Mayawati is one of my favourite politicians. It's a Herculean task to build a political party from scratch. She along with her mentor Kanshi Ram has done that in style. So I salute her at the very outset. Why then I feel so agitated with her strong action against an IAS officer whose wife decided to organise a fashion show at their official residence?
Is it a crime if a group of women decided to let their hair down and feel a little liberated in otherwise suffocating environs of Lucknow.
Irrespective of which section of the society you come from, if you are a woman, you will not dare to venture out either in Hazratganj or Ameenabad on your own.
You could go to Not Just Jazz by the Bay in Bombay, a TGIF or any swanky mall in Delhi..but you cant go for a nice evening walk along the Gomti in Lucknow. So whats wrong if Mrs Hussein decided to let everyone have fun at her residence. Official unofficial be damned. Anyways, how many IAS officers are aware of rule 13 clause 2 that determines what you can and what you cant do at your official residence.
In Delhi, MPs often allow their friends to use the gigantic lawns for weddings, receptions or parties. At least the massive gardens are used to good effect. Mayawati herself organises these lavish parties on her birthdays, where the entire state machinery comes often in their official attire to present gifts and offer cakes to our beloved Behen ji. Shouldn't the question of moral propriety be posed to her as well?
The national media goes berserk whenever crazy Shiv Sainiks go on the rampage against celebration of Valentines Day.
Headlines cry: Moral policing not acceptable. Are Mayawati's actions not similar to Moral policing?
The culprit in question says that she had just organised a tea party for her friends, mostly wives of her IAS husbands' colleagues. That the fashion show was just a surprise element to spice up the evening. And if you did watch those images, you would know that it was a fashion show minus any glamour.
You weren't seeing the likes of John Abraham or Bipasha Basu sashaying down the ramp. It was just some women who wanted to live a few moments of liberation. They called it recreation of 19th century England. Well I wasn't born in the early half of the 19th century.
But since I am film buff my association with her Majesty's Kingdom is through the world of celluloid. Let me assure you, none of those clothes were ever worn by any of the gori memsaabs.
That brings me to my second point. What is Mayawati up to? She has created a flutter throughout the political fraternity by her spectacular victory in UP.
So much so that the Congress and the SP are even thinking of tying up together and fight Mayawati's might together, rather than take her on individually and get nothing in return. Tilak, taraazu aur talwaar, inko maaro jute chaar may have been replaced by Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh hai, haathi nahi Ganesh hai.
But have the ground realties in sprawling Uttar Pradesh changed in any way. Mayawati is happy to wield her danda against the corrupt cops, or tainted Bureaucrats. But does she have any long-term vision for the state.
Look at neighbouring Bihar. Nitish Kumar, the master of subtlety seems to be going about his job in a rather methodical way. He may not have built a party on his own, but he does have the rather difficult task of turning around a state, which had actually gone beyond redemption.
Maybe Behen Mayawati could borrow a leaf out of Nitish Kumar's book. She should focus more on uplifting the status of the poor and the down trodden, rather than venting her ire on a harmless fashion show.
If hundred of crores for Ambedkar's smaraks are fine, then how about a few hundred crores for better power supply, better roads and potable water. Is Mayawati interested in listening?
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I really think that Mayawati is not really given the Credit for the herculian work she has done for the upgradation of the real poor people of India. Its an Irony! Apart from she being a Dalit we should also understand that she is a woman and that really makes her task more harder than we can think. Instead of voicing applaudes after she leaves the scene, we should try to have an attitude of uplifting and boosting her morale.All the words in the world are useless if we really dont have the feeling to understand the Subject or not willing to understand her. ...Reply
Dear Mr. Roy, I think people like you are so lost in nitpicking that you lose the sight of real content in one's writing. I am a regular viwer of CNN-IBN live video streams and find Bhupender Chubey to be a journalist of high impact- someone who brings in lots of passion and depth in his coverage and certainly does not come across as someone who is full of himself which is a common trait amongst most journalists. This is what matters for the audience who is looking for real journalism. We dont care if our journalists are not experts in victorian english semantics to the extent of paranoia. Btw, your last name reminds me of another famous journalist with the same last name. Could you be him who is insecure of Bhupender's rising popularity ?And talking about mother tongue. yes Mr. Chaubey's mother tongue would be Hindi and so would be case for you. Isnt it? Unless your ancestors were one of those Jamindaars of Bengal who took so much pride in serving British..... ...Reply
There is no doubt that today law and order situation is bad in UP, because of being caught up in feudal type rule clutch despite democracy. Trouble is off course from those who are on other side of law. Unfortunately even people in power continuously and openly indulge in taking help from those on other side of law or pass diktats like the current one Mayawati has done without worrying about, what the law permits. People males or females, feel secure, only when law and order is implemented honestly by those in power and those who are supposed to take care of it, police, courts netas, babus etc. In feudal rule no one is secure, women least of all. There could be one more possibility which Vandana perhaps did not see. Vandana has not ventured that much out in places where law and order is maintained properly, to see what personal security means. ...Reply
Hi VandanaI come from UP too. I keep going to Lucknow very frequently. The article I think bring out the hypocracy that exists in the state when it comes to women. I am not so sure whether a group of women could think in terms of going to a bar and having a drink, or wearing clothes that lets say women in Delhi or Bombay wont ever care two hoots ...Reply
I don't think terming UP beyond redemption is apt. What holds this state back is lack of visionary politicians truly committed towards the development. Modi, Chandrababu, SM Krishna they all ride on staunch development agenda. some of them got voted out of power because some unpleasant decision. But all in all, they initiated implementation of some long term policies, which their heir are bound to follow.In UP, the home grown political leaders are obsessed with the charm of money and power,being at the top post provides them with a machinary to fulfill their wishes. Mulayam,Mayawati,Ajit Singh,kalyan Singh all seem to be falling on same line. Some with better thought process and expanded vision like Atal Bihari Vajpayee graduate to National level leaving the stinky state behind.Mayawati, as her recent aspirations show want to be PM, and she wants to use the CM post to expand her reach beyond UP, and clinch more loksabha seats in forthcoming elections. Whether her wish gets fulfilled remains to be seen later. Though this will not take UP anywhere.When India is a huge attraction among western countries,with trade levels and investments reaching all time high,Every state is trying its best to lure investors. Be it fight b/w Karnataka and AP for s/w investments,or among Maharastra,Karnataka and Tamil nadu for automobile companies' investments.Gujarat has an edge with its petrochemicals set up and modern ports,while Haryana enjoys its proximity to National Capital.Though UP too has got Noida,but they've failed to take it beyond.All we need for wholesome development of UP is a committed politician. Rahul Gandhi seems to be the best hope in present set-up and may uproot Mayawati's fortunes if he keeps working at grass-root levels in interior villages of UP, which is causing intense discomfort to Mayawati. His sheer charm, ability to get the PM hear the grievances of locals and connect with industry could bring a wave of change. Let's hope for better if not best ...Reply
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