12th June in New Delhi

On 12th June,2010 in New Delhi I witnessed a protest campaign against the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Verdict by Swami Agnivesh and other human rights activists. Here is their press release:

After witnessing this patriotic movement I went to Cha Bar at Oxford Book Store, Statesman House, Connaught Place. It was very refreshing and beautiful in its own way.

A few pics to depict the Cha Bar and view from it.

Bill Gates in Bihar

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, visited some of the poorest places in India a few days ago. He was in UP and Bihar. Perhaps we all are familiar with 'BIMARU', the acronym comprised of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. 'BIMARU', the acronym created by economists, reflects the poor economic condition of these states. It is a known fact that these states are the most corrupt states in the Union of India. These states have been producing ministers, IAS & IPS officers in large numbers since independence. Most of the MLAs and MPs are from these states. So, why 'BIMARU' is the Bimaru (poverty stricken, underdeveloped, corrupt, deprived, etc)?
 
Answer to my question is pretty simple. Most of the MLAs, MPs, IAS & IPS officers from these states are involved in corruption which is like the termite. It is slowly but steadily ruining our Mother India. Many politicians of these states are criminals. It is very simple to understand that they will be busy in looting the national wealth. What else can be expected from these murderers, dacoits whose names appear on the 'Most Wanted' list of Police Department? In Bihar many youngsters aspire to become IAS officers, not to honestly serve the nation but to make money easily by being bribed. It forces us to feel ashamed. This mind-set and the culture must be eradicated for India's development.

Bill Gates visited a remote village in Bihar where literacy rate is just 10% of the population. Often a man dies here in diarrhea cause hospital is at least 15 kms away from this place. A journalist asked an old man about his expectation from Bill Gates. The enquiry by the journalist reveals that theses villagers are expecting some serious development work in the area. They have faith in this super rich Angrej Saheb ( as foreigners with Caucasian ethnicity commenly called) cause he is not a politician. Isn't is interesting?

Bill Gates, the Chief of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is committed to development work in various parts of the world. He is very much willing to do something for the betterment of India, home to many employees of his 'Microsoft'. Bill Gates feels surprised when he compares two pictures of India. A country where Billioanires like Mukesh Ambani & Azim Premji live and a country where most of the people are poor with a great population living below poverty line (BPL).

Bill Gates will surely donate some money for the sustainble development of these areas. But the million dollar question is - "Will the money be properly utilized for development activities?"

- Arnab Mandal
  Durgapur

23rd March

Readers of my blog may find the title interesting. I would be happy if the curiosity level of my readers goes up. Now the question is - “What is the significance of 23^rd March”?

The 23^rd March is the last day of some great revolutionaries in Indian history. On 23^rd March, 1931 British rulers executed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukdev by hanging them until death. On 23^rd March, 2010 Kanu Sanyal, the famous Naxalite leader, committed suicide by hanging himself until death in his thatched house near Siliguri, West Bengal.

Not just the day of death but there are a few more similarities between Saheed Bhagat Singh and Comrade Kanu Sanyal. Bhagat Singh fought against the British imperialism and Kanu Sanyal fought against economic imperialism which favours capitalists. Both of them were heavily influenced by Marxism.

Comrade Kanu Sanyal is the person who declared the birth of CPI(M-L) on 22^nd April,1969, birth anniversary of the great V.I. Lenin, on Saheed Minar Ground in Kolkata. Charu Majumdar & Kanu Sanyal were two main leaders of the newly formed CPI(M-L). The members of CPI(M-L) were tagged as Naxalites because their movement got started in Naxalbari, West Bengal. Their armed struggle strategy for liberation of people made them isolated from CPI(M). Naxalite movement gave birth to Left extremism. Today, when the CPI(Maoist), tagged as the biggest internal security threat by Home Minister, with its class struggle strategy blow ups railway tracks, we become fearful about Left extremism. Comrade Kanu Sanyal was deeply demoralized by the activities of CPI(Maoist) and the gradual weakening of Communist movement in India. He used to condemn both CPI(M) and CPI(Maoist) for this. He used to mourn for the lack of unity in Communist forces of India. Communists in our country are scattered due to differences in opinion. This is the reason why the Communist movement is getting affected day-by-day and opportunistic rightist forces are uprising.Whatever be the future of Communist movement in India, leaders like Kanu Sanyal will always be remembered for his courage and rebellious mind-set. Red Salute to Comrade Kanu Sanyal.

It may be a co-incidence that Mother India witnessed the unnatural death of her great sons on the same day. But one thing is for sure that these revolutionaries will remain inspiration for Indians to fight against injustice, exploitation and imperialism. 

-Arnab Mandal

  Durgapur 

The CATastrophe

Finally the much awaited CAT (Common Admission Test for IIMs) results are out. Certainly it should bring sigh of relief to more than 2.4 lac students who appeared for CAT. But it has failed to do so. Most of the candidates are unhappy due to results. CAT results are faulty and full of technical glitches.

For the first time IIMs conducted online CAT. Initially it was supposed to be conducted from 28^th November, 2009 to 7^th December, 2009 with two slots in each day. But due to huge malfunction and loopholes the examination process was finally over on 31^st January, 2010. Meanwhile a techie in Bangalore filed a PIL at High Court against CAT committee. Here are some allegations below:

• Questions were repeated from previous CAT papers
• Hell & heaven difference in difficulty level of CAT papers across slots
• Huge technical fault to conduct the computerized test
• Questions leakage on internet,etc

All these things made CAT-2009 a management case study. The IIM teach solution to various management cases to its students. But this time the best B-Schools in the country have established a great example of mismanagement. 

The entire CAT-2009 episode starting from examination to results is nothing but a big joke. As far as CAT results are concerned following points are very crucial:

• There was no proper date of announcement of results. It was postponed several times. Perhaps IIMs knew that they had screwed it up.
• The marking pattern was not disclosed.
• Psychometric evaluation cannot standardize so many factors as stated above.
• Scores were given out of 450 with 150 as full marks for each sections. Everybody has scored in round figures. There are numerous cases where the marks obtained is a mystery.

It is a matter of shame not only for the IIMs but for the entire country. The best management institutes cannot even properly conduct an online entrance examination. 

-Arnab Mandal

  Durgapur

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Red Salute to Comrade Jyoti Basu

The towering figure of communist movement in India Jyoti Basu has breathed his last today in Kolkata at the age of 95. The sad demise of the veteran Marxist leader has made the country speechless. He was amongst the few who witnessed the beginning of communist movement in India. He joined politics before independence and became an international figure after holding the post of Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 years.

Comrade Jyoti Basu made his significance presence felt during the highs and lows of communist movement. Communist Party of India was banned post independence but the ban was removed when communists won the lawsuit after the Constitution of India came into existence. When a new party was formed in the name of Communist Party of India(Marxist) in 1964 he joined CPI(M). He was jailed several times because of breaking laws by his movements driven by Marxism. He mixed up the Marxist ideology with the dream of People's Democracy. He taught farmers and labourers to fight. The morale of the people of West Bengal reached at zenith in his leadership. In 1996 he got the opportunity to become the Prime Minister of India. But because of his party's disagreement to it he did not opt this and India lost the chance to see a communist PM. West Bengal lost the chance to see the first Bengali PM. Later his party declared that it was a historical blunder on their behalf. In 2005 the Govt. of India decided to give him Bharat Ratna Award,the highest award in India, but he expressed his unwillingness to receive this.

Comrade Jyoti Basu's death bears a huge significance. What will be the future of communist movement in India? Will it end with Jyoti Basu's death? Will Left Front survive? Will India see any statesman as good as him in future? Only time will give us the answer to these questions. But it is indeed a great loss for the communist movement in India and Indian democracy. Statements made by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi, L.K. Advani, Farooq Abdullah, Laloo Prasad Yadav, M. Karunanidhi, Jayalalita, his friend and the Ex-CM of West Bengal Siddhartha Sankar Roy are evidences of this. The Left Front leaders have clearly said that they have lost their guardian. To them Comrade Jyoti Basu's death is the end of an era and it will create a vacuum in the communist movement.

Today India needs honest politicians who will show leadership on the basis of ideology. Comrade Jyoti Basu will always be icon in this respect. Red Salute to him.

- Arnab Mandal
  Durgapur