The Educationist

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Calling Dilip DSouza, Arundhati Roy, Praful Bidwai, Pankaj Mishra:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_252000,0012.htm
Where violence rules
May 12
The violence during the run-up to the panchayat polls in West Bengal and on the polling day itself is evidence of an alarming law and order situation.

There is now every reason to believe in the complaints voiced earlier by the Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties that CPI(M) supporters — often an euphemism for anti-social elements — did not allow their opponents to file nomination papers.

As a result, the polls this time will see the largest number of seats — as many as 6,800 — where no contests are taking place. The figure is way above last year’s 600 and the year before’s 1,716. Taken together with the deaths from political clashes that have marked the polls, their outcome will evidently lack legitimacy. Considering that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had to issue an unprecedented order ensuring that all candidates were allowed to file their nomination papers, it is obvious that the CPI(M) hasn’t been too keen this time on the fairness of the poll.

If the Marxists, rather than the Left Front, are facing the brunt of the accusations, it is because they have been embroiled in violent conflicts not only with the Trinamool Congress and other non-Leftist parties, but also with their own partners in the ruling alliance. The day after BJP leader and Union Minister Tapan Sikdar was attacked, an RSP minister had to flee from a group of CPI(M) assailants. A probable reason why the violence has now affected all parties inside and outside the ruling coalition is that the Left Front parties are fighting among themselves in as many as 11,000 of the 58,000 panchayat seats — the internecine contests this time being up from 4,500 on the last occasion.

What these disturbing events indicate is that West Bengal is seemingly on the way to joining the ranks of the BIMARU states. It is not only its lowly position relating to poor infrastructure and lack of investment which has brought it closer to, say, Bihar, the ongoing insensate violence is also suggestive of a breakdown of the political and administrative systems, comparable to Laloo Yadav’s fiefdom. Even before the panchayat polls led to an escalation of the violent incidents, there were frightening reports of attacks on marriage parties and on political opponents which painted a grim picture of West Bengal. Now the scene seems even more bleak.

Very educational.

Ras

Quite extraorinary.

Also, if the bigwigs of Hollywood can champion Dr.Hunter ```Patch` Adams`` cause, why can`t the Bollywood waffles come up with something similarly inspiring.
Can create a lot of awareness. Just a thought.

Cheers.

Thank you for this, Zafar sahab.

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What is interesting is the effect of all this education. Now education itself has become an industry and the village has grown into a town with a metalled road, shops a brothel and money being sent home from bigger cities and Amrika.

What about using the education within the village to solve village problems, may be setting up industry, innovating or in general making the village life better.

Inspiring !

Zafar:
A good tribute to your school. I think the story would have been better if the `monkey` element had been removed. After initial introduction, it is quite clear what the story is all about and the use of the monkey metaphor is unclear.

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