Shah Jahan’s reign saw the Mughal Empire at its zenith. He was a great builder who built the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid of Delhi. To this day, these iconic buildings represent the soul of India. The Independence Day is celebrated at the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal symbolizes India in the same way as pyramids symbolize Egypt. Shah Jahan also laid the foundation of Shahjahanabad, one of seven Delhis. Ibne Insha, the Urdu humourist, once jokingly remarked that if Shah Jahan had not been an Emperor, he would have been a “raj mistri” (a mason)! Such was Shah Jahan’s zeal for buildings. His favorite daughter Jahanara founded the Chandani Chowk in the heart of Delhi. Shah Jahan was also a foodie. He relished exotic meals. Recently, I came across a cook book Nuskha-e-Shah Jahani (Recipes of the Shah Jahan age), penned by the food historian Salma Hussain. It tells us that Shah Jahan had mutton gulab jamuns at his dastarkhwan (dining table). Mutton gulab jamuns? I’ll try some day.

And Shah Jahan, like Dasrath, had four sons. Dasrath had Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan. Shah Jahan had Dara, Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad. The eldest son Ram was Dasrath’s favorite. And the eldest son Dara Shikoh was Shah Jahan’s favorite. Dara Shikoh was a man of letters. A great philosopher well ahead of his times. Very similar in temperament to his great grandfather Akbar. He was a Sufi at heart who believed in Sarv Dharm Sambhaav (equality of all religions). A brand ambassador of Hindustan’s Ganga-Jamni tehzeeb, the Gandhi of the Mughal Era!

When Shah Jahan fell ill, swords were unsheathed to capture the Peacock Throne. The coveted Takht-e-Taus of Hindustan. As the eldest son, Dara Shikoh was the obvious successor to Shah Jahan. The crown prince (yuvraj, as they say in Hindi). But Aurangzeb was a cunning guy. A “chatur lomdi” of Panchtantra stories. When the succession battles ensued, Dara Shikoh had an upper hand. But the Battle of Samugarh changed it all.

A small mistake made by Dara at the battle cost him the throne of Hindustan and his life. Dara Shikoh rode an elephant as the Indian kings often did. Aurangzeb’s army stood no chance. But then Dara Shikoh dismounted the royal elephant for no specific reason. And his soldiers got confused. Seeing an empty “howdah” (the seat on elephant back), they panicked. Thinking that Dara Shikoh  was killed, his soldiers ran helter skelter. A delighted Aurangzeb seized the moment and turned the tables. Dara was captured. Like a wild animal, the Mughal  shahzada was caged. He was tortured and then beheaded at Aurangzeb’s orders. (Before Hindu fanatics jump on this incident as an example of Muslims’ cruelty, let me remind the Ram Bhakts that Pramod Mahajan was murdered by his younger brother Praveen Mahajan!). Thus, Dara Shikoh’s momentary lapse changed the course of history. “Lamhon  ne  khata ki, sadiyon ne  saza  paayi” (moments made errors and centuries suffered.)

Aurangzeb ascended the Mughal throne and predictably proved to be an unmitigated disaster. To rule a big country, the ruler needs a big heart. Aurangzeb was a Sunni bigot full of hatred towards Hindus, Sikhs and Shias. Rebellions against his rule became the order of the day. He put the Sikh Guru Tegh  Bahadur to death but couldn’t crush the Sikh resistance. Marathas rebelled under Shivaji, called Mountain Rat by Aurangzeb. Jats revolted near Agra and Mathura. And then Aurangzeb shifted to Deccan to bring Shia kingdoms to knees. But Golconda and Bijapur proved hard nuts to crack. It is said that Spanish ulcer destroyed Napoleon. The Deccan ulcer caused Aurangzeb’s doom. The old Emperor, exhausted by ceaseless battles, breathed his last in Deccan and the fall of Mughals began.

In 1739, Nadir Shah raided Delhi and took with him the Peacock Throne to Persia. The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangeela hid the priceless Kohinoor diamond inside his turban. When Nadir Shah came to know about it, he exchanged his turban with the Mughal Emperor as a token of friendship!

Curtains finally came down on the Mughal Empire after the 1857 Mutiny. The last Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was arrested at Humayun’s Tomb. The Emperor was exiled to Rangoon, Burma where he died in prison. A heart broken man who couldn’t get “do gaz zameen” in his motherland for burial.

The New India has almost forgotten Dara Shikoh. The only Dara, Indians remember is Dara Singh, the wrestler. But Dara Shikoh was a tragic hero. A scholar-warrior who fought for truth, justice and communal harmony. The Aligarh Muslim University has done well to include his biography in the syllabus. Aligarh is known for “tala ” and “taaleem” (locks and education). I hope that Dara Shikoh’s glorious life will open some locks in the closed minds of communal Hindustanis!

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 batch IPS Officer. His views are personal.)

First published on http://www.themorningchronicle.in/

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Josh Malihabadi was born as Shabbir Hasan Khan in 1896. He was from an Afridi Pathan family based in Malihabad, a small town near Lucknow, the city of nawabs. And Shabbir Khan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Or should I say a golden spoon. His abba was a big zamindar with untold wealth. As a small kid, Shabbir fed sugarcanes to his pet elephant! His abba travelled in a “paalki” borne by eight “kahaars”. A young Shabbir was homeschooled by 4-5 ustads. He was a child prodigy who had mugged up Persian classics like Gulistaan and Bostaan. But his doting father was against Shabbir going to a school. He was so possessive!

After Shabbir’s satyagraha, he relented and sent Shabbir to schools first at Sitapur then at Lucknow. As a young man, Shabbir joined the MAO College in Aligarh, only to be thrown out for playing a prank with his junior! At the MAO College (now AMU) Shabbir Hasan Khan was a boarder, staying at the Mumtaz House. By this time, he was also a full-fledged Urdu poet. His “takhallus” (nom de plume) was Josh Malihabadi. In fact, poetry was in his DNA. His ancestors were also renowned poets. In 1924, Josh Malihabadi became an employee of the Hyderabad Nizam. The Nizam respected him but soon Josh was kicked out of Deccan for reciting a nazm against the Nizam himself! He went to Datia and Dholpur to try his luck but to no avail. Then he came to Delhi, got monetary help from Sarojini Naidu, Bulbul-e-Hindustan and launched his own magazine Kaleem. The magazine prospered until his business partner deserted him. For some time, Josh Malihabadi worked at the Shalimar Pictures in Pune as a songwriter but lost his job when the owner migrated to Pakistan! He got the editorship of Aajkal, courtesy his bosom friend Pandit Nehru.

By 1955, Josh Malihabadi was being courted by Pakistan. Pakistanis told him that after Nehru’s demise, Muslims would be persecuted in India. Josh Malihabadi’s grandsons would be forced to wear dhoti and keep choti. And then Josh Malihabadi committed the biggest blunder of his life. Breaking hearts of Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad, he bid adieu to Hindustan and became a Pakistani citizen! Tall promises made by his Pakistani friends soon turned out to be Narendra Modi’s “achchhe din”! Achchhe din never came and Josh soon found himself embroiled in the petty politics of Pakistan. People jealous of Josh Malihabadi made life miserable for him. Pandit Nehru called him back to India but shayar-e- inquilab was too proud to retrace his steps. The book makes the reader sad at Josh Malihabadi’s plight as a revolutionary poet sells his wife’s ornaments to keep the chulha burning!

The book is full of anecdotes. It also brings to light horrors of the zamindari system. How cruel the feudal system was. Sample this example. As a young boy, Shabbir Khan was a spoilt brat. He carried an airgun. One day, a poor barber’s son didn’t salaam him. Shabbir got so angry that he fired his airgun at the small kid. The metal ball pierced the little kid’s back. He cried in agony while the young Shabbir again hit him.

The book also throws light on conspiracies at the Nizam ‘s court. Sycophants ruled the roost while upright guys suffered. Josh Malihabadi also spent some time at Shantiniketan at Tagore’s request. Meat was banned at Shantiniketan and Josh ‘s servant Jugnu smuggled mutton inside Josh’s room!

Josh Malihabadi was very close to top Indian leaders especially Pandit Nehru, Maulana Azad and Sarojini Naidu. Once Nehru fired his secretary for speaking lies to Josh on telephone. Sarojini Nsidu was like a sister to Josh.

Overall, the book is a captivating one. A must-read for all who take pride in Hindustan’s Ganga-Jamni tehzeeb.

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 batch IPS Officer.)

Courtesy: themorningchronicle.in

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Sangeet Som (L) and Yogi Adityantah both are known for their Anti Muslims politics in the region
 

Ever since Dhongi Adityanath became the UP CM, the law and order has gone for a six. The Rajput CM has made a Rajput IPS the state DGP: OP Singh. And a Rajput MLA Kuldeep Sengar has gone berserk. The Unnao rape case has made international headlines. A Rajput MLA raped a girl and got her father murdered. Then an “accident” took place and the victim’s aunt was killed. But the Rajput CM and his pet Rajput DGP looked the other way. The girl is still on a ventilator. The Supreme Court of India finally intervened. The girl was given compensation, the CRPF protection and the trial was shifted to Delhi.

The terror unleashed by Rajput goons in UP is unparalleled. In UP towns, big and small, Rajput hoodlums gather under the pretext of celebrating Maharana Pratap Jayanti. They all are armed to the teeth. Then they raid Dalit homes and rape Dalit girls at gun point. Sometimes, they damage Ambedkar statues claiming that Ambedkar points his finger towards Rajput ladies! When the Bhim Army retaliated in Saharanpur, the Rajput hooliganism caught national attention.

The biggest mafia don in UP is a Rajput: Raja Bhaiyya. The MLA from Kunda is known as Kunda Ka Gunda. His name figured in the murder of Zia ul Haq, a senior police officer. But the CBI, called a “caged parrot” by the Supreme Court, gave him a clean chit. Mayawati invoked the dreaded POTA against Raja Bhaiyya but with Dhongi Adityanath at the helm, Raja Bhaiyya is a monster unchained. The Chief Minister is busy changing names. From Prayagraj to Allahabad, from Mughalsarai to Deen Dayal Nagar. Adityanath also wants to ban the Hindi word “gorakh-dhandha” (a racket) because the word insults Guru Gorakhnath! And Raja Bhaiyya is left untouched in his palace.

The UP Govt has put Muslims on its hit list. Kafeel Khan, Azam Khan etc. Dr Kafeel Khan was made a scapegoat after 70 kids died in a Gorakhpur hospital when the oxygen supply was cut off. And Azam Khan’s Jauhar University is raided day in and day out. Target Kafeel Khan and Azam Khan because they are Muslims. Don’t touch Kuldeep Sengar and Raja Bhaiyya because they are Muslims. Dhongi Adityanath’s policy is clear in UP, now called Ulta Pradesh by many.

As far as the withdrawal of riots cases against Sangeet Som is concerned, I hope that the Govt orders will be challenged at the Allahabad High Court. When the forest brigand Veerappan kidnapped Kannada super star Dr Rajkumar, the state Govt decided that cases would be dropped against Veerappan’s accomplices. But a police martyr’s father challenged the Govt move in the Supreme Court and the apex court ruled against the withdrawal of cases. I hope that families of Muzaffarnagar riots victims will oppose the withdrawal of cases against Sangeet Som. And Allahabad High Court will call Dhongi Adityanath’s bluff. Ulta Pradesh has suffered enough.

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 Batch IPS Officer. His views expressed here are personal.)

First published on http://www.themorningchronicle.in/

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Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar stoked a controversy with a remark that people are saying they will bring girls from Kashmir for marriage after abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution

But controversy has been Khattar’s middle name ever since this unknown RSS pracharak became the surprise choice of the BJP high command. The whole operation was carried out in a cloak-and-dagger fashion so typical of the RSS-BJP functioning. Prior to the assembly polls, the BJP gave an impression that Captain Abhimanyu would become the CM if the BJP came to power. Captain Abhimanyu is a Jat and the Jats queued up at polling booths to press the Lotus button. But after the polls, the party did a somersault and threw Captain out like a “doodh ki makkhi“. The RSS headquarters in Nagpur ensured that Khattar, an old RSS pracharak was pitchforked to the CM chair. (When Sonia directs Manmohan, the media calls it remote control. When the RSS directs the BJP, the media calls it  “maargdarshan“!) So this khaki knicker walla became the Haryana CM with his reactionary agenda.

And what did Khattar do? He changed Gurgaon’s name. Gurgaon became Gurugram. The Hindu fanatics maintained that once upon a time Guru Dronacharya lived here. Therefore, the new name will bring back ancient glory. Some liberals pointed out that Guru Dronacharya took Eklavya’s thumb as “guru-dakshina” because the tribal boy was surpassing a Kshatriya archer Arjuna! Should such a casteist Guru be honored? But liberals were shouted down by the saffron brigade. Gurgaon is the Millennium City which owes its existence to Rajiv Gandhi’s vision. But Khattar can’t look beyond Guru Dronacharya!
Khattar again came to limelight when the rapist Baba Ram Rahim was convicted. Khattar allowed thousands of Dera Sachcha Sauda followers to gather in Panchkula. When the chamatkari-turned-balatkari Baba was held guilty by the CBI court, his goons went on rampage and dozens of men and women lost their lives. But Khattar was all smiles. After all, the Dera Sachcha Sauda has a big vote bank in Haryana and Khattar was successful in the “sendhmaari“of the vote bank!

Haryana is a state whose society will put the Taliban to shame. “Khaps” are panchayats of Jats. These khaps regularly sentence lovebirds to death! Young boys and girls are hanged from village trees as Chaudharies smoke hukka and watch. But Khattar does nothing. The appeasement of Jats is paramount in the caste-ridden Haryana. Jat hoodlums agitating for reservation cut off water supply to Delhi. And Khattar remained a mute spectator.

Now, the same Manohar Lal Khattar is cracking cheap jokes about Kashmiri girls. India is fed up with Manohar Lal’s Manohar Kahaniyan. But what can we expect from a guy whose guru is Baba Ram Rahim?

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 batch IPS Officer. His views are personal.)

First published on http://www.themorningchronicle.in/
 

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Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Narendra Modi (R)

Thousands of people were uprooted. Houses were deserted. A Delhi resident had only one leg. He was not willing to go to Daultabad. But authorities refused to listen to his “lame” excuse! His leg was tied to an elephant’s foot. The elephant was leaving for the new imperial capital. In the national interest, the elephant began to drag the poor man to Daultabad. However, when the elephant reached Daultabad, only the poor man ‘s leg was found. The man himself was lost en route.

After living in Daultabad for a few days, the Sultan had second thoughts. He grew homesick for Delhi. So, residents were ordered to go back to Delhi bag and baggage. Again, hundreds perished. The Sultan cared little. He ate grapes off gold plates, watched mujra and planned for his next schemes. I was a student when I read all this in my history books and I wondered how a ruler could be so crazy and how nobody protested against a half-witted Sultan.

Fast forward to 2019. Hindustan is ruled by a tea-seller turned Prime Minister. A pure vegetarian, he allegedly engineered bloody Gujarat riots. He talks “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” but doesn’t allow his wife Jashodaben to enter the PM House. A self-proclaimed fakir, he wears a suit that costs only Rs one million! He is fond of stylish clothes. Some people call him “Paridhaan Mantri” instead of “Pradhan Mantri”. And his schemes are as grandiose as Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s. I call him Modi bin Tughlaq.

According to the great Karl Marx, history repeats itself. First as a tragedy. Then as a farce. Modi bin Tughlaq is repeating history both as a tragedy and a farce. One fine morning, he bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir! J&K became a Union Territory and Ladakh also turned into a UT. Curfew was clamped in the Valley before the royal Firman. As Hindu fanatics rejoiced, I was crestfallen.

As an IPS officer, I have served in J&K for months. I have patrolled Srinagar streets with an AK 47 in my hands and a bullet proof jacket on my body. I have spent nights in bunkers along the LoC (Line of Control) amidst Pakistani shellings. I have done security duty during the Amarnath Yatra. I have patrolled the Dal Lake in a BSF boat. And I have received so much affection and love from average peace-loving Kashmiris. I have sipped “kahwa” in their wooden houses. I have tasted heavenly “waazwaan” (an assortment of meat dishes). These Kashmiris are so simple hearted. They have been ruined by decades of militancy.

Tourism, the backbone of Kashmiri economy, is in ruins. No honeymooners now come to their romantic houseboats. When Kashmir needed a healing touch, Modi bin Tughlaq cut the state in two parts! I am sad beyond words. Kashmir has been an integral part of India for hundreds of years. It will remain an Indian territory for thousands of years to come. But why rub salt into Kashmir’s wounds? Kashmir is under curfew when Bakrid is round the corner. My only hope lies with the judiciary. When Modi bin Tughlaq banned my favorite Maggi noodles, the court intervened and quashed the ban. Now, I make Maggi noodles in two minutes and the Prime Minister of India can do nothing! Judiciary has shown Modi his place. I hope that the Supreme Court declares the Govt notification bifurcating J&K null and void. Then, Modi bin Tughlaq will bite the dust and I will celebrate the court ruling by watching Sharmila Tagore starrer Kashmir Ki Kali!

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 batch IPS Officer. His views are personal.)

Courtesy: https://www.themorningchronicle.in/
 

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August 6 is the Hiroshima Day. On the August 6, 1945 the USA dropped an atom bomb on this Japanese town. 80,000 residents, men women and children perished within minutes, nay, seconds. And thousands succumbed to their injuries in coming weeks and months till the death toll rose to 1,50,000! A vibrant town was reduced to rubbles and ashes. And vultures feasted day and night. Hiroshima turned into a ghost town. The world was horrified. Mercifully, no live telecast took place because there were no CNN cameras back in 1945.

But first the background. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Uncle Sam (the USA) was not involved. The War was by and large a European affair. But in 1945, the tiny Japan, riding on a wave of unbridled militarism and jingoism attacked the US navy base at Pearl Harbour. The US-Japan war began and blood flowed making the Pacific Ocean red. Japan, the land of “samurais” (war-lords) gave the mighty USA a bloody nose in initial stages. Japan was having the upper hand and the Sun Goddess was smiling. But America had an ace up its sleeve. Project Manhattan was in full swing and scientists were working day and night to make an American A-bomb.

On the July 16, 1945, the USA tested an atom bomb in the state of New Mexico. The bomb was the most deadly arrow in the American quiver. Meanwhile, the War in Europe was coming to an end. Hitler was dead and Nazi Germany was on her knees. At Potsdam in the occupied Germany, a summit of victorious Allied Powers took place. The Big Three were there. President Truman of the USA, Prime Minister Churchill of Britain and Comrade Stalin of the Soviet Union. The Potsdam Conference issued an ultimatum to Japan: lay down arms or face total destruction. But the Japanese were blissfully unaware of the A-bomb. They refused to surrender and fought tooth and nail. “Kamikaze” bombers were diving into chimneys of American warships.

They were suicide bombers who strapped explosives on their bodies and  jumped from the sky into warship chimneys causing massive damage. While the American General MacArthur was in favour of conventional bombing, President Truman was losing patience. He wanted the War to come to a quick end. And Truman decided upon the use of the most deadly of bombs.

A B-29 fighter aircraft was readied for the mission. The aircraft was named Enola Gay after its pilot’s mother! The atom bomb was code-named Little Boy, up to some mischief. And at 8.15 in the morning, the aircraft dropped Little Boy on Hiroshima! The “mischievous” Little Boy took 80,000 innocent lives in seconds. Hiroshima was a graveyard  with thousands of corpses strewn across the town. But Japan didn’t surrender. Only after an atom-bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later, Emperor Hirohito announced unconditional surrender on the radio. As waves of jubilation swept the USA, several Japanese took their lives unable to bear the indignity.

Hiroshima was a ghost town for months. A byword for death and destruction. To Japan it seemed that all was lost. And then one fine morning, Oleandor flower bloomed in Hiroshima! Oleandors are bright yellow flowers, known as “Kaner” in Hindi. Japan was overwhelmed with emotion. There was still hope in the air. Oleandor was declared Hiroshima’s city-flower. Japan rebuilt herself and today ranks among world’ s most developed nation.

When Raj Kapoor sang “Mera joota hai Japani” he was only referring to the industrial boom Japan witnessed during the post-Hiroshima years!

These days, to me India looks similar to Japan after Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedies. Fascism rules the roost. Mob lynchings are the order of the day. Corrupt leaders rule the country and the honest Indians face “surgical strikes” day in and day out. Terrorists have become MPs and MLAs rape minor girls. Narendra Modi with his 56-inch chest and 10-lakh suit, wears make-up for a Discovery Channel programme. My eyes also look for flowers. And hope springs eternal in my heart. Yellow oleandors gave hope to Japan. Nehru’s red rose gives hope to India!

(The author is a 1994 batch IPS Officer. His views are personal.).

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A Lingayat leader, Yeddi can’t look beyond his caste. His earlier term as Chief Minister saw corruption at its worst. The Reddy Brothers of Bellary looted the state to their hearts’ content. The then Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde called the district the Republic of Bellary. Yeddiyurappa resigned after the Lokayukta’s report. But the BJP found him indispensable, given his hold on the Lingayats. So Yeddiyurappa is again the CM through blatant horse-trading and suitcase politics.

A lady called Shobha Karandlaje controls Yeddiyurappa  through remote. Yeddi is a puppet and Shobha is his puppet-master.  The bachcha-bachcha of Karnataka knows this but the conspiracy of silence prevails and nobody utters a word. Yeddiyurappa Govt is full of turncoats, the Aya Rams and Gaya Rams. Chameleons who change colors at the drop of a hat! And now these third-rate chameleons are targeting the Tiger of Mysore, the one and only Tipu Sultan! And chameleons are having an upper hand. They have put the Tiger on backfoot, banning his birth anniversary celebrations. Mera Bharat Mahan.

I read about Tipu Sultan in my history books. Then, I read his story in Amar Chitra Katha, one of my favourite comic books. And then in 1990s, I watched the serial on Doordarshan: The Sword of Tipu Sultan. As power played hide and seek, I stayed up late in the night to watch Tipu, played so convincingly by Sanjay Khan. And I turned into a die-hard Tipu fan.

Last year I read the book :The Sword of Tipu Sultan. Written by Bhagwan Gidwani. It is an amazing book on Tipu and his father Hyder Ali. The most striking aspect of their character was their liberal, secular values. The father-son duo was way ahead of its time. Hyder Ali was an ordinary soldier but rose to become the Sultan of Mysore, thanks to his bosom friend Purnaiyya Pandit, a Brahmin and a Sanskrit scholar. Purnaiyya convinced Hyder that the latter had king-like qualities. When Hyder Ali ascended the throne of Mysore, he appointed this Sanskrit pandit his Prime Minister. And to the end, Purnaiyya served both Hyder and Tipu with utmost loyalty.

When Tipu turned five, Hyder Ali engaged a Maulvi and a Pandit to tutour him. And Tipu was tutored for seven years by Maulvi Obedullah and Govardhan Pandit! Tipu had immense faith in “Sarva Dharma Sambhaav” (equality of all religions). There was a temple dedicated to Lord Ranganath within the campus of his palace!

In the end, Tipu was betrayed by his close confidant Mir Sadiq. The British promised Mir Sadiq the throne of Mysore. But a Hindu loyalist of Tipu, Shekhar put Mir Sadiq to death. Tipu Sultan was the ONLY king in the history of India, who attained martyrdom fighting the British. Most of Indian rulers became bootlickers of gora sahebs. When Tipu’s corpse was recovered from the Seringapatam Fort, he had his sword still clutched in his hand. He fought like a tiger, admitted his British enemies.

Tipu was no ordinary ruler. He corresponded with Napoleon Bonaparte. Tipu was ecstatic to learn about the American Independence in 1776. He had a copy of the American Declaration of Independence brought to Mysore. And when APJ Abdul Kalam visited the headquarters of the American space agency NASA, he saw Tipu Sultan’s portrait on the wall. Kalam Saheb was told that Tipu was a pioneer of rocket technology!

Karnataka is an Andher Nagri, ruled by a Chaupat Raja. Yeddiyurappa and his gang of small-minded bigots have banned the Tipu Jayanti. Sometimes dark clouds gather and the Sun can’t be seen. But these clouds are swept away by winds and the Sun comes out shining. Similarly, Yeddiyurappa can ban the Tipu Jayanti but when this CM will be thrown into the dustbin of history alongwith the infamous Reddy Brothers, Tipu Jayanti will again be celebrated in Karnataka. Chameleons can’t eclipse the Tiger for long!

(The author  is a 1994 batch IPS Officer. His views are personal. The article first appeared in the Morning Chronicle and is being reproduced here with the permission of the author)
 

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Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava (31 July 1880 – 8 October 1936), better known by his pen name Munshi Premchand was an Indian writer famous for his modern Hindi-Urdu literature

With his salt-and-pepper hair, tiny moustache and dhoti-kurta, he looked like my relatives who lived in villages. Premchand was like a nana or a dada telling stories to tiny tots. And he lived a Spartan life. In a letter to his friend, Premchand said that he never craved for bungalows and cars. All he needed was dal-chapati and a spoonful of ghee. Modern doctors would have frowned upon Premchand ‘s love affair with ghee (clarified butter). Like Munni, ghee has also become quite “badnaam” nowadays. But those were good, old days. Cholesterol was unheard of. And nobody bothered about clogged arteries. So, Premchand got away with his shuddh desi ghee and penned heart-warming stories. Most of his immortal stories were written on a broken khatiya (string-bed). Unlike modern writers who produce heaps of trash, writing on laptops in air-conditioned cafes!

Coming back to Premchand’s short stories, they are still embedded in my heart. “Eidgaah” is a story about a poor Muslim kid Hamid who buys a “chimta” for his old grandma because she burnt her fingers when  making rotis. The story is so moving that I shed copious tears every time I read it. Premchand has depicted the child psychology brilliantly. The way Hamid defends his humble “chimta” against fancy toys bought by his friends is heart-rending. And when the story ends, both Hamid’s dadi Ameena and the reader are in tears. Then there is “Raksha Me Hatya” a story about two innocent kids who are so obsessed with protecting pigeon eggs that they finally break them! Noble intentions gone haywire.

“Panch Parmeshwar” is a story about two bosom friends Algoo Chaudhary and Jumman Sheikh and dynamics of village panchayats. Algoo testifies against Jumman when Jumman’s old khala (aunt) accuses Jumman of ill-treatment. The panch (judge) should not let friendship come in the way of justice. In “Namak Ka Daroga”, an honest salt-inspector Munshi Vanshidhar refuses to succumb to temptation, loses his job but honoured in the end by the same Pandit Alopideen who tried to bribe him. And “Poos Ki Raat“. A poor farmer Halku refuses to leave the warmth of fire even when his field is grazed by cattle.

“Shatranj Ke Khiladi” shows the decadent feudal culture of Lucknow. Mirza and Meer continue to play chess as the British forces march into Awadh. The legendary Satyajit Ray made a movie on this story. Ray’s only movie in Hindi.

Premchand himself was a starry-eyed idealist in his real life. Listening to Mahatma Gandhi’s call, he quit his Government job. Premchand married a child-widow Shivrani Devi. His son Amrit Rai called him Kalam Ka Sipahi. Born as Dhanpat Rai, Premchand wrote in Urdu. When the British Govt seized his book Soz-e-Watan, he switched over to Hindi and took Premchand as his nom-de-plume.

Premchand taught me many things. His stories shaped my character. He made me a staunch secularist. I learnt that Algoo and Jumman can be bosom friends despite their different religions. If I regularly attend iftar at my Muslim friends’houses, the Algoo-Jumman friendship inspires me. He sowed in me seeds of empathy with the poor. I always see a Hamid in poor kids. And he taught me to stick to my principles, much like Munshi Vanshidhar, the incorruptible  namak ka daroga. And lessons in simplicity.

A writer who ate simple dal-chapati but strode the world like a colossus. I salute you, Munshi Premchand. Koti – koti naman!

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 Batch IPS Officer.)

First published on http://www.themorningchronicle.in
 

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Since times immemorial, Bihar has been the seat of learning. Thousands of years back, the great mathematician Aryabhatt discovered the “zero” here  in Patna. When India launched its first satellite in 1975, it was named Aryabhatt. And two greatest universities of the ancient and medieval worlds, Nalanda and Vikramshila  are in Bihar. The Nalanda University ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage. I  recently visited those ruins with my American sister. I was bowled over to see the historical remains of this magnificent University. Scholars from distant lands, China, Japan and Korea vied with one another to get themselves admitted. And few of them succeeded given the toughness of the entrance test. It is said that when Bakhtiar Khilji set fire to the Nalanda University library, the books kept burning for months!

And the Vikramshila University in present day Bhagalpur. Another centre of the Buddhist learning. Scholars from all over the world thronged this university. Then came the downfall. Bihar was taken over by the education mafia. Colleges and Universities mushroomed. Capitation fees ruled the roost. Abdul Moghni, the Mithila University VC was jailed for running the B. Ed degree racket. The much – hyped sushasan policies of Nitish Kumar saw the education at its lowest point. Rubi Rai became the political science state topper. When TV channels asked her what was taught in the discipline of political science, the Bihar topper cheerfully replied that political science was all about cooking food! Bihar became the butt of jokes. Nitish Kumar, however, didn’t bat an eyelid. He was busy prostrating before the mafia don, Anant Singh.

But still, we thought that all was not lost. Something would  be done to revive higher education in Bihar. Promises were made to make Patna University a central university. But it was not to be. Narendra Modi, the tea seller – turned Prime Minister appointed a small – town politician Fagu Chauhan as the Governor of Bihar. Governor is the ex officio Chancellor of the state. And this gentleman has, unfortunately only cleared Std X!  Modi hai to mumkin hai. We are told that the Ghosi MLA Fagu Chauhan is a big backward caste leader in his homestate UP. I have nothing against backward castes. But a poorly qualified Chancellor! As they say in Hindi, Chhachhunder ke sar pe, chameli ka tel! This is vote-bank politics at its worst.

With Fagu Chauhan as the Chancellor, all VCs of Bihar should resign en masse in protest. But none will. In the prevailing culture of sycophancy, chamchagiri is the most prized quality. All VCs will make a beeline to the Raj Bhawan. Some will touch Fagu Chauhan ‘ s charan – kamal (feet). Others will listen to him with folded hands. Ultimately, Bihar will suffer and state toppers will learn cooking during political science classes!

(The author is an IPS officer from Bihar of the 1994 batch from Bihar)
 
 

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Ernesto “Che” Guevara (June 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967) was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author and activist who traveled throughout South America and became outraged by the poverty, hunger and disease he witnessed

For the uninitiated, Cuba is a tiny island off the US coast. It was a Spanish colony until Jose Marti and others threw off the colonial yoke. Cuba was an impoverished country. A one-crop economy. Only sugarcane grew in Cuba. But the island was popular with rich Americans for its gambling dens and brothels. Rich Indians love Bangkok for massage parlours. Similar was the case with Americans who headed for Cuba, lured by its thriving sex industry. And in 1950s, Batista ruled Cuba with an iron hand. His puppet masters sat in Washington DC. An average Cuban toiled in sugarcane fields. The poor starved while the rich enjoyed themselves. A situation ripe for revolution.

To go back to Castro and Che, they soon became ghee-khichri. Inseparable comrades. Che has already been radicalised during his epic motorcycle journey through poor Latin American countries. I have read Che’s Motorcycle Diaries. On the Andes Mountain, he lived with dirt-poor people sharing their trials and tribulations. Castro and Che arrived in Cuba in an overloaded boat called Granma. They were greeted with Batista’s “reception committee”. Most of revolutionaries were shot dead. Castro, Che and a handful of comrades fled to a mountain range from where they waged a heroic battle against Batista. It was a rag-tag army, hardly a match for Batista’s US-backed forces. But the revolutionary zeal overcame all odds. Soon Batista was on the back foot. Che, an asthma patient, fought valiantly. Castro soon made him a Commander. On the New Year Day, Fidel Castro and Commander Che entered Havana amidst great jubilation. Batista fled.

Commander Che was made the Governor of the Central Bank. He signed Cuban currency notes. His signature was simply Che. But Uncle Sam (the USA) lost his sleep. A communist regime in America ‘s own backyard was too much to swallow. CIA activated its Dirty Tricks Department to eliminate the bearded ones, Castro and Che. Castro was very fond of Havana cigars. So, CIA packed his cigars with explosives. But Castro somehow survived. It is said that a cat has nine lives. Castro surpassed cats.

In 1961, Kennedy sponsored the Bay of Pigs invasion against Castro. But the invasion was repulsed, much to the US President’s chagrin. In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of the Third World War. The Soviet Union deployed missiles in Cuba. Big American cities were within the range of these missiles. Kennedy issued an ultimatum to the Soviet leader Khruschev to withdraw missiles. Finally, good sense prevailed and Khruschev withdrew his missiles.

Commander Che was not satisfied with his success in Cuba. Much like Trotsky, he dreamt about a world revolution. He went to Bolivia to fight for the poor. There, Che attained martyrdom in 1967. He was only 39.

The Cuban Revolution ‘s biggest success lies in education and medicare. The education and medicare in Cuba rate was as high as developed nations. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba lost its biggest ally. With American sanctions in place, Cuba had a food crisis on its hand. And then came a white-turbaned Sardarji to Cuba’s rescue. Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet! The Indian communist stalwart collected thousands of tonnes of wheat for starving Cubans. The wheat-laden ship set sail from the Calcutta port. And the Cubans survived on the Surjeet bread!

On the 26th July 2019, Che’s daughter is in New Delhi. Mother India welcomes her with open arms. As long as the world is plagued with injustice, hunger and exploitation revolutions will continue. As they say in Hindi: Jab tak bhookha Insaan rahega. Dharti par toofan rahega (as long as man is hungry, the world will witness storms).

Long Live Cuban Revolution. Inquilaab Zindabad!

(Mr. Amitabh Kumar Das is a 1994 Batch IPS Officer. His views expressed here are personal.)

First published on http://www.themorningchronicle.in/
 

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