SNIPPETS OF INTROSPECTION

Revisiting our Footprints

25/7/2018

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The fourteenth day of 2017’s scorching July summer. Soaked in sweat, wearing an utter confused look, eyes cautiously scanning every corner of the street and occasionally flipping my wrist to keep track of the time I stood there at one of the busiest parts of the city center. “Hey, is the restaurant nearby? Give me your phone,” said a mild voice coated with childlike innocence from behind. Before I could recollect my thoughts or frame any reply my cell phone was in her hands. As few drops of sweat paved its way from the forehead en route her ruddy cheeks, she continued to fiddle with my phone breathing briskly. Occasionally she would use her finger tips to get rid of the sweat that rolled to her eyelids disturbing her concentration. And sometimes she would adjust her blue half rimmed spectacles.

With static eyes I was witnessing everything unfold for those timeless four minutes and finally she gazed upon my face with her beady eyes full of life. “It’s right upstairs, let’s go!,” were her first ever words spoken to me. Never did I know our maiden encounter shall sow the seed of a beautiful tomorrow.
In our five-hour long conversation we pondered over every possible topic we could. We spoke, we laughed, sporadic debates, shared nostalgia, our joys, our first impressions about foreigners, we explored them all but I will leave the details for some other day.

As we completed one year since our first meeting, we tried to do something special and nothing could be more special than revisiting the memory lane! So, we decided to walk on the footprints left a year ago. The same restaurant, same table, same food and same conversations again! Stared at the echoes of our maiden encounter again. Of course, alongside our morning also began with cooking some simple delicacies for her followed by a dinner date culminating the celebration of this beautiful day.

Life with my dearest Dr Annie has been great so far, she taught me to be more humane, to live and love life with tenacity, greater ambition and persistence. But, most importantly she made me walk on the path of love defining every fragment of it. Love that is light, enlightening those who give and receive it. Love that is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others. Love that is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love that unfolds and reveals. Love for which we live and die. Love that is the most powerful force, because it has no limits. Love that conquers all and transcends everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.

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MarkSHIT: Musings from an aimless person

29/2/2016

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As Vir Das the renowned actor and comedian puts it: "On your Marks, screw your marks….GO." | Image- Vir Das Youtube channel

Well, if you ask me to define 'marksheet' probably this is how I'll conclude it in a nutshell. 'A markSHEET is that sheet of paper which nobody gives a SHIT about when you step out of your school/college gate or when you are on your professional endeavour!'

I sometimes wonder had I realised this fact during my school or college days my casket of memories would perhaps have been much more heavier. Which when reckoned at any point of my life would have given me endless laughter. Sigh! how foolish I was to have not realised that having an awful marksheet doesn't take away the liberty to stand beneath the open sky and laugh aloud. I can still get drenched in the rain, can enjoy the fragrance of petrichor and have all the liberty to get muddy! Above all having a low-graded marksheet can't shed off my resilience.

Life would have proved to be insipid had I not met those extraordinary souls during by graduation in Delhi. Those tutors helped me distinguish between study and learning. They made me realise learning can be fun too. They imbibed in me the hunger for knowledge. They appraised me of a world beyond marksheets where only learning matters and not studying; where only knowledge matters and not marks. I so clearly remember what one of my creative writing teachers once quoted, "If even a single student falls asleep while the teacher is teaching, it's not the student at fault but it's the teacher. If a teacher can't tickle the interest of his/her students, such persons should perhaps quit teaching." So, true was she!! Apparently there is not dearth of good students, but there's sheer need of empathising teachers.

At school we were taught to practice handwriting on bragging thoughts like 'an aimless person is like a rudderless boat tossing in an ocean.' As a child who barely knew what 'aim' or an 'aimless person' looked like, these audacious words pinched like something monstrous. Though I couldn't sketch the figure of an 'aimless person' but I certainly didn't want myself to be one among them. While I didn't even know the A, B, C of life; I went to pen down a book with words like AIM! After all things like 'aimless person' and rudderless boat were bombarded with enough artilleries of trauma. Yes, this made me contemplate my aims.

I kept pondering upon few of those age old elite professions. After all I didn't want to be branded as an 'aimless person' or a 'rudderless boat.' But, what I failed to realise was that my aims weren't mine! My aims were not the reflection of my likes, my interests or what I craved for, rather these were the reflections of what people in my social sphere wanted me to become! They weren't bad people at all, but perhaps they were too good to understand me.

A big fool I was! I failed to realise that it's only a rudderless boat that has the liberty to float anywhere and everywhere. It's only a rudderless boat which can dance with the blithe breeze, which can play with the maddening waves. It's only a rudderless boat which doesn't know what's next to unfold making the journey an enthralling one. Perhaps I too wanted to be a rudderless boat. I choose to be a rudderless boat. I want to get absorbed in unveiling the mystery of life. I do not want to know my tomorrow, but I want to explore the journey finding it.

Someone truly said, great minds and great personalities do not always have great marksheets. A beautiful marksheet doesn't necessarily induce a blissful and great life. There are millions, literally millions of people with great marks. Having 95% doesn't make you special. Thinking differently will make you special. The importance of marks, results would perish within a months time. It's just an exam. All that will remain is you as a person, your smile, your resilience and ability to conquer failures.

If you still want to judge me by my marksheet [markSHIT], I was a mere average student in school. I flunked in college (10+2). May be because I was much engrossed in doing what I loved to. I have no regrets, because if flunking in academics ceases me from failing in life, one should always go for the former. But, did that anyway mattered? Perhaps not, I am yet living my dream. According to many I always choose to walk the easy way. Yes, they seem easy to me because I love walking on them!

At the present juncture when I see my published pieces, I see my bylined write-ups; nobody comes to me looking for my marksheets. They either pour in their soul stirring praises or critique on how I could improve. I know I haven't even taken a half step yet. Still, it's fun discerning that little journey to know you have learnt a bounty of things. For many I am still a failure. Well, if this is what a failure is to be, I would love to fail again and again.

What I always tell people is there's nothing called 'fail' and folks should never get intimidated by failures. Not succeeding in a certain task only shows that was not the correct way of pursuing it and thousand other right paths yet remain to be explored. After all FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning.
Believe me life is certainly a cakewalk, provided you know how to track-down the road laid with cakes.

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Tale of Relationships and Love

21/2/2016

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Sometimes our attraction towards someone is so intense, we began planning the next three generations with that person. Image Courtesy- englishchat247.com

I was still revelling in those early years of adolescence with hyperactive emotions when I realized the girl who was occupying my heart, with whom I had already began to see myself walking the rest life’s journey, was not at all interested in me. That was when for the first time I smacked the flavor of heartbreak. Now you might wonder what’s so unusual about this? Well, at this age it might seem to be a trivial issue, but at that very moment for a 14-year-old boy this was indeed serious. After all it was my first love which unfortunately turned out to be my first failed love. With emotions running high it took some time for me to get over her.

Years later now when I recall those experiences I end up laughing at myself. But, those subtle experiences made sure life is not insipid. Today while chatting with my close buddies over a cup of coffee discussing those episodes, sharing our own understating about love we get to laugh aloud at ourselves and mock each other. And I can vouch that- there’s no greater joy then laughing at our own immaturity and acts of stupidity.

After completing school when I began my tryst with life I did not have any serious face off with love. Those very few brief rendezvous, what I later concluded were mere infatuations or crushes (as per modern connotation). After sweet and sour experiences one question that kept buzzing on my mind- what is all about being in a relationship, its success or failure, and why people even after over-pouring with love are always turned down?

The greatest lessons on love was imparted by my parents. Bearing a slightly reserve personality they were the only people in front of whom I could keep blabbering. Though during the initial years of adolescence I was shy to open up on topics like love and relationships, but only during the later years I became more vocal about these. This made my life a cakewalk! I could see things with more clarity.

During most of the times our attraction or liking for someone is so intense that we began planning the next three generations with that person. About realising if this is the relationship I am looking for- what dad told me was- when such a moment comes we need not seek somebody else’s suggestion on it. It will be I who would be asking the questions and it would be I would answer them. Sounds complicated? But, when it’s the right time things will get simplified.

On the philosophy behind a fulfilling relationship according to him, is when we are aware of the balance of equal amounts of support and challenge. We require this equilibrium of positive and negative in order to grow and evolve. It’s therefore crucial to understand that we all own and display all personality traits such as generous and mean, kind and cruel, considerate and inconsiderate etc., in equal quantities. Too often we expect our partner to be a one-sided being – only kind and considerate, but this will only lead to frustration, disappointment and withdrawal when our partner inevitably expresses the other side. But as soon as we breakthrough the limitation of our perception, we will move into the dance, which will assist our relationship to grow in maturity and mutual appreciation.

Mom-dad: Their fondness for one another remains intact ever since the day my memory can roll back to

Recently mom sent me a photograph snapped moments before mom-dad were up for valentine’s day celebration. Last December they celebrated their 25th marriage anniversary. After two and a half decades of togetherness all I see is their love for each other only escalating every passing day. The flame of sanctity in their relationship is augmenting everyday. Their fondness for one another remains intact ever since the day my memory can roll back to. Thus to me, theirs is the ideal kind of relationship I always strive for. But mom believes there’s nothing extraordinary about it. But for a relationship to prosper we have to understand our partner well enough to know their values and caring enough to express our values in terms of theirs. It is a careless relationship in which we project and focus on our own values without considering our partner at all.

The friction, supplementary expectations and materialism that comes in relationships of my generation compels me to question the existence of true love. But, when I look back at them my believe in love replenishes. But, I also espy snippets of confusion in me. I wonder if my generation can have lovers who are so deeply, madly and intensely in love with each other. I might be skeptical but perhaps, that's one reason why I couldn't find a match till date. What I will expect for is a relationship of such reverence. A relationship with similar sanctity as theirs. Being loved and to love, love that might break us, but still keep us together. Love that may create distances but will still bring a closeness. Love that is true and would be forever! Which is bit difficult to find in people of my generation.

They say first love is never forgotten and it leaves a mark on us. Perhaps it changed me too. It was during those days when I began writing poetry. Though the love perished somewhere, but sometimes there’s her mild fragrance in my poetry. Over the years my poetry has changed attires but the poet is still same as before. Well, after reading my entire piece you might wonder what happened to the girl I mentioned at the beginning.

After finishing school, I never met her again. But, thanks to this webbed era- few years later I connected to her through social media. We never exchanged any messages. Occasionally I only clicked the like button silently to appreciate her photos, similar to those school days when I sneak peeped to espy her snippet in between classes. And recently I learned through one of my friends that she is getting married next month.

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And The Pain Gets Fierce by Another Year: 15 years in hunger strike

2/11/2015

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Since she sat on her fast she's arrested and force fed nasally by the government for 15 years. Photo courtesy- Kanglaonline.com

Enough news stories have been done. Enough columns written; enough fact finding and enough of analysis! Both sides of the story been told enough by global journalistic fraternity. But, I write this today not as a journalist. I apologize to my peers for whipping off my journalistic attire for a while. Journalism studies taught me to be unbiased, but I would rather flout that ethics today. I purposely want to be biased today! I will tell only one side of the story; Irom Chanu Sharmila’s story.

As I pen this piece Irom Sharmila’s relentless crusade against the draconian law Arms Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) gets older by another painful year. It all started back in 2nd November, 2000. A date which remained a black spot in the history of Manipur forever- Malom, a town situated in Manipur’s Imphal Valley became witness to the infamous and gruesome Malom Massacre. Allegedly Assam Rifles- one of the Indian Paramilitary forces operating in the state, brutally shot dead ten innocent civilians waiting at a bus stop. The deceased included, women, senior citizens and minor. The shrieks, the cries of those ten innocent souls washed away in the gruesome bloodshed. May be it was only the deadly silence of the street, that became evident of the monstrous encounter. The obvious license to this devilish aura was and is AFSPA.

Irom Chanu Sharmila, fasted as part of her regular Thursday chores, which she had been following since childhood. However, unlike every other Thursday, her fast never ended and continues till date stretching to 15 years now. Perhaps that barely matter for us. Matters what is proximity? Whilst Anna Hazare’s Hazare’s 12-day fast trembled the nation, sent revolutionary ripples across the globe, Sharmila’s 15-year long battle is lost in the crowd! Sigh! Apparently fighting without having food and water for over 700 weeks now isn’t of much human interest.

Hiding enough pain of walking on a road not known. Photo courtesy- IBN Live

While I was surfing the news space today one of the famed news sites read, ‘India becomes world’s 7th most valued 'nation brand' with increase of 32% in brand value to $2.1 billion, US tops list at $19.7 billion, while China comes in 2nd.’

Most valued nation? Apparently true! Because economy doesn’t take into account human pang. Perhaps in this country currency is valued higher than human lives!

During this period of a decade and half, governments have changed; a bounty of consultations were done, yet 15-year is perhaps not enough to come to any logical conclusion! While hefty political brownie points are scored on her crusade, inside some guarded hospital berth turned into a makeshift prison Irom Sharmila continues to ail, arrested and charged with an ‘attempt to commit suicide.’

But, where exactly the is the flaw? I don’t have an answer. Every year there’s a galore of events to commemorate her crusade. But apart from that, unfortunately we could do much. Stacks of venerated pieces have been written on Irom Sharmila and human rights violation in the region and I am just one among them. All she earned in these years are worthless entitlements like ‘iron lady of Manipur’; ‘the world's longest hunger striker’, Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, Mayillama Award; lifetime achievement award (Asian Human Rights Commission); Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize; was voted the top woman icon of India (MSN) and the compilation could be endless. But, awards and entitlements merely make any sense! She was aged 28 when embarked on this utter painful crusade and now she’s 43. Sadly, her could be most glorious years of womanhood that perished to oblivion could not change the fate of governance.

We can only keep knocking the door; the lock is to be opened by the establishment. May be we can break open the door, but only to be branded as ‘anti-establishment fringe’. This will induce perhaps more ‘prisoners of conscience.’ All that is left for us to do is ride on the virtue of patience till our law makers breed a solution holding discussions behind closed doors over breakfast, lunch and dinner; while Irom Sharmila is force fed nasally!

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Assam beware of saffron fanatics!

14/10/2015

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Representative Image. Courtesy-i.imgur.com

The clarion has been blown; all the entrants are on their groves; its mandate 2016 knocking vigorously at the door! From high voltage rallies to revamping of policies to stalwart leaders representing numerous political parties visiting Assam, they are leaving no stone unturned to lure the voters. Thus, battle for 2016 Assam assembly election has been kicked off.

If experts are to be believed after 15 long years of Congress regime in the state the question-what next, makes this electoral clash even more interesting. According to political pundits keeping aside smaller parties, the Congress, All India United Democratic Font(AIUDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could be espied as the key players of the game. Unlike previous terms when the battle is restricted to the regional parties, the poll scenario looks different. BJP is the new but a powerful entrant here. After its unprecedented victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections the Narendra Modi government went all guns blazing to leave its footmarks across the country forming government in Haryana, Mumbai and a coalition in Jammu and Kashmir. Though the BJP’s winning chariot was halted in Delhi by Aam Aadmi Party, but now the BJP will look to get back in the winning aura again.

According to BJP minister Sarbananada Sonwal over 3,000 aspirants have submitted applications seeking BJP party tickets for the 126-member state assembly elections in Assam. Added to that migration of flamboyant leader Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma and other ten other MLAs from Congress to BJP, gives a sense of the saffron party’s firm eye to grip the state. Thus, this makes the fear of BJP playing its age old card of bigotry politics for polarization and communalization quite obvious.

A copy of the letter written by the secretary of Kumarpara Muslim Jamat Committee. Courtesy- Social Media

The BJP has already opened its card beyond doubt. The first litmus test came in the form of center’s notification granting asylum to Bangladeshi Hindu migrants in Assam. Though this was mere notification but the BJP succeeded to create a divisive strife in Assam. As repercussions on one side we saw various Assamese organizations registering their protest against this notification while on the other side anti-Assamese slogans made its way from numerous non-Assamese groups. But, behind the ethnic tension simmering in the state very few perhaps realized that it was a well orchestrated one by the BJP and the damage of polarization was already done!

The heinous Dadri lynching that sent shock ripples globally is assuredly afresh in our minds, but what came as aftermath of the saddening episode was even more shocking. With the arrest of one Vishal, having political affiliations with the BJP, accused of inciting the mob; one can’t downplay the fact of an orchestrated communal disharmony on part of the saffron brigade. Even the modus operandi was much similar to that of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. First an announcement on a loudspeaker about a cow slaughtered and later rumor spreading across the village via WhatsApp and social media tools. This gives enough instance of the saffron brigade’s type of politics.

The recent strife between two religious group in Silchar gives yet another instance of communal polarization to score political brownie points. It was on October 1st when I opened my mailbox to astonishment. A mail from a gentleman read, “Can you please help people of Barak Valley. We are facing severe and major communal problems from last few days.” He further went on to indicate the involvement of saffron fanatics behind these acts. Being presently based out of India, I didn’t have much for him to offer. All I could do was to appeal him to maintain calm and not get instigated by rumors and take help of the administration and police in situations of utmost adversity.

But, when I went on to cross check his claims I was appraised that BJP leaders were brazenly defying the law. It went to an extent where Police had to arrest BJP Silchar MLA Dilip Paul and Cachar district president Kaushik Rai after they flout Section 144 in Meherpur. But, what was even more jaw dropping was when acting deputy commissioner of Cachar, M K Das, convened an all-party meeting to maintain peace in the town, BJP decided to boycott it!

Time now to continue the endeavor with same enthusiasm and not succumb to bigotry politics and fanatics. Representative Image | Courtesy- latimesphoto.files.wordpress.com

There has also been attempts to create strife by a section of Muslim community as well. As of recently the secretary of Kumarpara Muslim Jamat Committee wrote to the Deputy Commissioner against the immersion procession of idols during Durga Puja. Kumarmara is counted among Guwahati’s one of the oldest and busiest areas. As per the request of that committee representative since a mosque is located on the route thus durga puja procession often tend to disturb those offering ‘namaz’. This saw emotions running high while a section looked to gain political mileage giving it a communal colour. However, sharp criticism and intervention of some right thinking Muslims of the city brought an end to this drama.

But, being on ground it’s WE the people of Assam who can defeat these religious fanatics and bigotry politics. Home to a diverse language, communities and ethnicities it’s being Assamese that binds us to the feeling of oneness. The other day I went to a coffee shop in London while the caterer was preparing my cup I was browsing through the various posters and ads displayed. I stumbled upon one which informed about the availability of veritable Assam tea. When I enquired the manager if he knows where Assam is he answered in negative but added that Assam tea has an invincible fame in the city for its flavor. I could see the glitter in his eyes when I told him that I hail from Assam and it is in India. I had moist eyes, I reckoned my land, I was drenched in a patriotic fervor! Perhaps that’s the specialty of Assam, that’s the pride in being an Assamese.

Focusing back to the election fever, there would certainly be attempts to taint the peaceful setup of Assam. But, the inhabitants of the state have to be aware of any such polarizing acts by saffron brigade or any other bigots. Assam is the land of Srimanta Sankardev and well as Ajan Fakir. We are known globally for upholding the truest virtue of harmony, unity and peace. Time now to continue the endeavor with same enthusiasm and not succumb to bigotry politics and fanatics.

(The author is a journalist and political writer presently based in England, pursuing a master’s program in International Journalism from University of Sussex. He reports on the socio-political setup. His works can be viewed on www.shamimzakaria.com)

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A Rendezvous With the Stalwarts of Journalism

5/10/2015

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Paul Lashmar, Investigative Journalist empowering the audience

It’s been about four weeks now since I stepped in British land and the journey both interms of education and personal endeavour in this country has been exuberantly exciting and assuredly this voyage would lead to a lot more erudite discoveries. Being a student of journalism apart from knowing the journalistic aura and political fragrance of the country, the greatest perk came today in the form of an empowering seminar entitled, ‘Investigative Journalism-the past, present and the future.’ The event ushered the audience with an opportunity to hear some of the impeccable voices in journalism speaking about the arena on the whole and their arduous journey.

The discussion primarily centred around investigative journalism, its practice and practical relevance. The event that was stratified into two parts, the second of which belonged to some stalwart editors hailing from Brighton’s print and broadcast media sharing their thought on the aspects of local journalistic practice.

The evening embarked with Paul Lashmar’s presentation explaining the nitty-gritty of investigative journalism. He is a renowned investigative journalist having set numerous precedences during his endeavour and is also a senior lecturer in journalism at University of Sussex. Emphasising on how to be a successful investigative journalist he asked the reporters to brad on curiosity. “State of mind is core to investigative journalism. The reporters need to keep questioning things,” added Paul Lashmar. Pointing at the traits of an investigative reporter and his report Paul Lashmar put forth a valiant point stating, “Facts that nobody has previously dug out and nobody else can ever dig out in future course.” While there isn’t any specific trait of an investigative reporter but what Paul Lashmar stressed upon was possessing some amount of previous reporting experience and knowledge of law most importantly.

During the course of his talk Paul Lashmar recollected numerous interesting professional anecdotes from his long spanning journalistic career. While he suggested a galore of acknowledged documentaries/movies pertaining to investigative journalism that included Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and Insider among others; he also threw light on some of the most illuminating investigative journalists from around the world including the likes of Nick Davies; Bob Woodward; Seymour Hersh; John Pilger and Carl Bernstein.

Summing up his empowering talk Paul Lashmar asked the aspiring journalist to choose any great journalist as their role model and follow their footsteps. Adding to it he said, “If I ask a group of literature students to give me three names of their favourite author, assuredly each one in the group would come up with theirs, in spur of a minute. However, if I ask a group of journalism student about three of their favourite journalists most of them would keep pondering.” Thus, he directed every journalism student to follow their favourite journalist, their work, their stories and how they actually scratch a story.

Apparently what gave the jam packed audience enough food for thought was, when Paul Lashman asked the students to think themselves not as students but as trainee journalist from day one. “Don’t merely rely on books. Get out, talk to people and get yourself involved. You are a journalist from first day itself.”

The second personage to grace the dais was Mike Gilson who serves as the editor of Brighton’s local daily, The Argus. Apart from his personal journey he spoke at length about journalism opportunities in the city. Perhaps one of the most important suggestion coming from him was listening to people even if they aren’t of any interest. “Listen to people, how much uninteresting they might be. You never know who gives you a tip-off for a good story,” he added. Speaking in particular about the importance of a good story Mike Gilson said, “Good stories are always in demand.” He also briefly touched on the aspects of morality and audacity which a journalist must posses. “Small guys need to step up to those in power and say look we are similar, we are equal and have our voices,” he added.

Leading the broadcast flag was Tim Ridgeway, the News Editor of Latest TV. His brief talk encompassed the importance of local TV channels and the role these channels can play affecting the lives of city dwellers. He also spoke by and large about the functioning and organisational structure of Latest TV.

Tim Ridgeway, News Editor, latest TV during his talk

Greg Hadfield was the speaker to pull down the curtains on this evening of enlightenment. Starting on an interesting note on empowering the voiceless he said, “If you are thinking to build your career in this field, don’t think only interms of working in newspaper or print. There are numerous other ways of giving voice to the voiceless.” Greg Hadfield who is the editorial director of Brighton and Hove Independent, enlightened about which he believes is the most beautiful aspect of journalism; wherein one goes out, finds new stuff and finally releases it. Asking to reading the works of George Orwell, came as an important piece of advice for the aspiring journalists. He further spoke on how there are always new stories around and to lie back and say that there’s nothing new is being ‘lazy’ as a journalist.

The event organised by Brighton Journalists Works and University of Sussex, marked the presence of a full house audience and the peroration saw a brief question and answer session where students tried quenching their thirst of curiosity.

A personal experience
Since the time I was informed about this seminar I was excited, for this would be my maiden experience in UK hearing from the people who directly hails from the industry. Being an on-campus resident I started from my room at around 6:10pm and just after walking a few meters it started raining cats and dogs! However, somehow running, huffing and puffing I made it to the event and had a ride on the wheel of knowledge.
The seminar ended but the rain didn’t, indeed it was more heavy than before. Yet, after a fierce battle with the droplets finally was back in my abode being soaked from top to bottom. But, all that barely matters when one gets to hear such impeccable minds of journalism. It was certainly an erudite experience getting appraised about the practical scenario from these stalwarts. And this is how I would like to conclude my evening-
'Drenched both in knowledge and a gusty downpour'

NB- The poor quality of the images is resultant of mobile phone photography. The author highly regrets it.

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Rakesh Maria- 9 lesser known facts about the 'super cop'

9/9/2015

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The 'super cop' wearing his most simplified yet clandestine smile! Image Courtesy- DNA

First the murder of Sheena Bora, then arrest of Sheena’s sister Indrani Mukerjee, who later turned out to be actually her mother and furthermore the various mysterious unfurling. The entire saga has certainly sent ripples across the nation and beyond! However, along with the case one man who finds himself in the midst of much spot light is former Mumbai Police chief Rakesh Maria. While it is speculated that his recent removal from the post of Mumbai Police commissioner and elevation as Director General of Home Guards might shackle the course of investigation; his transfer has even sharpen the focus. Though the Indrani story for it’s murky sketch has managed to make much noise, however given his flair for investigations and as a sleuth this super cop is one of the best in the country and much used to this limelight! Here are nine lesser known facts about Rakesh Maria, who is known for cracking tough nuts-

1) It’s won’t be wrong to call him the man behind the hanging of Yakub Memon
-Maria shot to fame after his hard-hitting investigations of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. On the evening of March 12, 1993, the day 12 serial bomb blasts rocked the city, the Matunga police station received a phone from Dr. Jaichand K Mandot, a skin specialist who had noticed a light blue scooter parked in front of his clinic at Dadar (East), a stone's throw from the crowded train station. It was there before the blast and continued to be there after. A team led by Maria reached the spot and discovered the scooter laden with explosives. The same night an abandoned Maruti van was found off Worli by the Police. The van registered in the name of Rubina Memon, a resident of Al-Hussaini building in Mahim, was found with weapons, hand grenades and other weapons. Maria led a team to the Memon residence and found it locked. When they broke into the flat, he found the key to the explosive-laden scooter outside Mandot's clinic.

The key linked the scooter to Abdul Razzak Memon and his five sons including Tiger and Yakub Memon. Two days after the bomb blasts, Maria, despite being from the traffic division, had cracked the case. The state government created a post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) especially for Maria to head. His investigations into the bomb blasts led to 100 convictions and the hanging of Yakub Memon.

2) Avid lover of gazals and qawwali and may not miss out and opportunity even in the midst of an investigation!
-It reportedly came to light that during an investigation into the terrorist group Indian Mujahideen in an eastern UP town, Maria was told that a well-known qawwali singer was performing through the night at a known dargah. Once he finished his work for the day, Maria went across to the dargah and enjoyed a night of qawwali.

3) From real life to reel life with an age old bond with the silver screen
-While a number of bollywood movies have characters based on Rakesh Maria, his father Vijay Maria came to Mumbai in the months after Partition aspiring to become a film actor. He became a financer and producer. Maria's family still owns the production house Kala Niketan. Actor Anupam Kher is a close friend of Maria and his role as Prakash Rathore in the Hindi flick A Wednesday is one of them. Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday on the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts saw actor Kay Kay Menon depicting Maria. Actor Nana Patekar's character in Ram Gopal Varma's The Attacks of 26/11 is also based on Maria.

4) Often termed by his associates as viagra of the demoralised police force
-Espying his obsession with a case, though his detractors within the force may accuse him of "hijacking" cases however Maria has the complete respect of his juniors, who even call him "a shot of viagra" to a demoralised police force considering him a task master working for the best of the fraternity with no political masters.

5) Known for his non-violent yet innovative and fierce methods of interrogation
-As an interrogator he does not believe in the third degree methods. He plays mind games with the accused like interrogating them at odd hours and can continue his interrogations at a stretch of 10 hours without losing his cool. Maria also has the capability to establish an emotive bond with the accused. They start to trust him and give valuable information. That is how he got Ajmal Kasab, to confess about the role of Pakistan's Hafeez Sayeed in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

6) Inspector Dinesh Kadam supposedly Maria’s most trusted man?
-Through his journey from the traffic department to the crime branch to anti-terrorism squad to city police commissioner, inspector Dinesh Kadam has always moved with him. Kadam helped Maria investigate the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, now he is the investigating officer in the Sheena Bora murder case. In the Sheena Bora murder, when Maria received a tip off from a woman, he transferred Kadam to Khar Police Station discreetly because he knew a bigger scandal was about to erupt. In the three months since that tip-off, the Maria-Kadam combination had been building a case against Indrani Mukerjea. He has barred all policemen from leaking information to the media on crucial cases.

7) Amidst controversy for alleged links with fugitive former IPL boss Lalit Modi
-Maria got entangled in a controversy after a news channel telecast photos of Maria with the ex-IPL chief. Maria subsequently issued a statement clarifying that Modi sought the help of Mumbai Police in view of "threat" to his life by the underworld in London, adding that he had apprised the then Home Minister (late RR Patil) about the meeting soon after his return. In due course, the Maharashtra government gave Maria a clean chit terming his explanation which was sough by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) KP Bakshi, a satisfactory one.

8) Man with a razor sharp memory
-He knows even the smallest players in the underworld. Though sometimes his colleagues and subordinates might tend to forget but the 58-year old cop gives every penny of details along with the latest status of the criminal. He remembers names of criminals including their middle names, age, addresses and their crime sheet. All this without anything written down!

9) An abled sportsperson
-Maria is a keen basketball player and cricketer. He has also represented Maharashtra in the National Games in Karate.

(The above piece is compiled after extraction of information and excerpts from various news pieces published in Open Magazine, Hindustan Times, NDTV, India Today and First Post. Can be reproduced with due credit to the original publications and the owner of this blog)

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Sudeep’s new novel comes with the chills of thriller (Book review)

2/9/2015

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TITLE: You’re trending in my dreams.
GENRE- Fiction
AUTHOR: Sudeep Nagarkar
PUBLISHER: Random House India
PAGES: 202
PRICE: MRP- 175 INR

REVIEW: Apparently he strode into the writing sphere ‘by chance’ and not ‘by choice’, yet that barely makes any difference for he is today the author of five back-to-back bestsellers with sixth one already in the loop. In Sudeep Nagarkar’s latest release- You’re Trending in My Dreams his readers would relish a new avatar of his pen. Known for his candid chronicles of friendship and love with the younger lot as the prime poles, this book is no different, however elements of thrill and clement pieces of mystery comes from the author as an add on. You’re Trending in My Dreams is a story about four college students each with their own set of problems, challenges and backdrop tales, who come to live in a common city sharing a common flat.

Sudeep has tried to portray the lives of Varun, Ahana, Malvika and Garima, who as young adults has just stepped into the harsh world. They are acquainted to its problems and apprised of the cruelties wherein they tend to succumb while riding through the bumpy road, but again reinvigorates lost zeal with the warmth and support of one another. The book also explores other relationship with a friendly touch. Unlike Sudeep previous books this one might redeem an escalated popularity among the young strata as there’s one male character and three females and all of them decides to share a common flat forms the primary crux of the story. Thus, this might trigger and bit more interest.

The book also looks to establish how both friendship and love can march in parallel residing in the same life zones! In his book Sudeep has ensured that your adrenaline glands are ticked, but again this isn’t based on a thriller or mysterious plot. If you have read Sudeep’s previous novels then you ought to love it more and even if you haven’t you would still enjoy reading. Highly recommended for avid readers of trash fiction. You can start reading You’re Trending in My Dreams, with a smile which will remain intact till the last page.

My take away from the book has been, ‘wrong deed doesn’t always certify people as wrong beings, it may also imply that time and situation weren’t right. Everybody has a story behind’

STARS: Well, to be very honest Sudeep Nagarkar is already a rising start and heartthrob of millions of readers!!

Available in all leading book stores across India including FLIPKART, AMAZON and other shopping sites

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An Open Letter to 'journalist' HEMEN RAJBONGSHI

20/8/2015

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Hemen Rajbongshi | Photo Courtesy- Hemen's facebook

Dear Mr. Hemen Rajbongshi

Greeting! Your social media bio says you are a reporter serving Pratidin Time- a vernacular satellite news channel catering to the regional Assamese audience. It further states that you began your stint with News Live, another regional channel in 2009 and quit News Live to join Pratidin Time in 2013 where you continue to work. This goes on to say that your tenure stretches to a span of six years which is a pretty bulky experience. Thus, Sir compared to your experience I am mere novice in this vast arena of journalism. However, since you with your recent reportage ‘Scantily clad girls, a summer time nuisance’ you went on to establish that you’re an earnest believer that everything which we esp ought to be symbolic! Hence, trying to put forth my credentials before I opine. Sir, just humbly informing you that I have been into working journalism from the tender age of 17, having accredited with bylined reports at that age. Added to that academically, I am a graduate in Journalism and have been recently selected for fellowship in International Journalism at University of Sussex, United Kingdom with a full scholarship. I have contributed to regional, national as well as international publication including the BBC. The reason why I am stating about myself is because you have already proved to be a stereotypical person who tends to judge a person character through her attire. So, I hope given my credentials would help you to objectify my opinion.

However, I write to you today not as a journalist or your counterpart but as a common young Assamese who is hurt, ashamed and equally furious for wrongfully utilizing the forth state. By using your channel, Pratidin Time for moral policing and your voyeurism of women's clothes and bodies, you have tainted the sanity of journalism. Sir, you said in your report that attired in knee length dress is bringing disgrace to Assamese culture, but filming young girls’ body parts without blurring their face is neither safeguarding culture nor journalism. Sir, when confronted you went on to say with all audacity that, just because your mother or sister doesn’t wear knee length dress, thus your work doesn’t disrespect anybody. You didn’t even spare little girls from being captured on camera! If so, Sir what about those thousands of women of the state who are comfortable in their own attire? I am sure they too are mothers, sisters, wife, beloved or daughters of someone, so would you personify them as immoral and lose-character? You also spoke about male psychology and believe that it’s visually stimulated! No, Sir absolutely not, I being a male condemn and object to such irrational generalization. Your opinion only stripes off your own perverted, hypocritical, sexist and male chauvinistic set of mind

I and my sibling have been brought up in an environment where I was acclimatized to both foreign culture and taught about the essence of Assamese tradition. I am well appraised about the history and personae of Valentines day and also is exhilarated by the sound of a ‘pepa’ and celebrate Bihu giving my heart out to it. My mother looks as beautiful and respectful in a Mekhela Chadar and being a working lady she is equally respected when attired in a jeans, t-shirt or skirt! The same goes for my sister as well. But, who knows tomorrow just to feed your news sensitization and voyeurism you might film by mother and sister to objectify them as public indecency!

No, Sir, never! Enough is enough! If you think in the name of news you would do anything and everything, that’s not going to happen. You can’t go scot free. In a country where women are often involuntarily considered the flagbearers of morality, where have we left these women, who will now have to deal with families and a society prone to quick judgements and uncharitable tags? You and your channel have no business to use the television medium to propagate hatred against women in this fashion.

I am resentful when I come across the word ‘presstitute’, but what hurts me even more is people using such derogatory word have enough arguments to establish their claim and individuals like Hemen Rajbongshi are crux of their argument. But, the fact that people have started identifying the individualistic reason who brings a shame to the profession, ushers us with ray of hope.

Assam having a galore of news channels bounty of non-professional and untrained people are appointed in low stipend and these channels air stuff which are profitable for the channel owners. Thus, along with HEMEN RAJBONGSHI, the Editor-in-chief, NITUMONI SAIKIA along with the entire editorial wing at large is also accountable for granting permission to air such illicit package.

Please do not take me mistakenly for I ain't generalising, but perhaps representing the Hemen Rajbongshi strata believes having a logo engraved microphone and shoving it every now and then gives them the liberty to walk an inch above the ground. The outrage that you are presently espying is just the tip of the ice-berg. This flame will keep augmenting and look to burn down every mess created in the name of news. It will melt down every insanity thriving in the name of journalistic practice. This collusion of news maker, audience and news breaker will stitch a new dawn to the fabric of journalism, of which we will be proud of!

May you soon come out of your sick mindset,

Shamim Zakaria

(This letter comes in response to a news story entitled 'Scantily clad girls, a summer time nuisance,' by Hemen Rajbongshi who went on to claim in his piece that, knee length attire symbolizes public indecency. Later on a social media campaign demanding apology was run which wen viral and sparked a nation wide outrage and was further given mileage by national media. The details of the entire episode is available here-
(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1033309753380806&set=a.301914279853694.75433.100001053731683&&theater )

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Execution of Yakub Memon: An act of revenge or justice?

30/7/2015

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Hanging Yakub Memon would nothing but make but make killers of us all! Representative graphics. Courtesy- inagist.com

On the late hours of Wednesday as the President of India rejected 1993 Bombay bombings convict Yakub Memon’s mercy petition on his death sentence, the curtains were finally pulled over a more than 20-year long legal quest. Apparently, Memon will sentient his last dusk, will be experiencing a living darkness a last time, for after his execution at 7 in the morning of July 30, few minutes of pain will be filled with a never ending macabre of darkness.

May be this is the end to Yakub Memon saga, but the biggest question is, is this an end to terrorism or hatred? As the television channels were relentlessly covering the final hearing of Yakub Memon’s death sentence in the Supreme Court, I saw a gentleman who lost his kin in the mortifying blast expressing his stance over the upholding of Memon’s death sentence by the apex court. He acted happy and content, according to him, Yakub Memon’s execution will bring justice to the victims and their families. But, more than the feeling of contentment as a recipient of justice, his eyes spoke the triumph of vengeance! Which perhaps makes us question, will the hanging of Yakub Memon really bring justice or it will satisfy our warm blood of revenge?

It seems asking questions on the degree of sentence in the case of Yakub Memon, there’s been a paradigm shift from the real subject. While the debate should have been if capital punishment be awarded to Memon, the debate mostly hovered on if Yakub Memon be accorded death penalty. But, certainly this entire episode has reintegrated the echo of a fresh debate on the relevance of capital punishment.

According to Amnesty International, there are thousands of people in this country who believe that the use of death penalty is arbitrary, flawed and biased. Death penalty is merely short term revenge and death in any form can’t bring justice to anyone. Moreover, death and a few minutes of fear before it is not what can be termed as punishment. We have been made to believe that death penalty might work as a deterrent towards the crime rate or creating fear in the minds of the perpetrators. However, there’s no evidence or research to suggest that death penalty actually succeeded in bringing down the crime rate or created a sense of fear. A shocking survey reveals that in western countries where death penalty is still prevalent, the crime rate is higher than the countries which have abolished capital punishment.

Coming back to Yakub Memon, I would have compelled to believe that Yakub’s execution is an act of sheer justice only if it can promise that with Yakub’s death there will be deterrence in terrorism, it will instill a fear among anti-national organizations, it will bring down the crime rate at large. And if that can’t be vouched, hanging Yakub would be termed nothing more than a legal murder! Killing can never transform a society; it cannot serve or justify a community or society in any form. There’s a lot more to do, to make the society grow.

Television coverage showed visuals of crowd cheering slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai outside Nagpur jail; people clicking selfies and added to it anchors discussing about the size of the rope and breakfast menu before Yakub’s execution! It makes me wonder, are these celebration for justice or we are quenching our thirst of revenge?

Hanging Yakub Memon would nothing but make but make killers of us all. While the 1993 blasts or any unlawful killing is extremely lamentable, the state awarding capital punishment is simply another act of killing! The mere difference is this is under the legal frame work and is an organized killing; therefore we are bound to accept it. But, the process barely justifies the result, for a killing is a killing, be it legally or illegally!

According to the law, only the rarest of the rare cases deserve capital punishment but earlier, while examining the parameters of the rarest of the rare cases, the opinion of the society must also be considered in course of judgment. Now, this in itself is very shocking. How can the combined social will towards a particular case be surveyed? Does this mean that the judicial system must go along with the street noises? If a person is against death penalty in a particular case, how can they register their discontentment? If that’s really the case, why a galore of country’s bigwig voices for Yakub Memon, go unheard?

I suppose, to uplift the society in terms of aesthetic and moral grounds, focus should be on creating a space for education, acuity, equal access to justice and legal opportunity and eradication of poverty instead of just killing the offenders.

Justice must prevail and nobody is above law, as law abiding citizens we comply by the virtue of a pristine judiciary. But, I will have a more firm believe in the country’s highest body when stringent punishment is ensured for every perpetrator behind gruesome crimes including the likes of Pragya Thakur, Dara Singh, Aseemanand, Purohit among others. The law is certainly equal for all be it an accused of 1993 Bombay blast or 2002 Gujarat carnage, be Yakub Memon or someone holding an powerful political stature, nobody should go scot free!

(The first version of the article was published in countercurrents.org and Kashmir Monitor)

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Revisiting our Footprints

MarkSHIT: Musings from an aimless person

Tale of Relationships and Love

And The Pain Gets Fierce by Another Year: 15 years in hunger strike

Assam beware of saffron fanatics!

A Rendezvous With the Stalwarts of Journalism

Rakesh Maria- 9 lesser known facts about the 'super cop'

Sudeep’s new novel comes with the chills of thriller (Book review)

An Open Letter to 'journalist' HEMEN RAJBONGSHI

Execution of Yakub Memon: An act of revenge or justice?

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