Footprints In The Bazra

Nabina Das's "Footprints In The Bazra" is fictional entertainer,anecdotal accounts of several characters and ideologies however aimed at particular readership having no knowledge about reality. Episodes of hinterland appear fictionalized out of Newspaper clippings. Unrealistic appearing journey of central characters from remote tribal village to New York,unbelievable linguistic skills of villagers look comical sometimes. Novel is though Interesting if read for entertainment,but not recommending to buy it.


Books are not primarily written for shelves only, otherwise why  these are sold so aggressively.Even if a Book's  purpose is only to 'communicate' and be a reference or resource, "Footprints in the Bazra' can't be seen to be representative of  anything that truly happens in rural India. Characters fictionalized in the story don't exist even if one wishes them to be.

In hinterlands there are poor , illiterates who may be getting  exploited for that very reason  by different over zealous proponents of variety of  ideologies, but they can't be influenced if they had been capable of churning  out  intelligent quotes from Byron, Shakespeare, Angeles , Lenin and Mao on drop of hat. The story here is far from reality but nevertheless it is good fictional work and may actually turn out to be a good screenplay material. But sorry, if intellectuals in US need to visualize the reality of Indian countryside , this book can not be a reference.That would be unjust.

छलावरण

निराशावादी तो मैं भी नहीं हूँ किन्तु मेरी सोच में एक बात  पैठ गयी है की अतीव अतिवादी विचारधाराएँ (वामपंथी हों  या दक्षिणपंथी) देश के लिए आज सबसे बड़ी चुनौती बन गया है. इन तत्वों की जीत का रास्ता बन्दुक से नही बल्कि  कैसे भी देश में अराजकता फ़ैलाने में है. वर्तमान शासन प्रणाली को, जनता की नज़रों में गिरा देना उनका सब से बड़ा कदम होगा. और कहीं  भी कम्बोडिया, विएतनाम,चीन, ईरान, अफगानिस्तान  में बन्दूको से तो सिर्फ अंतिम धमाके किये गए, शासन तो अराजकता फैला कर ही पलटा गया. और किया जाता है.

हम सब को विशेष रूप से सरकार को ये सुनिश्चित करते रहना होगा की ऐसे निरापद दिखने वाले आन्दोलन किसी बड़ी सोची  समझी चाल का हिस्सा तो नहीं. मंच पे जन सम्रथन का आनंद उठाते नव नेताओं को भी कहीं  भ्रम से कोई अपने बड़े नाटक का पात्र तो नहीं बना रहा. ये तत्त्व सक्रिय हैं और वो ऐसे  छलावरण  से घातक प्रहार भी कर सकते हैं.

मैं चाहूँगा मेरी समझ गलत रहे.

Lokpal, India and future

All of sudden surge of cocktail of mostly Left with hint of mischievous Right brandishing simplistic single window solution for complex public issues, could also apparently be, an invitation of backdoor entry to creation of parallel power center awaiting to be usurped and  misused by unelected occupant if not implemented with balanced guarantees through constitutional means. 


Extreme judiciousness will be required before such a constitutional institution as Lokpal, is created. Political prudence has to be ensured through elected repersentatives only. We can't paint all politicians with same brush( like we can't call all social  activists 'Maoist")?

The idea appears glamorous particularly in backdrop of current scandals, earning enough public support .But even if some parliamentarians are inefficient and corrupt, seats of democratic governance can't be yielded to chaotic streets. Sacrificing constitutional governance to this kind of pressures from unelected self proclaimed activists, would definitely lead to anarchy whatsoever noble the cause they proclaim to champion for.

Also it is alarming to note presence of several such activists in this present movement who had been seen not in very distant past, openly coming out supporting antinational elements from hinterland even doubting very idea of this nation. Their agenda of change, for these subversive elements, would not necessarily be implemented through guns which many of us believe, but could also be  through camouflaged fronts taking advantage of public gullibility,juvenile euphoria  and weak governments. Caution is required.