Verdict on Dr Binayak Sen : An insult to Indian democracy

I didn't feel like writing this blog. But today when I see Twitter and Facebook are overflowing with zealot BJP supporters who are cheering at the life imprisonment of Dr Binayak Sen, I am left with no choice but to expose these groups of BJP netizens most of whom are half literate and a potential danger to Indian democracy.

First, take a look at most of the Twitter feeds on Dr Binayak Sen-it seems BJP netizens are convinced

1. He is a communist

2. He acted against the state

3. Therefore justice is served

Wonderful. They even didn't bother to look at his biography, what is his life and philosophy etc. I don't expect that level of literacy from either left or right wing supporters but a simple googling skill would have told them he led a Gandhian life throughout his career. He professed nonviolence mode of resistance and led a life true to the spirit of Gandhi. A gold medalist from Velore CMC sacrificed his whole life to champion the cause of the tribal. He

won several awards and highest level of International recognition to take health care to the poor. He set an example and inspired many other doctors to work among the poors.

If you read or watch interviews by him, there can not be any doubt about the true Gandhian values he is practicing and professing. Even all the people close to him, testified his conviction to Gandhism and not to Maoisism.

Now comes to 2nd point. Did he act against the state? Here is the charge sheet by the court

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main37.asp?filename=Ne230208listofcharges.asp

Tell me in your sane mind, can anybody be convinced that any of the evidence presented here is enough to prove his guilt? His sedition? It is laughable -a mockery of Indian justice system as India's ex-attorney general had mildly put it.

I am worried about this fanatic growth of false sense of nationalism.

What is a nation my dear friends? Does it consist of poor tribal of India or numerous corporates who want to destroy forest to set up mines in Chhattisgarh?

After this verdict, can anybody will have any doubt who are behind this mockery of Judicial system? It is clearly vested interest groups who want to cleanse the tribal from the forest for mining.

So which India you people are talking about? As Swami Vivekananda once wrote-India lives in the villages, India lives among these people who are oppressed and exploited. There is no India without them. A nation is not an abstract concept.

Dr Binayak Sen is a true nationalist because he serves India and not these netizens of BJP whose illiteracy is serving corporate interest in Chhattisgarh.

Indian left and right wing supporters must learn, humanity is above the idealism. I was equally appalled by left wing supporters who supported Chinease action against Liu Xiaobo. Basically left and right wing politics are two sides of the same coin-which is illiteracy and insensitiveness for human cause.

সিদিকুল্লার সাথে সেকুলার জ়োট!

একটি খবর বাজারে ভাসছে-সইফুদ্দিন চৌধুরী, সিদিকুল্লা চৌধুরী এবং মানস ভুঁইয়া মিলে নাকি বাংলায় একটি ধর্ম নিরেপেক্ষ জোট তৈরী করছেন। জামাত উলেমা ই হিন্দের এক নেতা ( প্রাত্তন না বর্তমান, তা জানা মুশকিল) কে নিয়ে, যিনি সারা জীবন আইডেন্টিটি পলিটিক্সের বেশী কিছু করেন নি, তার সাথে ধর্ম নিরেপেক্ষ জোট হচ্ছে শুনে আপনি ও হাঁসছেন-আমিও হাঁসছি।

জামাত উলেমা ই হিন্দ ভারত ভাগের বিপক্ষে ছিল এবং এরা তত্ত্বগত ভাবে "ধর্ম নিরেপেক্ষ" ভারতকে মানে। এই পর্যন্ত শুনলে মনে হয় ঠিকই আছে-কিন্ত জামাত উলেমা হিন্দের শেষ দশ বছরের ইতিহাস ঘাঁটলে খুব পরিষ্কার ভাবে প্রতিভাত হয় এরা ইসলামিক মৌলবাদের আরেকটা কুৎসিত মুখ ছারা কিছুই না। জামাত উলেমা হিন্দের শেষ কয়েক বছরের কার্যকলাপের নমুনা

• তসলিমার বিরুদ্ধে কোলকাতায় সংগঠিত ইসলামিক মৌলবাদি আন্দোলনের পুরোভাগে এরা ছিলেন
  
• মেয়েদের ৩৩% রিজার্ভেশনের বিরুদ্ধে-এরাও অগ্রভাগে আছেন। কারন মেয়েদের বাইরে কাজ করা বা রাজনীতি করা এরা পছন্দ করেন না। অল ইন্ডিয়া প্রগ্রেসিভ উইমেন এসোসিয়েশনের সেক্রেটারী তাহিরা হাসান খুব কড়া ভাষায় জামাত উলেমা হিন্দের নিন্দা করে এই সংগঠনটি যে মহিলাদের অধিকারের বিরুদ্ধে কাজ করে, তা পরিস্কার করেছেন। সুত্র ঃ http://www.sacw.net/article1238.html
• ২০০৬ সালে বন্দে মাতরম মুসলিমদের জন্যে হারাম করার আন্দোলনেও এরা পুরোভাগে ছিলেন। সূত্রঃ http://www.india-server.com/news/jamiat-e-ulema-e-hind-supports-decree-15213.html

কংগ্রেস স্বঘোষিত ভোটবাদি সংগঠন-ভোট ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং যাদের একমাত্র কাজ। তাছারা পশ্চিম বঙ্গের মুসলিম বেল্ট ছারা তাদের কোন ভোট ব্যাঙ্ক নেই। সুতরাং মানস ভুঁইয়ার এই কাজে কেও আশ্চর্য হন নি।

তবে সইফুদ্দিন চৌধুরী কিভাবে এই সিদ্ধান্ত নিলেন-সেটা খুব রহস্যজনক। আমার কাছে বোধগম্য না। জামাত ই উলেমা হিন্দ এবং সিদিকুল্লা ইসলামি মৌলবাদি কাজকর্মের একদম পুরোভাগে আছেন-সেটাত জলের মতন পরিস্কার। পিডিএস একটা ছোট পার্টি-একমাত্র কিছুটা আদর্শবাদের ওপর জোর করেই এরা এগোতে পারত। কিন্ত এই ভাবে কিছু ভয়ংকর মৌলবাদিদের সাথে জোট বেঁধে এবং সেটাকে গালভরা "সেকুলার" আখ্যা দিয়ে লোক হাঁসানোর কি মানে হয়? উনাদের কি ধারনা পশ্চিম বঙ্গে বিজেপি ভোট পায় না বলে বাংলার লোক নির্বোধ?

একটা জিনিস সইফুদ্দিন চৌধুরী এবং মানস ভুইয়া খুব বড় ভুল করছেন। পশ্চিম বঙ্গে বিজেপির অস্তিত্ত্ব নেই কারন এখানে সিপিএম এবং সিপিএম-বিরোধি রাজনীতি ছারা কিছু হয় না। ফলে বিজেপি বা পিডিএস কেও কিছু করতে পারে নি। ২০১১ সালের পর সিপিএম ভেঙে পড়বে। তারপর থেকে পশ্চিম বঙ্গের রাজনীতিতে অনেক পোলের সৃষ্টি হবে। সেখানে যদি একটি তৃতীয় শক্তির উত্থান না হয়, বিজেপি ঢুকবেই। এবার সেই তৃতীয় শক্তির জন্যে লোকজন যাদের ওপর ভরসা করছে, তারা যদি সিদিকুল্লার মতন মৌলবাদির ( যারা বন্দে মাতরম, নারী স্বাধীনতা ইত্যাদি অনেক কিছুর বিরুদ্ধে) ল্যাজ ধরে থাকেন, লোকে বিজেপিকেই তৃতীয় শক্তি করবে। বিহারের নির্বাচন আমাদের শিখিয়েছে লোকে এই সব মেকি সেকুলারদের ধার ধারে না। তারা চাইছে কাজ এবং উন্নয়ন। তারা চাইছে সিদিকুল্লার মতন মৌলবাদিদের রাজনীতির বাইরে রাখতে বা লালুর মত ভেকধারী জাতপাতের নেতাদের লাথি মারতে।

সিদিকুল্লাকে যারা প্রাসঙ্গিক করতে চাইছেন, তাদের স্বপ্ন ১০০% সফল হবে। কিন্ত ইতিহাস বড় নির্মম। যারা ওই মৌলবাদের ল্যাজ ধরেছেন, তারা কিন্ত অপ্রাসঙ্গিক হয়ে যাবেন। বা এই ঘটনার পর হয়ে গেছেন।

Analysis of Bihar Election: Are you hearing what Indians want?

Let put bullet items

1. People want good Governance-caste, communal politics, minority appeasement politics not working any more.

2. Failure of left to win even a single seat is clear indication, a party cry for helping the poor will not help to get the vote of the poors. They are also looking at what you deliver for them. You don't deliver them roti and sabjji and instead keep on speaking of bakvas of idealist equality, minimum wage etc. It will not work. They need to see what is coming to their home-that is bottomline.

3. Defeat of Sadhu Yadav, Ravri and Lalu is clear indication that Mafiaraaj is seeing its end. Populism will not work any more,

Add up your views please.

My vision of a Green Party in India

Perhaps the most finest and strongest realization of my life is coming to terms with essence of life which defies any scientific rational except survival-survival for families, children and for the next generation. Now imagine, what are we leaving behind for next-generation? Will that be habitable India at all? Truth is, our modern cities have less amenities and urban planning than Harappa and Mahenjodaro civilization. On the top, the whole population is the victim of a system where political parties do not pay any heed to environmental need of India. The result is worse than a terrible impending environmental catastrophe- our forests are getting depleted faster than we can even fictionalize, rivers are being killed rampantly by greedy population supported by a very short sighted politics ( I made a documentary on
killing of rivers 3 years back -please watch it ), the entire political process of the country has been hijacked by the nexus of BIG corporates, mainstream media, bureaucrats and politicians and the quality of Indian water and air is degrading every day. Food security is worsening, energy security is in political quagmire and a roadmap to green economy is unheard!

That does not mean green activism is new to India. There are thousands of NGO working in this area but unless we can form a political force, a formidable voice of India for green and environment, these NGOs will not be able to execute efficiently. Green economy which needs Government support can not get any sailing wind unless a political force is born to push our policy makers.

On the top, there are issues of democracy. Our political parties allow very little democracy to its members as evident from the expulsion of Jaswant Singh, Ex-speaker Somnath Chatterjee and many more incidents exposing the lack of intra-party democracy inside our political parties.
Yes, there are a lot of corruption issues and I believe only technology and democracy-working in unison can solve most of it. Technology provides an efficient system of monitoring and
democracy provides a public vigilance. Therefore, instead of taking to street, we need to strengthen democracy and adopt more technology in Governance.

What's about country's 300 million half starved people and 400 million illiterates?
What I hate in all political parties is their crocodile cry for India's poor. Experience
and history taught us-poverty has been eliminated only in the system that guarantees
and promote high level of production, innovation and entrepreneurship in a social
welfare set-up. Instead of taking up battle for rural economy, our political system
is more interested to show their face in camera. And taking a photograph with the
poor people is as good as it gets for their concern for India's poor.

Possibilities of a green economy is enormous-and yes, we need a Green party of India.

Verdict of Ayodhya : A 21st century perspective

Finally Lucknow High Court delivered the much awaited verdict on Ram Janmbhoomi versus Babri Masjid debate. Instead of reading from News Papers, I started reading the court orders (available in this link) and somewhat shocked on the level of disagreement and ambiguity among the Honorable Judges on issues which are expected to sync after the monumental evidences being brought to the case for last 13 years. For example Justice S U Khan observed :


3. No temple was demolished for constructing the mosque.
4. Mosque was constructed over the ruins of temples which were lying in utter ruins since a
very long time before the construction of mosque and some material thereof was used in
construction of the mosque.

On the same issue of demolition of Rama Temple by the Muslim invaders,
Hon'ble Dharma Veer Sharma is certain:

3. Whether the mosque was built after demolishing a
Hindu temple?
The disputed structure was constructed on the site of old
structure after demolition of the same. The Archaeological
Survey of India has proved that the structure was a massive
Hindu religious structure.

Honerable Sudhir Agarwal is rather more agnostic towards this issue. Also there are stern differences among the judges on the issues of whether it is the birth place of Lord Rama. Honerable Veer Sharma's statement on this matter that , this temple is the birth place because Hindus believe in so, makes me nervous because then any group can claim to any property just by belief! What is the status-qua of belief in the eyes of Indian constitution?

To me, even these are minor issues. What bothered me most is the clear indication that Honorable S U Khan and D V Sharma could not rise above their religious identity. Root cause of Ayodhya dispute is the venom of religious identity which is poured to our head by our families when we were kids. Research in Social Science conforms firmly that sense of religious identity is born into a teen's head in his or her impressionable age when their families teach them that they are a separate group to boost them with a false sense of pride. Therefore Ayodhya becomes a battle line for those who believe themselves as a Hindu or Muslim. I am sure those
who believe themselves as Indian must have cherished for a University or Hospital instead of a Temple or Mosque on that disputed land.

Because modern India, the new image of India lies in her ability to compete with NASA by ISRO, by millions of software engineers who made us proud as software super house, by thousands of young scientists for whom every multinational is establishing R&D in Delhi or Bangalore and because of India's successful corporate management which has launched Tata, Reliance, Infy, Wipro and Mittal as global brand, we can't project ourselves like kids fighting for Rama or Allah.

And then there are scope to do more as we are also ashamed to be the nation with highest numbers of illiterates, beggars and malnutritioned kids. We are seating on environmental bomb in India. Now instead of solving our real problems like soaring food price, if we fight like a kid over Allah vs Rama as if they are Spider man vs Superman ( frankly speaking to an atheist, that is as much of importance we can attach to them) , who are going to benefit?

Unmasking the Moist movement in India

Mr Azad, spokesperson of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), recently defended Maoist movement in India in an exclusive interview in "The Hindu". For those who are not familiar with history of communism or some factual news on the Maoist movements in India, may very well be impressed by soft spoken Azad. But once we start peeling off his augments, we would figure out Maoists are indeed misleading a lot of progressive Indians who are otherwise fed up due to prostitution of politics and corruption in India.

His interview is full of contradictions and if somebody is not aware of communist history or Indian constitutions, one can easily be mesmerized by his sweet talk. But behind the sweet talk, he left a pack of lies and self contradictions which can not be denied.

Firstly, he is claiming Maoists are in favor of democratic movements and want to join hands with progressive democratic fronts. Those who are familiar with history of communism-can ask this question point blank. What is the history of the democratic force which joined hands with Lenin, Mao,Castro? Were not they all killed or admitted to change their political view under gun point?? How does a Leninist speak of democratic force when Lenin dismissed elected socialists from the Constituent Assembly after losing in November, 1917 election? Similarly history of the progressive force which joined Mao also suffered equal dark history of brutal state oppression during cultural revolution. He wanted to showcase democratic face of the Moists! How can he do that when their Godfathers left such a brutal legacy of killing democratic movements and betrayal with progressive democratic force which joined hands with them during revolution?


Second point is practical consideration for cease fire. He is stressing on following Indian constitution. If that be it, then first condition would be simple- they have to surrender arms-because their arms are illegal. Chidarmbaram didn't ask more than this. So pointing at him for violating constitution would be backfiring argument.

Thirdly, on his defense of killing CPM workers, he made baseless comments. Many of the CPM workers may be oppressors but not all of them. Many of them were killed just because they were CPM workers. It may be a tit-for-a-tat for a party like CPM, which also does not believe in Human Rights but an eye-for-an eye is no way civilized norm. May be communists have a different meaning for the word "Human Rights" not understood by the mortal people like us.

Fourthly he supports all the separatist movement of India as struggle against imperialism and at the same time, he calls for patriotic Indians to support them. This is height of contradiction. Also for more clarity, an organization like JKLF, whom he is supporting for their anti-imperialist struggle, is not at all progressive-they believe in Sharia and all kinds of outdated misogynist social orders mandated in Islamism. Even in other day, I saw Kishenji supported Osama for anti-imperialism! So supporting Islamic radicals as anti-imperialist progressive, pro-people force is more than a raving fanaticism!

Finally, his defense of human right violation and opposing development process stands no merit. No development is perfect. Even Stalin industrialized Soviet by putting 5 million Ukraninians to starvation. It happens only at small steps. If he can not appreciate that, he can very well form a party and ask others to vote for him! His opinion does not justify gunning down the development process in the tribal areas. Also he distorted facts. In Lalgarh uprising started as a popular tribal movement. But these days, where ever there is a popular uprising, Maoists under covered as progressive democrats infiltrate the movement. We have seen how they worked in Nandigram and Lalgargh. Indeed, they are the ones who are insinuating democratic movements into an armed resistance for no valid reason when we do have a functioning democracy.

One should not be fooled by Mr Azad's interview and his sweet talk on his love for democracy. One can not love democracy and communism at the same time. Communism is anti-thesis of democracy and in order for somebody to claim himself to be both democratic and communist -either ignorance or hypocrisy should prevail at its best.

Simultaneous Release of Bengali Movies in North America

Dear Leaders of the Bengali Community and Organizations:

You no more have to wait six months to see that new Bengali movie! Nor will you have to suffer bad quality pirated DVDs from your local grocery store.

The newest and latest Bengali movies will now be released simultaneously in North America and be available in USA & Canada wherever we NRIs usually Buy, Rent or Download movies --- Netflix, Blockbuster, Best Buy, Target, Amazon, iTunes and many, many more retail and online outlets.

Through a revolutionary business model and exclusive arrangements, Databazaar Media Ventures ( http://www.databazaarmedia.com/ ), will make the above possible for movies that it undertakes to distribute. The first Bengali movie already to take this route and currently available for pre-order at all the above-mentioned outlets, is “Dwando” --- by national award winning director Suman Ghosh, starring Soumitra Chatterjee and Ananya Chatterjee. Releasing in early June will be “Beyond The Stars” ( Ekti Tarar Khonje ) from the team that produced “Antaheen”. There will be releases every month and community members are encouraged to sign up on DMV’s website to be notified of all upcoming releases.

For a longtime the Bengali community in North America has been deprived of new Bengali movie releases and even good quality DVDs for Bengali films never existed. Therefore the present drive by Databazaar Media Ventures will fulfill a long felt need of the Bengali community. Besides, these movies will also be available to the wider American audience that is interested in foreign films thereby opening up the international market for modern Bengali cinema --- an industry which is in dire need of increased revenue for bare survival. The Bengali film industry does need your help and this is your chance. As a community leader please send this email to your members and encourage them to order the new releases from Netflix, Blockbluster, Amazon, etc. Higher order flow will encourage Netflix, Blockbluster and others to carry more Bengali movies which in turn will also be available to the international market.

We request that you kindly circulate this news among your community members so that everyone can enjoy this new opportunity as well as help in the growth of the legendary Bengali film industry.

Watch it on Netflix Buy it from Amazon.com

In appreciation,

VNN Bangla (http://www.vnnbangla.com/) : First online 24 hour Bengali Social News Media : Register and upload your news (text, html, youtube) in VNNBangla. It will publish your news automatically.

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Bengali Movies are now available on first day of release in North American Market

Dear Leaders of Bengali Community and Organizations,

We are excited to share a community news.

Bengali Movies now will be available in North America on first day first show release through Netflix, Block Bluster and ITune. Oney Seal, CEO of DatabazaarMedia Ventures took initiative to make this possible so that North American Bengalis now can have easy access to new Bengali releases.

As you all know, we had to wait for 3-4 months after new Bengali release before pirated DVD becomes available in the Indian Groceries. We also shared painful experience of running bad Bengali DVDs which we could barely watch without any interruption. Hopefully those days are history now.

Dwando will be the first release available on 16th March ( movie trailer) . Acted by Soumitra Chatterjee, Koushik Sen and Ananya Chatterjee, Dwando is an ethical "love storm". You can also buy downloads from the sources listed below.

As an editor of online Bengali magazine VNNBangla( www.vnnbangla.com), I appeal to all of you to spread this email to your contacts. Please understand that distributing Bengali movies in North American market costs a fortune and unless we support this venture by ordering DVD in Netflix or renting it from Block Bluster we, the North American Bengalis will be the biggest loser because this venture is serving a long-time need of our community.

Yours sincerely
Dr Biplab Pal
biplabpal2000@gmail.com
www.vnnbangla.com
Elkridge, Maryland

End your promotion with a kick -- consider a postscript to reinforce one of the key product or service benefits.