Gormint: Relationship Status?

The Government of India is Officially in a Situationship with CAA-NRC

The CAA-NRC-NPR matrix has rattled the Indian citizenry out of a stupor against government's steady efforts to further marginalise minorities and deepen the ethnic schism within the nation. Three months since the CAA was passed, rules for its implementation have not been drafted yet. Only recently did the Home Minister stated in Rajya Sabha that the category of “doubtful citizen” will not be included in the NPR. Just six days after this statement, in response to the petitions challenging the CAA, the government filed a counter affidavit justifying its intentions for NRC. 

And what do we make of the nation-wide protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR? Have they managed to transcend into a movement? At the intersections of this state-citizen logjam lie the various women-led sit-in protests across the country, foremost being the one at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi that has completed three months. 

In that vein, Mumbai Bagh is going strong on its 50th day and some aspects are hard to miss. For a majority of the women who have actively participated in the sit-in, it has been a unique experience in transcending from the private sphere to an exceptionally public one and turning their personal into political. As I walked into the site today, what struck me was the clear lack of obstruction by police. No table parked in the narrow alleyway to generally hamper movement. No uniformed police personnel manning those tables with thick registers, coercing people into entering their personal information before entering the site.

After more than a month of struggle with the weather and police, the women finally managed to get a temporary shed on their heads. Many of them have been subjected to surreptitious queries from plain clothes personnel and some have had the unpleasant experience of having a notice from the police for “unlawful assembly” under CrPC's Sec. 149 delivered to their doorsteps. At the site, the women have found new strength in networks that have ignited their sense of pride, association and assertion of their physical and socio-cultural selves in this 100-mt stretch of a road ironically named “Thandi Sadak” (literally, cold street).

It has grown into a struggle between proudly receiving the notices on site from police, meeting elected representatives to present their case and rushing home in time for “supply” water-related chores. This is as much about claim-making on the State as it is about utilising available “official” mechanisms of asserting citizenship. As the agents of the state actively ignore or malign the protestors, especially on account of their religious and gender identity, it is an act of abjection of their very identity as “Indian” citizens. Amidst all this, our good old patriarchy keeps rearing its ugly head, causing conflicts that are sometimes public and violent but mostly private and restraining.

Young girls, especially the unmarried ones, are warned by their parents to not be “highlighted” by visibly participating through sloganeering and organising allied activities at the site. No one says that it will affect their marriage prospects but that’s going to be an interesting development to track in a few years, or months. Conversations with women across a cross-section of ages revealed their intent of staying at the dharna until CAA is revoked. The big question remains ...क्या ये महिलाएँ धरने से आंदोलन तक का सफ़र तय कर पाएँगे?

Writing on the (Wall) Barricade

Poster for visitors to sign...

"Nationalistic" Iconography

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

 This post is a personal opinion piece. To know about JNU, please visit http://www.jnu.ac.in/main.asp?sendval=Introduction

In the four decades since its inception, JNU has made a mark for itself as being the nursery of politics in India. The campus ‘life’ here booms only under that political mushroom, with not much else going for it in terms of the cultural experience. The two best features of JNU are:

a)      Members of faculty across various departments (or ‘Schools’ and ‘Centres’ in JNU parlance). The top rung everywhere is composed of celebrity academicians of their respective fields.

b)     This is a woman-friendly campus. To be able to provide such safe precincts bang in the middle of the rowdy and patriarchal terrain of north India is no mean feat!

Beyond that, there aren’t too many paeans to sing. Being one of the biggest campuses in India (almost 900 acres), it is neither well-curated (like the Benaras Hindu University) nor well-connected (like IIT-Bombay). There is no university bus service for the residents and the condition of public transport is utterly dismal. There is also no Wi-Fi connectivity in the hostels. No need to elucidate on how much discomfort it causes to students!

This campus scores really low on the cultural activity scale. The reason for it brings us to what the campus is most famous for – students’ political activity! This sole factor has a pervasive effect on each and every thing that anyone would want to do here. New students can’t even get the admission done without affiliates of various student parties swooping down on them for providing unsolicited ‘assistance’. Further on, whatever little theatre performances happen are mostly on political issues and films screened are on those themes too. Performing arts’ concerts are barely held, which is a real shame, considering the ample space on campus.

Political hyper-activity here plays out in the form of protest rallies, wall art via huge posters, demonstrations, ‘public meetings’ and, as en vogue, hunger strikes! The issues at hand are almost always those not concerning the students actually studying on campus at that point in time. They ‘fight’ for quotas and accuse the administration of being ‘casteist’, blithely forgetting that most of the students wouldn’t be here if the administration didn’t recognize their quotas. Most protest activities are also publicity stunts with media personnel being especially invited to cover them.

This campus thrives on labels. That, I argue, is their favourite pastime! JNU has made a name for itself as being a ‘Leftist/ Communist’ campus. I still don’t know the difference between them. Though, it is these only on the surface level. Scratch this surface and one will know that these labels (including others like Marxist, Statist, Anarchist) can be afforded to criticize every single thing under the sun, because, well, it’s dirt cheap here! This is possibly one of the most inexpensive campuses in the country, despite all the hue and cry about inflation and price rise in the economy! The reason so much of 'protest' can actually take place on the campus is because they do not have to pay through their nose for everyday survival.

Capitalism may well be ridiculed, but if these so-called politically conscious ‘students’ were to walk merely 1 km. out of the campus, the sting will be out of their agenda! All that money saved from negligible expenses on the campus is spent generously on cigarettes, alcohol and other substances, none of which are officially retailed on the campus. The prices of these products are often hiked for the luxury of being made available within the gates of JNU.

It’s an open secret that the political groupings serve as a ready dating pool for its members. Any change in affiliation to one group leads to instant loss of that network and alienation from those who were your ‘friends’! Dissent in opinion within a group is not very welcome and peer pressure is liberally used to manufacture consent, toeing the respective political line of belief.

JNU is also famous for being the best place to prepare for and crack the UPSC exams in India. Imagine that classic contrast where the people who viciously criticize the state hanker to get employed by the same state! Cases abound of professed ‘Communists' happily leaving behind their affiliations after getting selected through a highly competitive procedure for the administrative services. Clearly then, this is a phony bunch of opportunists who use the space for sharpening their event management skills and avail the university’s ample resources to eventually get a prestigious government job.

In conclusion, JNU is an example of a gated community swarmed by idealists who can afford to champion their cause only within the boundaries of this campus. Temporary occupants here go out of sync with the ways of the world, ignoring the reality of capitalism and market economy. Blessed are those souls who manage to spend most of their lives on this campus, funded by the state, which shelters them from the real struggles outside their gates.

DIARY DETAILS-1

Ever since I landed in New Delhi, it’s been an absolute joyride. From having a brainstorming session about the duration of my stay [the very night that I arrived!] to being out for all the evenings… I’m having a blast! Though I wanted to go out the very next day… I was advised to take rest, gauge the Delhi heat and then plan my moves. In the evening, we went out for shopping followed by dinner at one of my favourite outlets in the city. The last time I went there for a meal, I couldn’t finish it myself because of the large portion. Hence I was waiting to get an opportunity to go there with my bro so tht we can share a meal! What I did on 17^th april is mentioned 1 post below!

NOW…m first ‘day out’ was 18^th. We [my bro n i] headed to PVR at Connaught Place to watch a 2-week old flick. But, as it turned out to be …the weekend ticket rates at multiplexes are higher and this movie was not worth Rs.200/- !!! next we decided to go to INDIA HABITAT CENTRE [IHC] to make certain enquiries. We dropped into the BATA outlet which was nearby [ i wear ONLY Bata. talk abt 'brand loyalty'!!!], basically for window shopping. But ended up walking out with a new pair for each of us! As we headed towards the bus stop [yeah! My bro finally convinced me to travel in a DTC bus.] I spotted a poster of TANTRA t-shirts! I wanted to gift my cousin bro[in delhi] a Tantra tee, but didn’t have the time to shop for it in Mumbai. My joy knew no bound after seeing that poster and both of us rushed into the shop! After spending some 15 min.s checking out various tees, I zeroed in on the one that’s best suited on that guy for the current occasion. We walked out and headed to locate the bus stop. But again, somewhere in between, we spotted the NIRULA’S outlet and thought of having lunch there. So…we were on the other side of the road…25 metres away from the signal…had to cross… and the light went GREEN. We sprinted for our lives across the street!!! After a wholesome lunch, we finally headed to board a bus to IHC.

At IHC, after exploring our way through the extensive and labyrinthine pavements with well-manicured grass, I reached the right place! We bought tickets for a play being staged the next day and headed to EATOPIA .

When in Nirula’s, at the spur of a moment I told Bhaiya that I wanna have mango lassi! poor guy…got a li’l perplexed…but simply said, “I dunno any good place where you get it!” at EATOPIA…one of the counters had mango lassi…though it was a tad over-priced…at least the whim got fulfilled!

Next we headed to our old residence, which is quite close from IHC. En route, we took a short cut which we used to take while returning from school in ’01-’02. ah!!! Those good-old days!!!!! We went to our ex-neighbor’s home and spent blissful 45 min.s there. In fact, I even dozed off for half an hour!

FINALLY…. We were on our way back home. And yes, again, it was a DTC bus that he made me travel back on!!!

SURAT SOJOURN

This Indian city is as famous for its diamonds n garments industry as it is infamous for the plague epidemic that struck it not too many years ago!

I’d to make my maiden trip to this city all alone, because my bro had some exam to give! B-U-T…it was worth going alone…right from the word ‘go’!!!

Since the ticket wasn’t confirmed, I went to check the reservation chart when it was being put up. And…I didn’t know how to check that chart! So I asked the officer putting up the chart “how does one check the status?” and he very politely looked it up for me told me my confirmed seat and bogie no.!

When the train arrived I went and took my seat. The next two people to take seat were ladies. And by the time the train reached its second station in Mumbai, the other seats in that side of 6 seats were all occupied by ladies. So, I jovially commented to the co-passenger next to me… “hey! All the 6 seats are of ladies!!!” She smiled and replied that these were the ladies quota seats! All of us positioned ourselves very conveniently. I caught up on much needed forty winks. After some time, one of them pulled up the middle seat to sleep on it. So this beautiful lady next to me says…now u can lie down straight…and we shared a good laugh on it!!!

Later, we all got talking. One of them was a Psychology graduate from KC College-1994. the other one was from Sophia’s~ Socio-history and currently working with SOTC. She was going to Surat to her fiancé’s home for Holi. Basically, all of us were making a ‘HOLI’ visit to the city and no one was a native!

I felt so happy being in the midst of these ladies. It makes you realize that all this talk of ‘women empowerment’ is not a bluff, or restricted to the upper crust. There are ordinary women, going out there in the [ahem!] big bad world, using their education, skills and talent…and living it up!

SURAT has all the trappings of a tier-I city. THAT is a simple corollary of having high disposable incomes. As the service providers get a whiff of moolah, they come rushing to tap into this lucrative region. So, we get to see everything from a Pizza Hut to Gold’s Gym, from McDonald’s to Kaya Skin Clinic!!!!!

But, the Gujju’s inherent sedentary nature means that life still goes on at a very relaxed pace! I got to see a glimpse of many parts of this country in that city. From the Nagpur feel to Calcutta roads to Jamnagar by-lanes…it has a heady mix of all! Now, here’s what, makes Surat a typical tier-II city…one that is in no hurry to don the metropolis feel!...

• - roads are broad and well-paved.
• - traffic signals that don’t work [no..they really don’t! the only saving grace is that during peak hours… some of the busier junctions~ where the chances of accidents are higher~ have a traffic cop stationed there.]
• -rest of the traffic moves on mutual understanding!
• -lot of two-wheelers… mainly the non-gear ones.
• -loads of female drivers…with their typical covering of the face and neck area with a duppatta…leaving only the eyes bare, that too covered by glares!
• -the city sleeps too early for any business hotspot. But then, considering the gujjus’ fetish for sleep…the shops shut quite early!
• - shopping centers are another characteristic feature of tier-II cities that are ubiquitous in Surat too. These, of course, are a more like desi malls, with all kinds of outlets and affordable prices!

Here’s the brief on what ‘I’ did out there. I reached in the afternoon of 21^st march n left for Mumbai on 24^th early morning. Now, I’m somebody who doesn’t do pillion-riding as a principle. But there, I’d no option. And I had both my cousins [a bro n a sis] taking me around on their TVS Pleasure for most part of my stay! In fact, on 23^rd when we got out in the noon, I tied my bandana to cover my face eyes downwards and sported shades, because of the terrible heat!

By 21^st noon the HOLI mood had set in. and there were youngsters throwing water balloons at passer-bys from their homes. In daytime when we went out, no water balloon was aimed at us. But in the evening, I was actually in the mood to get hit. And twice, the balloons almost hit us…since we were riding on the scooty…hence it missed the aim. But, when we were about to reach home…someone’s balloon got it right and hit me on the thighs…so MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

On the main day…ie HOLI- 22^nd…I had LOADSA fun!!! In fact, for the first time I actually danced on Holi, coz I’d never really got a chance to do that before. Then, my cousin sis drove me to their old residence to play with her friends. But, they were already done with it and the building compound had just 3-4 men and a lady in the holi colours. I’m someone who never resists while being applied colour…so I let one of the men put as much colour as he wanted to. But, I guess, he put some weird dark colour, because when we were driving out…one of the kids around looked at us…got surprised…and I THINK he said ‘bhoot’!!!! we also drew a lot of stares on our ride back home. A little before we were about to reach our compound…two guys on a scooty, on the other side of the road threw what I thought was a water balloon at us. But it missed the shot and hit the ground…n then I looked back n saw….it was a coloured egg!!!!!!! So I shouted to them… “BAD LUCK GUYS!!!!!!!!!!”

After all this dhamaal…when I finally took a bath…the colour didn’t go entirely. And I was very surprised, ‘coz I’d taken appropriate precautions before going out to play. I don’t mind colours…but that time…I actually looked like a terrorist! There were a few purple spots on the left cheek, right side of the face was a shade of red and a part of the neck was shaded in green!!! Thanks to mom’s solution on the phone, when I left Surat on Monday…there weren’t any holi colours left!

On holi evening, when we went out to my uncle’s family friend’s place…I wore a saree that was peach-coloured with silver appliqué work and in a flowing fabric. The best part of it…was the blouse…which had a deep cut on the back-side. This was the first time I wore a blouse with that deep a neckline and it felt so sexy with the hair brushing on the back!!!!!

23^rd evening, my cousins took me out for a movie. I’d fixed up a meeting with an e-pal after the movie. But then…my cell phone balance was really low. There was no recharge available around…coz all those shops had closed! Adding to our woes was the fact that my cousin couldn’t start the scooty…and later…she said there was no petrol! Also…my e-pal had not yet arrived. Balance was miserable and no recharge in sight. One of the medical store guys tried to be helpful by calling up some phone retailer for recharge. He took my no. but didn’t get the recharge done. Instead…I’ve had him calling me up [quite often] after I reached Mumbai. Though, I’ve been sensible enough to not take those calls!

Well, I finally did meet my e-pal…fun guy…as I already knew. next …I wanted to go to this one specific sweet-shop and none other. The problem was that none of us knew where the shop was! And I didn’t have enough balance to call up my uncle and ask for directions. Here, this e-pal was REALLY helpful. In the meanwhile that my cousin got her scooty filled…this guy called up one of his friends’ and got some hint on the shop’s location. He offered to come along to locate the shop, but I politely refused. He still persisted [gujju hospitality!] and ultimately had us guiding to the place his friend had told him of. In between he stopped to ask for further directions at a mall and then started ahead. But, as they say, when misery comes…it comes by dozens! after my cousin stopped behind my friend at the mall…she couldn’t start the vehicle!!!! There were people around who tried starting and even they couldn’t. I frantically tried my friend’s no. but, obviously, he wouldn’t pick up because he was riding his bike! Ultimately he did pick up and worriedly asked about our whereabouts. I managed to tell him the scene and asked him to come back. THAT WAS IT…my balance was over…can’t make any calls or send msgs!!!!! He came back and with a lot of difficulty got my cousin’s vehicle started. Not far ahead was the sweet shop. We reached and he said…this is it. I said…but this shop is closed. He was shocked…coz it was open 2 min.s back!!!!!!!! I stood perplexed for a min. and then ran towards the back door of the shop!!! I requested those guys to let me in … “I’m from Bombay and m leaving tomo!!!” so…there I was…making a back door entry!!!! I picked up my favourite sweets, profusely thanked the guys and made a hasty exit! Outside, my e-pal rode along till a point and then said that he’d be taking the other turn. I expressed my gratitude, pulled his leg for one of our inimitable jokes and parted ways.

THIS was one eventful trip. At the end of it, I decided I’m gonna go to a different place every year for holi!

Though, the sad part is that on my way back my health started getting bad. And by the time I reach hostel…I was really sick. Ultimately, I had very high fever…and was in bed for ONE entire week! Huh! as mom pointed out, i'd had to fall sick! i plunged into frenetic activity after my exams ..without much care for health. the surat heat and all that water juz compounded the scene and i got bed-ridden. it was the FIRST time i was properly 'sick'...and that's a bad thing to happen!!!

Delhi Diary

HERE I AM...back in the capital of the world's largest democracy! a city m not exactly fond of coming to. n i keep telling mom [on various occasions] tht u r in the wrong city! so...after many debates and i-don't-hv-the-time-to-come-homes... i ultimately did make a trip to NEW DELHI.
tht happened coz my VOICE ACTING course got postponed. and i'd had a mini emotional breakdown very recently....so an option to repair myself was to make a trip home. and though i still had other commitments in mumbai...AND...i was also indulging in other options of rejuvenation...i juz decided to come down.

finally...amidst a lot of frenzy i boarded a flight to new delhi...n was at home on 15th April at 9.15pm.

it's been a joyride since then!!!!!!! i consciously decided against taking up any sort of engagement...b'coz i wanna enjoy me last 'proper' holiday of the student life! the moment i entered the house...it changed the whole mood! we had a lengthy discussion about my stay...and i was bristling with ideas of what all i wanna do out here. ultimately...it was decided tht the next day m juz gonna take rest...n then we'll start the sojourn! so...on 16th...it was a no-show...except for going out shopping in the evening followed by an amazing dinner at one of my fav. outlets in the capital. i was 'happy and full' after almost 1 month!!!!

17th ...i finally w'ANDAZ APNA APNA'...the 1992 Raj Kumar Santoshi flick! and then...late afternoon dad left for his native place. SO...we called up at another family friend's place...whose head of the family wasn't there too!!!!

the way to their place [AIIMS] is actually quite simple from home. there r 2 fly-overs to cross n a bit more. but...we couldn't get a rick! and after loadsa walking ...[we'd crossed 1 flyover already!] one empty rick-wala finally agreed. AND...he dropped us on the other side of AIIMS!!!!!!!! i ws a unsure abt the way..hence didn't direct him....and... HUH!!!
so...again began the walk to go to AIIMS' main gate. we went frm inside the campus of the hospital [my first visit to a non-Forces hospital!]. after reaching the other side...n a li'l bit of calling n asking...we were FINALLY at our destination.

moral of the story...we almost walked all the way to tht place...in 1.25 hrs! actually...it'd have been much faster...if we had pre-decided to juz walk to tht place!

and yeah...we left their place at arnd 11:10pm...and reached home in 10 min.s flat!


on 18th...i had my FIRST proper 'going out' session. i'm very lazy at this point of time. hence...i will write abt 18th...and the further days'... next post onwards!!!

[ideally speaking...i'd have like to name this series "DILLI DHAMAAL"...coz tht's more suited to kinda plans tht i have for my stay at home. but...juz decided to stick to the more cliched 'delhi diary'!
now...i'd originally wanted to do posts chronologically...which meant i had 2 other posts of prior events'topics...to type n put up...but i've been too lazy to do tht. hence...i've motivated myself to go ahead with DELHI DIARY at least...otherwise even this will get added to the back log...n tht's not really a great idea!
also...apologies for not using 'propah' language. as much as i'd have loved to do tht...i wasn't really in the mood for it. also...i wasn't typing in MSWord ...so the typos and internet lingo may kindly be excused!]

BANGALORE SMOKES

Bangalore has become synonymous with the IT boom in the country. And, of course, who can forget… ‘My job got BANGALORED’!!!

Well… on ground…it’s still very much an Indian city… with it’s slightly unique flavour. The public transport system is almost non-existent. Consequently the roads are choked with private cars and auto-rickshaws. All this leads to unbearable levels of pollution and… as expected….increased travelling time. I had a tissue perpetually clung to my nose ALL the time when on road...:-(

It was due to this terrible congestion in most parts of the day, tht plans of mall-hopping had to cancelled! Urs truly visited juz one mall -FORUM- which had a somewhat cosmo crowd…. ‘coz u could see a lot of people who were not looking typically like natives and were speaking in the common Indian languages.

The heading of this post is so… mainly due to awful amounts of fuel exhaust guzzling from vehicles. And to the crowds of execs smoking outside their snazzy offices. N ‘crowd’ could be due to common levels of stress or… peer pressure! [yeah…peer pressure isn’t all tht prevalent in THAT age group….but it’s certainly NOT non-existent!]

Something weird about the city is its speed breakers…which are, essentially, extended from centre in their design. Juz WHAT purpose does tht serve? Also… the city is lacking in presence of dust bins. The city did appear to be mostly clean. But….. it could surely do with some dust bins for public use.

The weather of that city would spoil anybody’s. the closest any other metro would come to b’lore in terms of a lovely weather… is Mumbai. Tht’s it! It was nice to see soooooooooooo many trees across the city. They were partially reminiscent of New Delhi’s boulevards.

To conclude, I had loadsa fun in my short stay out there. M certainly gonna go there for more fun sometime in the future… it’s a well laid-out and pretty inviting, if I may say so!