Azadi Zindabad
Some I-Day musings
Satrajit, play it back to Bachi, tell her I have made some tweaks, and that I can’t understand the portion highlighted…
Whattt? It’s been 79 years already? Seems like yesterday only. We keep getting reminders of how we stood up against the mighty British ruler.
- 1857. We’ve had ‘A Million Mutinies (by) Now’. Forget cartridges allegedly greased with cow/pig-fat; Of late everyone is chewing on something only they find ‘offensive’ – despite being ordered not to ‘bite’ it. Caste, corruption, commie unions have unending andolans. Recent protesters (‘anti-testers’?) include cockyroaches, farmers, CAA-wallas, Dalits, and shape-shifter ‘urban naxals’. Sepoys and mutineers are no longer same-same. Legit outrage apart, ‘hurt sentiments’ jump in, enraged motorists jump out, and comics stand up to demand their own brand of freedom.
- 1885. Indian National Congress was founded. For several years now, bar some flashes, it’s looked ‘losted’.
- 1905. Partition of Bengal. In 2011, the state parted from a 34-year-old CPM togetherness. In 2026, it left long-time TMC for BJP, which, as in 1905, is reportedly trying to strongly encourage transfer of population. Curzon had split Bengal for administrative ease but the hidden paw was the Raj’s cynical divide-and-rule policy. It led to Swadeshi Movement. Latter-day Bharat has been making a bonfire of both our colonisers, though ‘atmanirbhar’ wasn’t prompted by any devious agenda.
- 1919. Like the Rowlatt Act, Indira Gandhi’s 1975 Emergency bestowed draconian powers including detention without trial. Preventive detention continues. No real Jallianwala Bagh equivalent, but those Turkman Gate bulldozers are more awake than ever.
- 1922. In Gorakhpur’s Chauri Chaura, police fired on those peacefully participating in Gandhiji’s first Non-Cooperation Movement; in retaliation a police station was set ablaze, killing all 22 occupants; three civilians died too. Shocked by such violence, Gandhiji called off his new movement nationally. Echoes? Nah!
- 1930. Gandhiji’s 386-km walk to Dandi to pick up a handful of salt was great theatre. Optics continue to dazzle.
- 1947. Every govt has promised us ‘freedom’ from something, but demand for it never ceases either. Partition? Bro, that’s our permanent state. Parties, like amoeba, keep dividing to multiply their prospects. Plus, there’s the apparent ‘tukde tukde gang’ and real bye-bye to bhai-bhai.
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Alec Smart said: “We are taking ‘national’ out of ‘anthem’ ☹”
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
