Saturday, November 24, 2012

Tribute To a Mass Leader


Call it megalomania or call it plain coincidences or call it influence of reading Midnights children, seems like my life is intertwined with the happenings in India.

On Dec 6th 1992, when Babri masjid was demolished I was camped at the most non religious place: NCC camp in Kalaikunda in my first year of IIT when NCC was compulsory.  The nation was burning outside but we were far from humanity unscathed from any such unrest.

On 29th Sep 1993 when earth shook at Killari, i had to take refuge of co-hostel mate as my room keys were lost and we were unable to break the lock.

When rumour spread that all Ganesha idols were drinking milk, i missed a mid sem paper due to wrong copying of exam calendar.

I was on my honeymoon in Himalayas when IC814 was hijacked from Himalayas and Rupen Katyal another honeymooner lost his life.

During 2002 Gujarat riots i was in Gujarati dominated city of Leicester in UK. Now UK has started talking to Modi in 2012.

When kasab and co shook Mumbai in 08, i had a marriage to attend in Mumbai which i did.

When india was in non congress/bjp rule 96-98, i was working professional. I started entrepreneurship with NDA coming to power in 98. When India did nuclear test, and sachin was fire at sharjah we were doing some records in first quarter sales. When NDA govt lost in 1999 to get re-elected in 1999, my married life started and relocated. Same thing happened in 04 when UPA came to power, my business took definitive shape. Don’t know what will happen in 2014. Is life going to change in 2014?

Bit deviating from main topic of my discussion.

When Balasaheb died I was in a city of Hyderabad that too amidst some riots near charminar and passing through Muslim dominated areas of the old city. What a paradox and let down for someone like me who was fan of this leader.

After returning to desk, i was reading all and sundry commenting on legacy, fallacies of this great leader. Earlier in this blog i had mentioned that we are fast losing on politicians who have mass love and following. I think Balasaheb was the last. Raj Thakaray has potential. Only time will tell whether this potential can be converted into coherant and decisive politics apart from cutting into opposition votes. On NCP side, supremo has lost lot of ground due to some inexplicable politics, the new generation and second fiddle is nowhere near. On congress side Baba brigade looks too disconnected from masses. Regional leaders like Maya, Jaya, Mamata, have limited appeal. Atalji was last BJP leader loved by masses and he is no more active. Advani  has been made irrelevant thanks to current leadership. That leaves only Narendra Modi who has lot of handicaps.

There is no doubt in my mind that Balasaheb was and will be the last active leader for whom 20 lakh people will turn out to participate in the funeral. There are some in media who blame it to terror and fear which resulted in the turn out. That is bull shit. Knowing Mumbai first hand and people’s sentiment, all those armchair critics are wrong. These are not paid congress rallies. People love Balasaheb.

Same people are crying that his politics was divisive, irrational and dangerous. I disagree.

He stopped Mumbai to turn into dead Kolkata when mills were getting closed due to red brigade. He helped both owners and workers to survive. Some may point out that he got middle mans’ benefit but at least he had guts to own it rather than slimy old Mumbai/Maharashtra politicians who earned clandestinely.

Moreover social organization he created with shakha pramukh as family head of neighbourhood is something unique and point to study for all you armchair politicians. Though some may see this phenomenon as a way to legitimize local goons, but if it works so be it.

He made underworld scared. Extortion was rampant in late 80s till mid 90s. He created terror amidst gangsters by using discretionary encounters by police to control menace. Though not 100% eliminated, these days Mumbai is much safer. I have read bullshit books like Maximum city who cry foul against this. He will always have detractors.  He is no man of middle road, either you love him or hate him.

He took on casteist Marathi politics head on by appointing Brahmin CM which no one would dream. The so called inclusive leaders have divided society to such an extent that Marathi public life, art, history, culture, drama has every following drawn based on caste. By symbolism he made it clear that he does not believe in caste. He took sena to hinterlands of western Maharashtra, marathwada, konkan and vidarbha as could generate support amidst not so affluent people from ‘political’ community. He united Maharashtra by not recognizing castes. He had supporters in Dalit movement as well.

Balasaheb wanted Marathi kids to have confidence, our generation did. Many term this as pariochal politics but it worked well for Marathi people. We conquered west and do good in IT/real estate/media opportunities in Pune, Mumbai , Bengaluru, Chennai( no one complains name changes for these cities as they complain Mumbai to have changed from their beloved Bombay ).  We no more have inferiority complex but we do have superiority complex thanks to Balasaheb. We respect our gods like Shivaji. We are not ashamed of Peshwai as ’sponsored’ historians want us to. We love PL , GA, Vinda, Kusumagraj, Balgandharv, Mangeskars, Phalkes, tendulkars, gavaskars, bhimsen joshis,  Can any other community boast of such talent except those from Bengal ,  We love all our saints across caste line. We love Marathi films, drama, music. Gone are those days when we were ridiculed for being Ghaatis in our hostel.

He played critical role post Dec 6th. And that’s where most of liberal, outgoing, liberal oriented, neo modernist, society has problems to associate with Balasaheb politics.  Shivsena was never anti muslim but opposes anti national elements. There are many Muslim shivsainiks. Shivsena retaliated every step of jihadist who sponsored riots to create chaos in Mumbai.  Man on street was scared and he needed some solace and support.  I am writing this as i had experienced firsthand. Many would agree with me but its not politically correct to accept it publically. Please note  that no country wants to have nuclear weapons for using it and nuclear weapons act as strategic deterrent in modern times (I don’t know about Pakistan and other countries blinded by religion) and no sane non criminal human wants to kill fellow human being unless its a war situation . But someone has to act strong in self defence to act as deterrent.  Of course mass frenzy was unavoidable and some violence unjustified. But someone had to fill in vacuum created for lack of safety for common man. Ideally Maharashtra govt should have but failed miserable.  And proof is that those enemies sitting in Karachi and Islamabad had to use bombs placed cowardly in public places to proclaim their vengeance. It showed the way to proclaim their impotence extending to 9/11, 26/11, 11/7 to use dastardly techniques to kill real men and women.  I had read statistically, period from independence till 92, had more riots than the period following it. Indian moved on from Riots (though we ended as victims of terrorism later, and Gujarat02 and current UP situations are exception)

Balasaheb  was a loved politician which is extinct in todays Indian Politics. Though armchair thought leaders would have their opinions, but for me he was a father figure in close family.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Winds of Change

Its Diwali again. It comes every year. But as they say like every year is different, Every celebration is different. And life is a celebration.
So lets celebrate life with lights this week to remove the darkest corners that exist within and outside us. Let us be illuminated by knowledge, sense, reason and compassion.
Lets give something nice to others in whatever way and kind.Its Diwali again and it will come next year again. Point is how you celebrate between the celebrations.....
Have a great happy Diwali and next year.


Another year has gone past to let us enjoy another Diwali. As I have mentioned that its more about how you celebrate your life between celebrations is what matters.  Though I appreciate agents of change as it’s a common saying that only constant in this world is change. Some changes are good. In context of Diwali, awareness about damaging consequences, wastefulness and exploitative production of crackers is one welcome change. In our childhood say in 80s no one used to care and we used to spend money and create hazards uncontrolled.  Apart from this change there are few other changes i am positive about since 80s is step towards gaining rightful place in world. India is no more a pushover. It’s an economy to reckon with, brand that world is aware of.  People in India have found benefits of education (at least small % of its populace) and have opportunities to make some future beyond its status at the time of birth.  Development has percolated to hinterlands though not the required extent. Awareness of environment at least in common people is much more than in 80s. I remember travelling in PMT bus in 80s from Deccan to Vanaj and seeing ARAI hill as we see it today as a barren treeless mountain.  Today we have ARAI hill as lungs of city. So can be said about Cummins side of Warje hills, Pashan hill, Taljai hill. Agreed that greedy elements have had their say but visible differences are hard to ignore.  Kids today are much aware of their future and exposed to the latest trends in world. It can be a boon or can as well be a bane.

But on pessimistic side, some changes are dragging our march behind. Creating sufferings in life and as well have irreversible impact.  Let me start with the most damaging aspect of irreversible damage to world, in form of global climatic changes.  Rains during Diwali have been a common feature for last few years.  This Diwali is the one which falls on 13th Nov. I am sure it must be the Diwali having the latest date in an English calendar year. One would expect chilly early mornings, but it’s hot and humid today. Remember storm sandy in NY.  Terrorism and orthodoxy is another threat which we did not have in early 80s atleast not in scale which is today. Then we had cold war but it was more about posturing except from small pockets like Afghanistan, Vietnam. Thanks for small breezes like Malala, Su kyi, there is still some hope.  In India, corruption and political vacuum for lack of leadership, divisive politics have changed Indian state into a wasteful monster and uncaring for masses.  Pune as a city have grown in unfeasible manner. The ills like traffic, pollution, roads, illegal constructions, corruption have to be checked to save this city.  Personal relationships have changed, values have changed. Though we have tried to emulate western culture we conveniently ignore good lessons from west about work ethics, integrity, honesty and professionalism. In 80s we did not have mobiles but still would face no problem in communicating. We did not have facebook but we still had friends. I cannot imagine next generations going on their own using cycles till say Baneshwar or Khadakwasala as we used to do in 8th or 9th standard. How many of you will allow that in today’s traffic?

Change is not what US preferred by re-electing Obama but change was made in last election and allowed to continue. More than any other issue, it’s about inclusiveness that US people want , though conservatives may disagree but that’s order for day. When will India opt for change? Or there is no alternative. Can Kejariwal and co be agents of change? Will new development  plan make Pune a better place with Metros and light transit systems ? or will we suffer more with more water cuts, load shedding?

Another change I dread in my Cricket watching life. I am a crazy fan of Indian cricket and switch off everything else when serious cricket is on if given a choice. One factor did not change over last 22 years is that little master taking guard to open in ODI or walking on pitch two down in tests. There is expectation in air, tension amidst opposition.  Every success is taken for granted and failure is disaster leading in all and sundry doubting his skills and intentions. But Time and tide waits for no one not even HIM. Are we to witness another unwanted change? And we all know we have to some day and every time hope it’s not today.

Even Bond has changed. I mean Bond James Bond. This Bond has midlife crisis, He is more humane. He is vulnerable but yet lovable. Gone are the days when he had superhuman skills and attitude. He is no more a god. He prefers Beer over Martini. Purists have hated this change but as they say everything must change so should Bond.  Seems like its order of the day for those who spend childhood in 80s . Bond also matured in 80s. He hates 2.0 gadgets and technology (which is more real and plausible today) when he used dream unrealistic gadgets/weapons then. Is our generation to cribbing about changes as exemplified by Bond.

Again 80s is a benchmark as thing started really changing in 90s all over due to global and national economic reasons. Luckily 80s was the decade we used to be in school. And those school years were crazy. Every generation is. But by luck, we were foot soldiers of change as we went into professional education in 90s. We still enjoy Diwali in 2012 as we used to do in 80s irrespective of whether winds of change blow or not as immortalized by legendary scorpion song.