Bathed in the
sunshine of
fame and glory
crowning glory
she,
icon,
byword,
the queen,
rather empress,
in her customary
glittering dress
scaling great heights
of the fourth estate
literally dancing
gyrating in her
dazzling costumes
and popularity
got
ensnared by
an enchantress
with promise of
more and more glitterati
more and more
luxuries,
pomp,
pageantry,
in return for
an easy favour
favour at the cost of
her hard-earned fame
and influence.
Not knowing she
was provided with
a fistful of salt
mixed with sugar in
equal measure
she took it
dreaming of more and
more glitterati,
luxurity,
pomp,
pageantry,
embracing her
evolving her into
a princess.
Salt and sugar
easily melted inside
her system
unquenchable thirst
she experienced
ran she to the
sea nearby,
no second thoughts
plunged she into the
seas
to quench the
unquenchable thirst
what she did
something painful
more than the desire
to burst out laughing
aloud.
The price for
forfeiting hard-earned
fame……….
Thursday, December 9, 2010
JULIAN ASSANGE – US OF 2008 AND 2010
Julian Assange, founder, WikiLeaks Website surrendered before the British authorities and got duly imprisoned in a British jail. An enraged USA could derive sort of solace, when the news of his imprisonment flashed across the world within seconds of his surrender and arrest. Mr.Assange whether it is true or not and incase it is true, how far it is true, still remains a riddle that he had sexually assaulted two ladies and upon their lodging complaints he was arrested. Julian Assange denies it and in the same breath admits to the ‘fact’ that, true, he did have sex with those ladies but it was consensual sex.
Whether he did commit such a crime or not is immaterial here as the bigger issue of releasing the classified diplomatic cables for the world as a whole to go thru’ thus putting USA in a spot.
First the release of more than 95000 diplomatic cables relating to British Military’s merciless torture of Taliban prisoners and then the leak of 250000 classified cables from across various US embassies to the Headquarters the so far unknown truths spilling over. America was plunged into a diplomatic crisis. Soon followed their denials, baseless denials they were as the classified diplomatic cables were very much before the public to go thru and denials a part of fire-fighting exercise. US’s and the close ally UK’s protests and indignation turned against Julian Assange naturally, seriously mulled entrapping the fellow at any cost. And the alleged ‘sexual assault’ of two ladies and their lodging of complaints against him came in handy and the complaints reached before Interpol and Assange’s hide and seek game started from there-on.
Meanwhile Assange made it public before the world his apprehensions that he was fearing for his life and such an apprehension is quite plausible in a world where wheeling and dealing is the order of the day. Greed for accumulating wealth at any cost is not at all a phenomenon confined to not only a few parts of the world but it engulfs the entire world.
Hence the itch to do away with the trouble makers here I mean the whistleblowers to keep hot issues tormenting the conscience of the rulers and business men of developed, developing and least-developed countries swept under the carpet for a prolonged period. Hence the ways and means of silencing such sources are part of the game.
We in India, have witnessed a lot of whistleblowers, being done to death one by one incase after repeated warnings, pressures and reminders of dire consequences of the establishment get ignored by sticking to one’s integrity and principles. The professional killers if and when entrusted with the job of getting things cleanly done, they get the jobs cleanly done without leaving any evidence. The only condition being one thing the ones who authorize them or entrust them with the job should have to agree to the terms and conditions, thus fixing the deal. Always the amounts involved come to crores and crores of rupees.
As far as USA and Britain are concerned, Assange too like Bin Laden, is a daily nightmare giving them many sleepless nights and if he still continues to evade the fate about to fall upon Bin Laden perforce he is caught alive, it is due to the voices of human rights activists the world over. International pressures and compulsions could deter even a super power from going to the extremes.
One fact which is amusing and at the same time worth pondering and wondering about is it was US especially the Democratic party and its leaders Barack Obama, US President and Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State, even in the run-up to the Presidential elections in 2008 were vocal in their opinions that freedom of speech and expression and the right to criticize the wrong policies and programmes of a nation be it of US or for that matter any other nation should not at any cost be obstructed. Then it was quite undreamt of a democracy or for that matter all liberal democracies becoming the establishment fighting against the internet freedom. While China was up in arms against Google one year ago both Obama and Hilary Clinton were vehement in their attacks on China for putting hurdles in the path of Google and both advocated for easy access to information through internet. During that time they were against the authoritarian tendencies of certain countries towards internet freedom. Even after the elections, such opinions by these leaders reverberated across the land and after one year in saddle when it came to be adversely affected with the release of classified diplomatic cables pertaining to that country’s dealings where the hell ran away the tall words of these two for good. Now US is baying for the blood of Julian Assange and he is put in prison at its allies like Britain. Its grand claims of world’s biggest democracy resembles a man with a clay feet.
Add to its head-ache, Assange’s lawyer and confidents are busy making preparations to release the next set of 250000 classified cables any day soon.
Meanwhile Julian Assange’s home country Australia has come to the fore with extending all kinds of possible help to the whistleblower.
Whether he did commit such a crime or not is immaterial here as the bigger issue of releasing the classified diplomatic cables for the world as a whole to go thru’ thus putting USA in a spot.
First the release of more than 95000 diplomatic cables relating to British Military’s merciless torture of Taliban prisoners and then the leak of 250000 classified cables from across various US embassies to the Headquarters the so far unknown truths spilling over. America was plunged into a diplomatic crisis. Soon followed their denials, baseless denials they were as the classified diplomatic cables were very much before the public to go thru and denials a part of fire-fighting exercise. US’s and the close ally UK’s protests and indignation turned against Julian Assange naturally, seriously mulled entrapping the fellow at any cost. And the alleged ‘sexual assault’ of two ladies and their lodging of complaints against him came in handy and the complaints reached before Interpol and Assange’s hide and seek game started from there-on.
Meanwhile Assange made it public before the world his apprehensions that he was fearing for his life and such an apprehension is quite plausible in a world where wheeling and dealing is the order of the day. Greed for accumulating wealth at any cost is not at all a phenomenon confined to not only a few parts of the world but it engulfs the entire world.
Hence the itch to do away with the trouble makers here I mean the whistleblowers to keep hot issues tormenting the conscience of the rulers and business men of developed, developing and least-developed countries swept under the carpet for a prolonged period. Hence the ways and means of silencing such sources are part of the game.
We in India, have witnessed a lot of whistleblowers, being done to death one by one incase after repeated warnings, pressures and reminders of dire consequences of the establishment get ignored by sticking to one’s integrity and principles. The professional killers if and when entrusted with the job of getting things cleanly done, they get the jobs cleanly done without leaving any evidence. The only condition being one thing the ones who authorize them or entrust them with the job should have to agree to the terms and conditions, thus fixing the deal. Always the amounts involved come to crores and crores of rupees.
As far as USA and Britain are concerned, Assange too like Bin Laden, is a daily nightmare giving them many sleepless nights and if he still continues to evade the fate about to fall upon Bin Laden perforce he is caught alive, it is due to the voices of human rights activists the world over. International pressures and compulsions could deter even a super power from going to the extremes.
One fact which is amusing and at the same time worth pondering and wondering about is it was US especially the Democratic party and its leaders Barack Obama, US President and Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State, even in the run-up to the Presidential elections in 2008 were vocal in their opinions that freedom of speech and expression and the right to criticize the wrong policies and programmes of a nation be it of US or for that matter any other nation should not at any cost be obstructed. Then it was quite undreamt of a democracy or for that matter all liberal democracies becoming the establishment fighting against the internet freedom. While China was up in arms against Google one year ago both Obama and Hilary Clinton were vehement in their attacks on China for putting hurdles in the path of Google and both advocated for easy access to information through internet. During that time they were against the authoritarian tendencies of certain countries towards internet freedom. Even after the elections, such opinions by these leaders reverberated across the land and after one year in saddle when it came to be adversely affected with the release of classified diplomatic cables pertaining to that country’s dealings where the hell ran away the tall words of these two for good. Now US is baying for the blood of Julian Assange and he is put in prison at its allies like Britain. Its grand claims of world’s biggest democracy resembles a man with a clay feet.
Add to its head-ache, Assange’s lawyer and confidents are busy making preparations to release the next set of 250000 classified cables any day soon.
Meanwhile Julian Assange’s home country Australia has come to the fore with extending all kinds of possible help to the whistleblower.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
MAGICS AND REALITIES
As the price for
turning their disciples
we, willingly accepted
them as our masters of
dreams
magic of dreams.
We felt rather elated
like peacocks spreading
wings, dancing
at the sight of
dark clouds appearing
on the sky heralding
the approach of torrential
rains
after a lull.
Fire-spitting magicians
were they,
our masters.
They taught
us first
the history of man
squeezing man,
siphoning away his
wealth leaving his
brother in the lurch
about the
parasites in
the history of mankind
and the parasites roaming
free
with power and pelf
reducing us to a shambles.
Fire-raged in our veins,
blood boiling thru’
looked they like ferocious
tigers menacingly baring its
canine and roaring frequently
we disciples followed suit
the urgency of acute emergency
to wipe out the parasites
arising in our minds.
‘Teach us the magic of
exterminating the creatures
from the face of earth’ –
we roared and cried in
unison.
That very moment they played
a disappearing game
like a flash
leaving us haywire
magicians truly they are
where the hell are our
masters of dreams?
Magicians are magicians only
no magical solutions
left
to wipe out our
prolonged chain of hardships.
turning their disciples
we, willingly accepted
them as our masters of
dreams
magic of dreams.
We felt rather elated
like peacocks spreading
wings, dancing
at the sight of
dark clouds appearing
on the sky heralding
the approach of torrential
rains
after a lull.
Fire-spitting magicians
were they,
our masters.
They taught
us first
the history of man
squeezing man,
siphoning away his
wealth leaving his
brother in the lurch
about the
parasites in
the history of mankind
and the parasites roaming
free
with power and pelf
reducing us to a shambles.
Fire-raged in our veins,
blood boiling thru’
looked they like ferocious
tigers menacingly baring its
canine and roaring frequently
we disciples followed suit
the urgency of acute emergency
to wipe out the parasites
arising in our minds.
‘Teach us the magic of
exterminating the creatures
from the face of earth’ –
we roared and cried in
unison.
That very moment they played
a disappearing game
like a flash
leaving us haywire
magicians truly they are
where the hell are our
masters of dreams?
Magicians are magicians only
no magical solutions
left
to wipe out our
prolonged chain of hardships.
SPRINTER PAR EXCELLENCE
He was a man of
no scales once
had a humble origin.
Hardworking, dynamic,
enterprising,
won he appreciations
of his seniors
and appreciations got
reflected in their
confidential reports.
Overcoming the hurdles ahead
one after another
like an experienced
gold-medalist sprinter
he was honoured with
the first scale and
his joy knew no limits
the joy was short-lived
though.
Remaining unsatisfied
with only one scale
he went on a hot pursuit
for accumulating as many
scales as possible.
His aspirations
continue to develop wings
one after and another
and got honoured with
scale after scale,
Scale 1,2,3,4,5,6,…………..
But no
his efforts riveted around,
the ultimate truth-time,
one day
he too had to surrender
all the scales
and had to leave his
institution’s gate
without a tear being
shed by those in the
institutions
who too were supposed to
go out of the institution,
surrendering all scales
without any tears being shed
from the eyes of
new faces seated there one day.
But
who thinks
one day the scales
are to be surrendered,
though hard-earned ones they were?
Just like the great game
of life and death….
Coming empty-handed,
leaving empty-handed,
the essence of existence.
no scales once
had a humble origin.
Hardworking, dynamic,
enterprising,
won he appreciations
of his seniors
and appreciations got
reflected in their
confidential reports.
Overcoming the hurdles ahead
one after another
like an experienced
gold-medalist sprinter
he was honoured with
the first scale and
his joy knew no limits
the joy was short-lived
though.
Remaining unsatisfied
with only one scale
he went on a hot pursuit
for accumulating as many
scales as possible.
His aspirations
continue to develop wings
one after and another
and got honoured with
scale after scale,
Scale 1,2,3,4,5,6,…………..
But no
his efforts riveted around,
the ultimate truth-time,
one day
he too had to surrender
all the scales
and had to leave his
institution’s gate
without a tear being
shed by those in the
institutions
who too were supposed to
go out of the institution,
surrendering all scales
without any tears being shed
from the eyes of
new faces seated there one day.
But
who thinks
one day the scales
are to be surrendered,
though hard-earned ones they were?
Just like the great game
of life and death….
Coming empty-handed,
leaving empty-handed,
the essence of existence.
MAHATMA - A SOUL IN DISTRESS
I am sure you are deeply distressed with the way of things going on here. You must be turning in your grave ever since you were gunned down (even before that) by one of your own countrymen 63 years ago. Even before that, I mean while you were alive spending your days amongst the masses and often languishing in various prisons after being subjected to ruthless assaults, nothing could force you to backtrack from the path chosen by you since your youthful days abroad and across the nation. Life to you was a relentless struggle for freedom from the forces of suppression - overbearing authority by an alien power and to counter them the path chosen by you, entirely different from the paths bordering on the aggressive, chosen by veteran freedom fighters both contemporary and those great revolutionaries of yore. You did believe and held on to your ideals and with your personal magnetism rally the masses behind and organized massive struggles sticking to the chosen paths of Non-violence and Satyagraha (fast-unto-death).
Though you did struggle for the freedom of the nation choosing the way of Non-violence a heavy chunk of fighters especially the youthful fighters whose blood boiled at the very thought of their land languishing under the yoke of a foreign power and to drive away those forces who went on an exploitation-spree draining away the massive wealth to their land leaving our masses high and dry. Our people starved and millions perished in large-scale famines and the scathing anger and protests of our people lay hidden like embers in a heap of ash. Ever since you entered the scene, you could very well channelize their anger and protests through peaceful means. You took padayatras(long bare-footed walks) across the length and breadth of our nation organising and consolidating masses and many great men of prominence joined hands with you forgetting their differences over your approach and peaceful paths adopted by you.
The seething discontent and consequent anger prevailing among a large section took a different turn as the youth blood cried for violent struggles - it naturally turned violent led to massive blood-bath and lakhs and lakhs of youths turned martyrs in their ceaseless struggles for freedom. Such violent uprisings and the merciless suppression unleashed by the foreigners pained you, disgusted you and you reached those places then and there and advocated peace and calm to prevail.
After non-stop struggles for freedom of the country from under the yoke of a foreign power since centuries the foreigners before fleeing the nation for good, did a disservice by dividing the nation into two parts creating a new nation dividing a united country and they are still at loggerheads with each other. Till the last moment you pleaded for a united country your dreams though didn’t materialize. With a heavy heart even after winning freedom without hankering after power you were amongst the two feuding communities conducting prayer meetings for calm and peace.
While you were busy with your mission among the masses your close confidents were seriously engaged in forming a govt at Delhi, the Capital city.
At last, at a prayer meeting for communal harmony at Birla House, you were brutally gunned down by a Hindu fanatic and the nation stood still with shock and pain writ large on its collective psyche.
Now that 63 years have elapsed since you left us even while you were alive and after death you couldn’t remain at peace still remaining painful and restless turning in your grave over the way the country is being run.
Today’s self-proclaimed leaders of our country, the new Avatars who swear by you day-in and day-out preaching your ideals from high pedestals at the top of their voices are literally looting our country, making the lives of masses miserable. Those sitting on the sidelines, mute witnesses as well as activists aplenty – the ones with dignity and integrity getting pained over the ugly state of developments in our country on different fronts like corruption to the tune of millions and millions, lavish life style of big Baboos and industrial tycoons entrusted with the onus of serving teeming millions, poverty and malnourishment ruling the roost, women and children being exploited in various ways our country literally pushed into an abyss. Since decades, of-late corruption reaching mountainous proportions while even millions leading pathetic existences without a cover over their heads, similarly lack of sanitation facilities and safe drinking water, a select few enjoy life more than its maximum potential all you must be witnessing. In a century and in a world where even God is being celebrated as branded figure nothing surprising that you once lived with the halo of a God being celebrated as a branded figure. The modern Godseys are still engaged in a shooting spree imagining your presence everywhere.
Though you did struggle for the freedom of the nation choosing the way of Non-violence a heavy chunk of fighters especially the youthful fighters whose blood boiled at the very thought of their land languishing under the yoke of a foreign power and to drive away those forces who went on an exploitation-spree draining away the massive wealth to their land leaving our masses high and dry. Our people starved and millions perished in large-scale famines and the scathing anger and protests of our people lay hidden like embers in a heap of ash. Ever since you entered the scene, you could very well channelize their anger and protests through peaceful means. You took padayatras(long bare-footed walks) across the length and breadth of our nation organising and consolidating masses and many great men of prominence joined hands with you forgetting their differences over your approach and peaceful paths adopted by you.
The seething discontent and consequent anger prevailing among a large section took a different turn as the youth blood cried for violent struggles - it naturally turned violent led to massive blood-bath and lakhs and lakhs of youths turned martyrs in their ceaseless struggles for freedom. Such violent uprisings and the merciless suppression unleashed by the foreigners pained you, disgusted you and you reached those places then and there and advocated peace and calm to prevail.
After non-stop struggles for freedom of the country from under the yoke of a foreign power since centuries the foreigners before fleeing the nation for good, did a disservice by dividing the nation into two parts creating a new nation dividing a united country and they are still at loggerheads with each other. Till the last moment you pleaded for a united country your dreams though didn’t materialize. With a heavy heart even after winning freedom without hankering after power you were amongst the two feuding communities conducting prayer meetings for calm and peace.
While you were busy with your mission among the masses your close confidents were seriously engaged in forming a govt at Delhi, the Capital city.
At last, at a prayer meeting for communal harmony at Birla House, you were brutally gunned down by a Hindu fanatic and the nation stood still with shock and pain writ large on its collective psyche.
Now that 63 years have elapsed since you left us even while you were alive and after death you couldn’t remain at peace still remaining painful and restless turning in your grave over the way the country is being run.
Today’s self-proclaimed leaders of our country, the new Avatars who swear by you day-in and day-out preaching your ideals from high pedestals at the top of their voices are literally looting our country, making the lives of masses miserable. Those sitting on the sidelines, mute witnesses as well as activists aplenty – the ones with dignity and integrity getting pained over the ugly state of developments in our country on different fronts like corruption to the tune of millions and millions, lavish life style of big Baboos and industrial tycoons entrusted with the onus of serving teeming millions, poverty and malnourishment ruling the roost, women and children being exploited in various ways our country literally pushed into an abyss. Since decades, of-late corruption reaching mountainous proportions while even millions leading pathetic existences without a cover over their heads, similarly lack of sanitation facilities and safe drinking water, a select few enjoy life more than its maximum potential all you must be witnessing. In a century and in a world where even God is being celebrated as branded figure nothing surprising that you once lived with the halo of a God being celebrated as a branded figure. The modern Godseys are still engaged in a shooting spree imagining your presence everywhere.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
ENIGMA REMAINS ENIGMA
Eurekka, Eurekka
loud exciting claims rent the air
these days
contrary to the spell-binding
victorious claims
nothing substantial
not yet come to the
surface.
Diving deep into the
bottomless ocean,
in search of hitherto
unravelled secrets
and emerging successful
the deep, unfathomed
ocean, named mind
continues to be a
challenge.
Still not knowing why,
victorious shouts of
Eurekka, Eurekka
rent the air.
Actually what all lie
embedded at the very bottom
of the ocean named mind
whether a bottom
really exists or not
truly speaking
none appears
to be aware of.
Let’s go on
claiming and claiming
lavish time still
in store to make corrections
from time to time.
loud exciting claims rent the air
these days
contrary to the spell-binding
victorious claims
nothing substantial
not yet come to the
surface.
Diving deep into the
bottomless ocean,
in search of hitherto
unravelled secrets
and emerging successful
the deep, unfathomed
ocean, named mind
continues to be a
challenge.
Still not knowing why,
victorious shouts of
Eurekka, Eurekka
rent the air.
Actually what all lie
embedded at the very bottom
of the ocean named mind
whether a bottom
really exists or not
truly speaking
none appears
to be aware of.
Let’s go on
claiming and claiming
lavish time still
in store to make corrections
from time to time.
ANDHRA CONGRESS COMMITTEE IN CATCH-22 POSITION
Andhra Pradesh, which helped win 33 seats a major chunk of seats from South India, is no more a Congress citadel ever since it lost its shining jewel Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy who lost his life in a helicopter crash about two years back. That fateful day turned out to be a shock to all Andhrits especially the masses at the lower strata of society. As a veteran leader of Indian National Congress and as an administrator par excellence Dr.Reddy could act as a unifying force among various parties. Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) led by Chandra Sekhar Rao’s repeated demands for a separate Telangana State were very much in the air but Dr. Reddy’s administrative acumen helped to mollify the aggressive stand of Mr.Rao. As a close confident of Sonia Gandhi and a great influence at Central government Dr.Reddy could prevail upon the Centre for extending massive help to Andhra Pradesh which helped the down-trodden a lot. Various social reform measures he introduced like rice for 2 Rs/Kg, announcement of minimum support price for rice, reimbursment of tuition fees to the students belonging to backward sections and many other social reform measures and he got a applause from international media like BBC.
Anyhow many a one will have reservations when it comes to his ruthless suppression of Maoists which led to a massive carnage of educated, unemployed, youth, instead what he should have concentrated on was bettering the lot of such youth by paving the way for creating circumstances for them joining the national mainstream. No one will for fun’s sake get active in a revolutionary group like Maoists, mind you, bracketing them with terrorist outfits is unbecoming of a leader whoever he might be. These youths get attracted to revolutionary ideals and slogans when majority since decades undergo hardships and voluntarily come forward to extend a helping hand by grouping them under one umbrella and lead from the front naturally they take up as their mission. The path adopted by them for achieving their goals turns violent and lead to bloodshed which a democratic government won’t take in its stride. But on digging deeper into the circumstances which forced the youths and tribals to join revolutionary movement, we could very well come to the conclusion that the ultimate responsibility and blame rest upon the ruling regime.
Let’s come to Dr.Rajasekhara Reddy, the great historic Padayatra he organised while in opposition across the length and breadth of Andhra Pradesh catapulted him to be a great leader of the Grand Old Party against the ‘misrule’ of Chandra Babu Naidu, Telugu Desam Party leader. Yes, a misrule it was in its literal sense as he never cared to pay heed to the demands of those at the lower pyramid of society instead paid all his attention to building a hi-tech Andhra Pradesh turning the city of Hyderabad to Cyberabad, while the poor ones were starving led to his ouster at the hustings.
In his place Dr.Rajasekhara Reddy assumed power with Congress gaining massive majority and there was no looking back since then.
Under a good team, Dr.Reddy began to rule and gave a new face-lift to the State of Andhra Pradesh. His massive mandate in the Assembly got reflected in Parliament too, which helped in a long way to enable the Congress Party emerge as the single largest party in Lok Sabha.
While he was reigning supreme, fate dealt a cruel blow in the form of copter crash which took away the life of Dr.Reddy. Dr.Reddy’s, unfortunate and untimely death was a rude shock to the State of Andhra and an aftermath the State witnessed dozens and dozens of immolation deaths. Such was the intensity of the sorrow of people of Andhra.
The heir-apparent Jag Mohan Reddy though staked claim to form a govt in the place of his veteran father, the High Command chose a man of integrity and a prominent Minister Rossaih as his successor as Chief Minister. Jag Mohan Reddy’s inexperience as a ruler was the main obstacle in choosing him as his father’s successor. But Rossaih’s election to the post of CM drove a cleavage in the Party with one section joining hands with Jag Mohan Reddy who by that time was determined to split the Party. The High Command took maximum care not to play spoil-sport and keep him in good humour but couldn’t succeed for long. Dynastic succession has turned out to be an obsession of Indian politicians be it at the centre or a few of the other States.
Evenwhile Jag Mohan Reddy rejecting the direction of Congress High Command embarked on a Padayatra following in the foot-steps of his father, the Congress was reluctant to take action against him and on the contrary Jag Mohan Reddy was in the meantime braving the leadership to take action against him.
At last, two-three days before, he unilaterally tendered his resignation from the Party and his MLA post as also his mother Vijayalakshmi, who too followed him and vacated her MP post.
While such developments were afoot, Rossaih was shown the door though he claims it was due to personal reasons and poor helth. In his place Kiran Reddy, the Speaker of Assembly assumed the Chief Ministerial post. Tough times are in store for him no doubt about that. It is a forgone conclusion that Indian National Congress will not be the same for a long period to come and Andhra politics certainly is going to be embroiled in muddied waters.
Anyhow many a one will have reservations when it comes to his ruthless suppression of Maoists which led to a massive carnage of educated, unemployed, youth, instead what he should have concentrated on was bettering the lot of such youth by paving the way for creating circumstances for them joining the national mainstream. No one will for fun’s sake get active in a revolutionary group like Maoists, mind you, bracketing them with terrorist outfits is unbecoming of a leader whoever he might be. These youths get attracted to revolutionary ideals and slogans when majority since decades undergo hardships and voluntarily come forward to extend a helping hand by grouping them under one umbrella and lead from the front naturally they take up as their mission. The path adopted by them for achieving their goals turns violent and lead to bloodshed which a democratic government won’t take in its stride. But on digging deeper into the circumstances which forced the youths and tribals to join revolutionary movement, we could very well come to the conclusion that the ultimate responsibility and blame rest upon the ruling regime.
Let’s come to Dr.Rajasekhara Reddy, the great historic Padayatra he organised while in opposition across the length and breadth of Andhra Pradesh catapulted him to be a great leader of the Grand Old Party against the ‘misrule’ of Chandra Babu Naidu, Telugu Desam Party leader. Yes, a misrule it was in its literal sense as he never cared to pay heed to the demands of those at the lower pyramid of society instead paid all his attention to building a hi-tech Andhra Pradesh turning the city of Hyderabad to Cyberabad, while the poor ones were starving led to his ouster at the hustings.
In his place Dr.Rajasekhara Reddy assumed power with Congress gaining massive majority and there was no looking back since then.
Under a good team, Dr.Reddy began to rule and gave a new face-lift to the State of Andhra Pradesh. His massive mandate in the Assembly got reflected in Parliament too, which helped in a long way to enable the Congress Party emerge as the single largest party in Lok Sabha.
While he was reigning supreme, fate dealt a cruel blow in the form of copter crash which took away the life of Dr.Reddy. Dr.Reddy’s, unfortunate and untimely death was a rude shock to the State of Andhra and an aftermath the State witnessed dozens and dozens of immolation deaths. Such was the intensity of the sorrow of people of Andhra.
The heir-apparent Jag Mohan Reddy though staked claim to form a govt in the place of his veteran father, the High Command chose a man of integrity and a prominent Minister Rossaih as his successor as Chief Minister. Jag Mohan Reddy’s inexperience as a ruler was the main obstacle in choosing him as his father’s successor. But Rossaih’s election to the post of CM drove a cleavage in the Party with one section joining hands with Jag Mohan Reddy who by that time was determined to split the Party. The High Command took maximum care not to play spoil-sport and keep him in good humour but couldn’t succeed for long. Dynastic succession has turned out to be an obsession of Indian politicians be it at the centre or a few of the other States.
Evenwhile Jag Mohan Reddy rejecting the direction of Congress High Command embarked on a Padayatra following in the foot-steps of his father, the Congress was reluctant to take action against him and on the contrary Jag Mohan Reddy was in the meantime braving the leadership to take action against him.
At last, two-three days before, he unilaterally tendered his resignation from the Party and his MLA post as also his mother Vijayalakshmi, who too followed him and vacated her MP post.
While such developments were afoot, Rossaih was shown the door though he claims it was due to personal reasons and poor helth. In his place Kiran Reddy, the Speaker of Assembly assumed the Chief Ministerial post. Tough times are in store for him no doubt about that. It is a forgone conclusion that Indian National Congress will not be the same for a long period to come and Andhra politics certainly is going to be embroiled in muddied waters.
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