The country is evidencing continued protests, students thankfully taking over from violent arsonists and the damage to public properties have declined sharply. I guess the government cannot ignore the students’ who have shunned religious bigotry and have chosen a path of carrying all citizens together. The agitations in UP and Bihar though continue to be violent, fanatic elements taking over and exploiting the situation. A few have died, the police claiming that they have not fired a shot!
Be that as it may, many NDA partners are shunning NRC, which includes Nitish Kumar, who spoke in favour of the idea just the other day. Back Home, West Bengal’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee seems to be the sole State or national level leader in the forefront, leading the CAA protests in the State. A TMC party delegation is likely to visit Lucknow to take stock of the situation. She has already announced a series of programs spreading over the next week with Christmas day as the only respite.
The Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah sensing the mood of the nation, in the meanwhile has withdrawn his twitter message of going ahead with CAA and NRC, regardless of any protests.
I never get tired of watching West Bengal CM’s programs on the TV or net, which never fail to excite me. There cannot be any comparable protestor in India matching her tenacity, talents and imagination. The snatching of the microphone from the hands of her startled party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay was hilarious. No other CM in India could have dreamt of doing such a daring act in public, which explains the power she wields over her party colleagues.
Didi’s ‘Kaka Chi Chi’ is now viral on the net. No one could have conjured up and coined such a slogan, which only the Bengal CM could do! Her charisma is electric as seen from all those behind her promptly repeating her sloganeering. This included several Ministers, lawmakers, intellectuals and artists. I, of lower cerebral levels though, am still trying to replay it several times to decipher, what could it have meant with little success
In a lull period devoid of pujas, celebrations and award ceremonies, the CAA has come handy to keep everyone occupied in the State. TMC has yet again converted a critical issue in its favour, the State BJP losing their track.
The thousands of students who marched today in Kolkata, do not want a community to be abandoned. Most minorities are simple, poor and are trying to eke out an honorable living. It’s a few criminal leaders, who seek to foster fear, sow hatred and divide the nation, who have to be apprehended and isolated. The cost and consequences of a divided nation will be hard to makeup and the burnt bridges challenging to rebuild in any near future.
I am sure this too will pass as the year soon ending!
Jai Hind
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
