Saddam Hussein is executed in Baghdad on 31st December 2006. Protests are organised by Congress-I leader Jaffer Sharief in Bangalore on Friday, 19th January 2007. They turn violent. In seeming retaliation, the ‘celebration’ of Hindu right-wing ideologue Golwalkar’s birth centenary, on 21 January, organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, turns equally violent and leads to riots and curfew in some parts of Bangalore. Doctor-turned-destroyer Praveen Togadia thankfully stayed in Mysore, sowing his seeds of discord. In Bangalore, a young boy is killed, a police constable stabbed, and public and private property damaged.
Our honourable Chief Minister, Kumaraswamy, then announces the imminent tabling of a bill in the legislature, holding organisers of rallies responsible for disrupting public peace (TOI, Bangalore, 22 January 2007, Pg. 1). Great. But hang on; his reason? “Such incidents will bring bad image [sic] to Bangalore in terms of investments.”
Politics flourishes. Bangalore burns.
trip | 22-Jan-07 at 1:16 pm | Permalink
Hi, i am often amazed by people who try to appear ‘clean’ by calling politics names. politics exists everywhere. in your home too. you just don’t look at it as an alien and hence despicable problem. politics is in religion, more in some, less in some. instead of taking this line, call a spade a spade. oh but that would only happen if only the sangh can be blamed right?
anasuya | 22-Jan-07 at 1:42 pm | Permalink
Dear Trip: Wow, I thought this was the most politically balanced piece I’ve ever written - I’ve critiqued every one! The Congress, the Sangh Parivar *and* the Janata Dal (Secular)… you’re still not satisfied??
Well then, let me add that if you’ve really read my blog through, then you can’t help but see that I am intensely political myself. So you’re right - politics is everywhere, and it should be. However political machinations for the sake of power - and not the people - is what I detest.
So no, I’m not clean, I don’t claim to be, I’m neck deep in the politics of justice.
N | 22-Jan-07 at 6:20 pm | Permalink
Nice post. And you’re attracting flamers. Congrats…you’ve “arrived”!
trip | 23-Jan-07 at 8:01 am | Permalink
Irrelevant (but irresistible) comment : “Doctor-turned-destroyer Praveen Togadia thankfully stayed in Mysore, sowing his seeds of discord.” … well so did shahi imam and shahbuddin and arjun singh, while congress leaders were sowing seeds of national (pan national?) unity in bangalore
No mention of respectable sharief’s followers ‘ purposely inciting retaliation by burning banners of the long planned sangh function’ and ‘forcing hindu traders to shut shop’?
balanced, yes mam. you have arrived alright. soon you should get a lecturer post at JNU.
anasuya | 23-Jan-07 at 9:21 am | Permalink
…and as Tom Lehrer said, ‘I know there are people in the world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that!’
JNU? Can’t wait…
trip | 23-Jan-07 at 12:19 pm | Permalink
Oh, so you hate these saddam lovers and thats why you did not mention them? oops i got you all wrong.
raghunath menon | 18-May-07 at 11:57 am | Permalink
Half the guys dancing a “thandav” on 19th Jan never knew who Saddam was or why he was hanged.Most of the guys who “thandaved” on the second day did it because they were thrashed on the pevious day.As for the CM , he seems to be talking in the future tense when it has become past