forces on election duty were irresponsible? Is it not the way information is made into story and disinformation is given the semblance of news?

     The media since 1980s till 2011 reported massive malpractices, intimidation, violence and post-poll violence in West Bengal to the extent of chopping off hands of voters who allegedly voted for the hand symbol, and vandalizing the houses of voters who voted against the ruling party. It is known the Election Commission, meanwhile, cleansed the electoral roll deleting ghost voters in thousands, yet a section of the media harps on the presence of ghosts in the polling booths who push the EVM button allegedly for the ruling party.

      Bloodbath was once the part of the electioneering in the state. By the time two phases of the state assembly elections are over without any such cruelty. Is not the Election Commission right when they claim the elections so far have been, by and large, peaceful? The Leader of the Opposition Dr. Surya Kanta Mishra displayed his leadership when he expressed satisfaction regarding the election in Narayangarh wherefrom he seeks reelection when the media continued with the refrain that ghostly and ghastly phenomena desecrated the election process.

   Perhaps Jefferson would be shocked to see how the media deliberately refrain from keeping the opinion of the people straight spreading canard, not in the interest of democracy but in their own interest in the power game.

  If we take into account the perversion of democracy that has taken roots in West Bengal over the decades, we cannot expect an overnight paradise of people’s rule. Media can help develop a democratic awareness and attitude among the people if they can maintain equidistance from the politicians and parties and do not harbour any ambition to pull the string of power from behind. They have areas like development communication for the benefit of the people to mind than politics only. So far, the media in the state have not shown interest in such areas. This is unfortunate.

PS: On 25 April 2015 Civic Body elections were being held in the state when an earthquake jolted and scared the people. A major TV news channel continued with the polls related discussion even when the national channels in no time foregrounded the quake reports and photos. Is it sensitivity enough for such a media outlet to claim sense and sensibility?

Virat Storms India to World Cup Semies

Virat Storms India to 
World Cup Semies

Nidhu Bhusan Das

                  Virat  is the worthy name for Kohli who has again proved himself  the saviour of Team India and stormed the nation into semi-final of ICC  World Cup 2016 with his valiant innings of  82 runs off 52  balls unbeaten. India will take on West Indies in the semi-final.Two other semi-finalists are England and New Zealand.At Mohali Virat bulldozed Aussie bowlers to bring about the anti-climax that led to Indian comeback and eventual victory.

                 Kohli said  before the match,Aussies would be tough as usual but they would take positives out of their 3-0 win Down Under in January.

Virat Kohli celebrates after winning against Australia in the
 ICC World T20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
 Courtesy: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“We can focus on what we did in Australia and take positives out of it but can’t take anything for granted, it is a virtual quarterfinal. Why we beat them is important to remember rather than thinking only about the result. If we play to our potential, we can beat them again,” asserted Kohli.

           India played the best cricket of the tournament so far to beat a strong Australian side in Mohali. After a bad start, Virat Kohli's brilliance made it possible.

             The first ball of the 20^th over decided the match when skipper M S Dhoni sent the ball to the boundary.

Then, as usual MS Dhoni ended the match with a four. India win by 6 wickets, and into the last four.The 19^th over began after a brief stoppage when Team physio attended the captan.

The penultimate over started with a good delivery from Nathan Coulter-Nile. A dot ball. But Virat Kolhi placed the next ball  where he wanted. It raced through square. He followed it up with a pull shot, went for a four. Poor delivery though. Another four from Virat. This time a superb cover drive, stepping down the pitch and lofting over the cover fielder. A dot ball, then another four through the same area. Nathan Coulter-Nile's last over yielded 16 runs.India now needed four runs.                 Virat  displayed his class in the 18th over. He started with a sumptuous four, pulled in front of deep backward square leg. It was followed by a perfectly timed four through the cover. Then a six. over the long-on boundary. It was followed by a two. 19 runs from the over, and India need another 20 runs from 12 balls.                It was a nail biting chase for India.Again the ace bat Kohli proved how he could sail home to an incredible victory in a crisis situation.

Bravo! Bangladesh

  

  Bravo! Bangladesh

                       Nidhu Bhusan Das

           The Tigers of Bengladesh has shown they share with India a portion of the Sundarbons where mighty and redoubtable Royal Bengal Tigers live. At

the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru Wednesday the Tigers lost to the experience and cool planning of Indian skipper M S Dhoni in the crucial group match of the ICC World Twenty20.

  Hardik Pandya walks back to his run-up

        The Tigers had to chase just 146 on the board when they took to the wicket  and then 11 to defend in the last over. The match swung from one extreme to the other, and the Tigers had the history of winning against the terrible Pakistan Army 45 years back in their Liberation war.And March is the month signifying their   emergence as an Independent Nation.
OnWednesday they were two days away  from 26 March ,their Independence Day.They were spirited and bravely fought the battle to the end.They lost gloriously against a team which,according to erstwhile skipper of Team India Saurav Ganguly,is the strongest team in the ongoing World Cup.

         When the final over began, Bangladesh needed 11 off it. A single and two fours by Mushfiqur Rahim brought it down to just two runs off the last three balls. A moment of dramatic suspense.Hardik Pandya walked back to his run-up, the Indian captain threw the keeper's glove from his right hand.Dhoni had the correct anticipation. He expected the batsman to miss the ball and then scamper for a bye. He was getting ready to collect it in his glove-less palm and throw it at the wickets.

       Mahmudullah went for glory, hit two consecutive deliveries high in the air though playing them on the ground would have been enough. The wrong choice led to their undoing at the most crucial juncture.Now the last ball would be the decider - Bangladesh  needed 2 to win, India 1 to remain in the competition.

        Hardik Pandya walked back to his run-up, the Indian captain threw the keeper's glove from his right hand.It was a sign of what was to follow.Pandya bowled short pitched  outside the off-stump and the batsman Shuvagata Hom missed it.Dhoni was ready for the opportunity and utilized it.He collected the ball, sprinted towards the wickets and threw them down. Dhoni beat Mustafizur by just a few centimetres. The Tigers thus had to beat their breasts.

         India came close to getting knocked out at Bengaluru. The last ball of the Indian innings, when Dhoni ran for a second run made a huge difference.

       “India should, obviously, be grateful to the Bangladeshis for losing a game they should have easily won. Till the penultimate ball of the match, India seemed keen to lose the game with an uncharacteristic combination of poor batting, ordinary bowling and atrocious fielding. Whatever be the fate of this World Cup, the last over of Wednesday's match has become immortal,” go the comments.

Conscience and Courtesy

Conscience and    Courtesy
Nidhu Bhusan Das
    The Constitution is the Conscience of the nation,is it? Our Constitution gives us
democracy and rights,including fundamental rights.These rights are not absolute in so far as they imply duties of every citizen to the State as well as to the fellow citizens.
    We have the right to Freedom of Speech and Expression.We are also expected to be conscientious and to understand the conscience of the nation.The Constitution imposes reasonable restrictions on this right on certain counts,perhaps,because the framers of the Constitution could not but believe that 'To err is human'.
     What happens in JNU is definitely unfortunate.It is within our democratic right to express dissent and mobilize public opinion on issues,but condemning the execution of a death sentence for involvement in terror attack on the country may be seen as going too far.If those who speak against such action remain silent when terror attacks occur,one has the right to suspect their bona fide.The state has the right to take action against such activities,and the court of law will decide the case through due process.
     But what has happened in the court premises in the presence of the police cannot but be construed as an attempt by overzealous supporters of the ruling party at the Centre at taking law in the hand disregarding the role,wisdom and jurisdiction of the court of law.
      The demonstration of support and opposition to the dissenting voice by the political parties on the two sides of the fence in the emerging polarization with a view to ensure electoral gain exposes the ugly face of our politics.It shows and confirms that our politicians are not capable of allowing or willing to let our democracy flourish endowed with inner strength.They do not have the patience to wait for the court to act in its wisdom.Does such tendency not smack of a desire to influence the judiciary ? Why are the party leaders in the rallies held in support of one under trial or an MLA is alleged to be among those who are in the premises of the trial court where the arrested student leader has been assaulted? Don't they have faith in the wisdom of the judiciary? Should the politicians be looked upon as rabble rousers,not as leading lights?We are really in a peculiar situation which is anything but educative.
      In a country where polls spawn violence, deployment of huge security forces is the usual demand for ensuring free and fair polls,it is clear how far our political parties could prove their willingness and capacity to enrich our democracy encouraging free and fair elections and creating the right environment for the mass to be politically educated.A peculiar psychology dominates our political bosses and the parties-they are for democracy when in opposition and out to disregard Democratic values once in power.Every party,be it in power or in the opposition,fails to appreciate and tell us by way of their practice that democracy is a beauty when free debate and discussion is graced by sound logic,conscience and courtesy.
    When these political parties rush to get entangled in such events on the ground to bolster and/or subdue dissent,it is nothing short of fishing in troubled water only for electoral gain sans consideration of national interest.It appears they do not have the patience and time to wait for the court to decide on the issue.Where is the conscience and courtesy which democracy demands from politics!
     JNU has been the cradle of free thinking,and provides scope for brainstorming,fertilizing the mind of both the teachers and the students.Innovative thinking and new ideas may appear odd and unacceptable to those who represent the norm.Our politicians and parties do not and cannot often go beyond the norm.Neither the politicians supporting nor those opposing the police action in the JNU campus can dispassionately decide if certain students have gone to the extent of being 'anti-national' on the issue of the execution of Afzal Guru.Let us rely on the judiciary which has helped us time and again to tide over problems and crises.

Electon Fever Grips West Bengal

Election Fever Grips
      West Bengal
Nidhu Bhusan Das



 

     Assembly elections are round the corner in West Bengal.The highlight of the elections is the understanding between two perennial rivals - Left Front and Congress.True,the leader of Left Front in West Bengal and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala CPI(M) reached understanding,tacit and explicit,from time to time at the national level,and in Kerala Congress leads United Democratic Front (UDF) against the LDF while in the Assembly polls of 2011,Congress allied with  the present ruling party Trinamool Congress to unseat the Left Front in West Bengal.This worked and ended the 34-year Left rule.But the alliance was short lived,Congress walked out of the government and the live-together terminated. In Kerala,the UDF is pitted against LDF to retain power.

  It appears Indian politics has learnt to jettison much vaunted ideological position selectively for gaining power,and power is important,not governance.The nation has seen the failure of such alliance and electoral or post-poll understanding again and over again.The Left withdrew support to the Congress led government of Monmohan Singh on nuclear deal issue.

  True,ideology does not play a role in the electoral battle in the country and it  is just a refrain in the theme-song of convenience.The race for power relies on the principle of convenience.So,Nitish Kumar did not mind reconciling with Lalu Prasad Jadav to retain power.Gandhian concept of means-and-end has been replaced by the Machiavellian scheme.

Many Voices & Politics

Many voices & Politics                Nidhu Bhusan Das                       JNU is now the hotspot of political haggling with otherwise rival political parties having come together to share dias and express solidarity on  freedom of speech and expression and,perhaps ,more so for enlisting support for electoral gains.In a country where Naxal Movement once  propagated the message that power comes from the barrel of the gun, Emergency stifled dissent and three decades of Left rule left a heap of human skeleton in West Bengal,how far the political parties believe in what Voltaire once said - "I do not agree with a word you say but, I defend to death your right to say it" is not beyond doubt.    

   CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yachuri,CPI leader D Raja and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi are there to participate in the choric song against the arrest of the General Secretary of the students union of the university.Freedom of speech must be defended for a vibrant and meaningful democracy,but would the defenders of it today swear that they would defend it if they come to power tomorrow.Would they,really, respect tomorrow what they would pledge today?The question arises because,once in power,our politicians fail to remember what they have said before assuming power.                              
     No believer in democracy denies the importance of the language of conscience but when there is conflict between the conscience of individual citizens  and that of  the state,which one is to be given priority  and defended is the moot question for everyone who can think above electoral equations,and in national interest.

Savage vs Civilized

Savage vs Civilized           
     Nidhu Bhusan Das        
The Bangalis of West Bengal who claim to be proud of the first non-European Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore who,they
tend to tell the world,is their cultural icon,is ,sadly,reluctant to remember the wise sayings of the sage-poet.They failed to remember on 10 February 2016 that Tagore says,"Wild life is beautiful only in the wild" when they teased and hurt an elephant that strayed into the open just crossing the edge of the depleted Baikunthapur forest which has been made to shrink to make room for the expansion of  the sprawling Siliguri town.                               
Media report suggests the herbivore was on its way back to the forest when a few overzealous locals began to tease the pachy                                              
derm.Face to face with the civilized animals,the noble savage got to be taken aback and made its uncharted journey into the civilized territory to be disturbed by the insane mob that encircled and hurt it.The denizen of the wild might have been sad to see the cruel and crazy behaviour of the "rational animals".The mobocracy of the civilized animals puzzled the noble savage,and the personnel of the wild life squad had a tough time to rescue the innocent creature from the siege of the cruel and insane mob,that too to the peril of helpless noble beast.They had to administer sleeping pills from a long distance blindly to tame it for rescue.It is reported the pachyderm collapsed after it had been transported and released in the Mahananda Sanctuary.