Munda’s encounter with myths and misunderstanding in Chatra

Munda’s encounter with myths and misunderstanding in Chatra

VIJAY DEO JHA

CHATRA

There are two myths about Chatra district. The first epical myth, that the Goddess Bhadrakali having ancient temple in Itkhori has been protecting the area from ravage all these centuries—both natural and manmade. The second—less epic and more governmental—that Chatra has been the part of the welfare state.

A grand pre-Holi celebration was thrown on Sunday night by former BJP MLA from Chatra as Munda arrived in the very district which he called one of the most challenging and critical in Jharkhand. The very next day banned CPI (Maoist) gave a call for Jharkhand bandh. Chatra which shut downs even at mere rumours or unconfirmed farman of Maoist to bandh seemingly militated the call on Monday, though, its roads bore a deserted look in the morning; overran by blaring flotilla of Chief Minister. 

But as his cavalcade passed through Chatra-Itkhori road villages on the flanks started flocking and frolicking in welcome mood asking him to spend few moments with them. They had meticulously planned to use these moments to submit handwritten petitions of their problems and demands. The greater part of Chatra is an area of darkness and poverty, metaphorically and quite literally.

“The important thing to me is that there is an air of expectation. Overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and the way they came out despite call for bandh I decided to spend more time with them,” Munda told The Pioneer on late Monday evening in Girridih Circuit House.     

Twice during selected media briefing on Monday morning Munda called Chatra as one of the most challenging areas of Jharkhand in terms of impact of Maoism and scar underdevelopment.

“While I have assigned my ministers to supervise different districts, I personally felt I should look after Chatra. It is one of the critical and challenging districts. It is a big responsibility,” Munda said.

“I wanted to break certain misunderstandings about Chatra that’s why I decided night stay here. I know they are underdeveloped. Development works have been started but it is not up to desired pace. Roads are not good,” Munda said. No sooner have you started to drive along the Balbal-Katkamsandi it deposits you in the ditch, dream shoved into a familiar Jharkhandi nightmare: the rutted road.

District officials have stopped or seldom visit interior areas where a visit is a kind of excursion into a living museum of the 18th century or thereabouts. Prosperity has taken a back seat for the cultivation of poppy as Maoists have captured thousands acres of land in the deep interiors of Lawalong and others that police and administration deny.

An awareness message to eradicate polio painted several monsoons ago in one of the villages in Itkhori, a forlorn foundation stone whose plaque was removed many years back, the poster of Vidya Balan of Dirty Picture film pasted over a MNREGA wage-list; in these parts you can probably understand them for thinking a starlet is more achievable than a daily wage.

“I have come to know that around 19 doctors have been reported absent from their duty. Actions will be taken against them. We need more doctors here. I have sought a detailed report over the requirements,” Munda said.        

Block Development Officers of Kunda and Lawalong blocks have now stopped visiting their block office out of naxal fear; they now operate from safer areas Simariya. “That’s why I called Chatra as a critical area. I am serious on these issues. I am not defending anybody,” Munda said.

Chatra consumes less energy because it has less power supply. The ambitious North Karnpura Power project inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004 in Chatra was short-circuited by the Centre before it could produce even a unit. “Centre first acquired lands and evicted people for the project and now says that power project is not feasible because the site have the deposit of coals. Either central government starts the project or I will lead people’s demonstration in Delhi,” Munda said during inauguration of power grid at Itkhori.

Leave talking about any centre of excellence for education in Chatra — though Munda promised a model college soon — its schools are dilapidated. “It is surprising that despite sanction for the construction of an extra 577 school rooms works have not been started. I am annoyed,” Munda told The Pioneer.

Before leaving to Giridih via road — yet another troubled destination — Munda visited Bhadrakali temple. “I will visit Chatra again to see whether development works and welfare projects have been started or not,” Munda said. That probably will be the third myth of Chatra: that welfare flew after CM visit.

CNT issue gives new lease of life to politically spent fuels

CNT issue gives new lease of life to politically spent fuels




VIJAY DEO JHA




RANCHI Those who are shunted on the sidelines of politics and those who are nourishing dream careers in politics seem to be in perilous flirtation with the CNT Act with their tongue freshly dipped in vile. The actual debate over the utility and viability of this century old act has lost somewhere in the war cry and ominous threats of those who have been writing script of Domicile part II in Jharkhand.




Its (The row over CNT Act) spine is a notorious and malign political legacy that even its one-time partisans are loath to invoke — the violent Domicile controversy raised during Chief Ministerial regime of Babulal Marandi in 2002. Two major national political parties; the BJP heading coalition government and the Congress forming Opposition, have been hesitant to take definite stand either to press for a change in the format of this act to according to the need of the time or to keep it in its original form; except advocating an all party meeting over the issue. Circumstances have given rise to spent political forces to fill-up the vacuum right from former MP Salkhan Murmu, Suraj Mandal, and Shailendra Mahto, one time tribal veteran Suraj Singh Besra, Prabhakar Tirkey and others who are opposed to any change in the act. They say the act was brought the British government and amended later on by Centre to protect lands of tribal and backwards people.




Despite they having a fair and unquestioned record to champion tribal rights in Jharkhand the ongoing controversy seem to have given them a chance to make a comeback in the politics. Though, they refute the very charge. “We are fighting against land mafia and conscience keeper of corporate houses who are conspiring to annul the act to grab lands of tribal and backwards. Is it a crime? Do you think that we are trying to revive our political base? I won’t mind if you think so,” Murmu said. CNT Act Bachao Sangarsh Samiti (Committee to save CNT Act) was hurriedly formed and a meeting was held in Ranchi few days back that ended with less dialogue and more deadlocks and dire consequences. They have announced grand felicitation of the Land Revenue Minister and JMM leader Mathura Mahto for his pro-CNT stands. The basic questioned remained answered whether the act has helped land rich poor tribal so far.




Chances are the decibels will pierce ears in the coming day. Jharkhand Bachao Sangarsh Samiti joined the whole discourse whose head Uday Shankar Ojha claiming to be interest keeper of 80 per cent of people announced possibility of civil war in Jharkhand is lurking over CNT issue. The samiti announced to hold demonstration at Raj Bhavan against CNT Act. “Nobody thinks about 80 per cent of population of Jharkhand who can’t purchase lands due to strict prohibitions of the Act. Aren’t they the citizen of Jharkhand?” he said. A product of domicile controversy 2002, Ojha who had contested and lost the Hatia election as Lok Jansakti party candidate is known more for his sturdy physique rather than any sound and serious mental disposition. “It is an extremely sensitive and volatile issue,” a senior government official said.




“We must tread with extreme care and ensure people have no misgivings or misapprehensions over the Act. The way some of them are calling confrontation it is not a good sign. We must be cautious not to allow another domicile,” he added. The domicile controversy 2002 is a bad memory for spilling blood and spoiling social harmony. A small time leader in 2002 -- Bandhu Tirkey -- had made best use out of the domicile controversy and became an MLA. CNT controversy is tempting many to make a comeback in politics and inspiring many to polish their CV.

Lost in dilemma Lalu admits mistakes but quite a few 


VIJAY DEO JHA 
RANCHI 


Three chairs placed in a row on the verandah of the Railway’s Official Rest House, the middle being occupied by sahib with stretched legs and leaders of lesser entity battling to occupy chairs on the flank; pretending an ear-to-ear talk with sahib to flaunt closeness. That’s poignant and painful paradox of being RJD chief Lalu Prasad who once never allowed anybody, except a few, to sit along with him when he had ruled Bihar like his kingdom. 


He would have snubbed them even today, but then he is passing through the darkest hours of his political life. Two successive electoral drubbings in Bihar at the hand of JD (U)’s Nitish Kumar, the latter more ruthless and his anxious followers are worried that the next jolt might well deliver the party from escalating coma to burial if steps are not taken to reestablish party’s base. He is the only RJD asset and party’s biggest drawback too. 


Not long back, Lalu Prasad’s visit in Jharkhand used to summon flood of party workers; but the crowd that turned during his three-day stay in Ranchi seemed to be questioning his charisma. Barely a handful attended him, as he was in the city in connection with the hearing of the fodder case by the CBI court where he stands as an accused. Though Lalu admits having made mistakes with an exclusive interview with The Pioneer correspondent Vijay Deo Jha, but remained silent on his piles of post electoral mistakes for having left his party in a directionless drift in Bihar and elsewhere. “Bahut mistake kiya hai. Mistake kiya tabhi na Nitish jeeta,” (I have made a lot of mistakes. Nitish Kumar won just because of my mistakes), Lalu admits. 


 Q After defeat in the last assembly election you left Patna. Your party had requested to spend more time in Patna to keep lantern flame alive. You rather delegated the job to Ram Chandra Purvey. The RJD is not responding as a credible Opposition. You even did not turn-up on the foundation ceremony of your party last year. 


 A True, I have not visited much parts of Bihar after the election. I will start visiting very soon. I had announced six month moratorium on agitational activity to give fair time to Nitish to fulfill the promises he made with the public after electoral mandate against my party. Now see, corruption cases have started surfacing. Scam reported in enrolment in the school. We will reply the government. Purvey is a veteran leader, I have faith on him. 


 Q But period of moratorium have extended beyond year and your party workers are getting restive. Your LJP partner Ram Vilas Paswan is much more active in comparison. 


A  I am introspecting what went wrong with the party and why voters became annoyed with us. We will make a come back. 


 Q What have been the mistakes? 


A  Ka sab ginayeji mistake to hua hai bahut mistake kiya. Congress se sambandh todna sab se bada mistake tha, how many mistakes should I list? Severing tie with the Congress was my biggest political mistake. Both RJD and the Congress have same electoral base. But we got divided that helped Nitish to win. I accept that some of my policies were wrong. 


Q  Are you getting jealous over Nitish’s popularity index? Even he has made a dent in your vote banks. Has not he shifted goal-posts of electoral politics from vote banks to governance issues? 


A Nitish is a pretender. What kind of popularity are you talking about, which has been generated by the media? He funds the media in crores to manage it. Media does not publish any news that goes against him. He is despot who has mastered the art of fabrication. He is fooling people through Seva Yatra. Nitish is the product of socialist movement. But he sat in the lap of communal party, BJP. When the history of Bihar will be written Nitish will named as an opportunist. 


Q But within your party you have been facing criticism for your style of functioning and serial lapses of the party. Leaders like Nawal Kishore Rai and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh openly questioned you. 


A. Ours is a democratic party and everybody has the right to raise their voice. What’s wrong in it?  


Q. Then why Rai was show-caused who opposed your decision to christen RJD’s headquarters at Rouse Avenue in Delhi as “Rabri Bhawan” on the name of your wife? 


A. If it does not happen then how you people will get the news. 


Q Have you finally asked your wife to take charge of kitchen? She is reported to be quite unwilling to be in the politics. 


A  Kitchen is a vital part of the domestic life of a house wife. But who says that she is out of politics. She was Chief Minister of Bihar and like me she is addicted to politics.

Lalu Prasad and Vijay Deo Jha picture by Ratan Lal

Winds of change blow in sleepy Jhargaon
VIJAY DEO JHA
JHARGAON (GUMLA)

Turn left to Gumla-Lohardaga road at Toto Jhargaon village and there is a tempting halt where, since the past two years, a silent socio-economic revolution has been taking place without giving Google and the Government slightest hint about it.

Selected under National Convergence Programme a joint scheme of the Indian Government and the United Nation’s Development Project as ‘model village’ in January 2010 Jhargaon offers many reasons to wonder what, what’s it that’s happening? The village ‘something’s happening’ place.
Things are happening and changing this way. There is a village parliament having its Prime Minister Charjren Kuzur and her cabinet; ministering affairs of the village that has taken unanimous decision not to depend on government’s dole for sustenance. The village having population of 1195, 260 households mostly tribal and backward caste there was around 145 families listed in BPL category in 2010. “No fresh application was made last year. In fact we have planned to return our BPL cards to the government by the next year. We don’t need it. We want to prosper on our own,” Kuzur said.
The first stop to the school was an arresting moment. A school freshly of painted brickwork, its walls an entertaining fiasco quotes and lessons and sprawling beautiful garden. Girls and boys standing in a row for daily prayer looking like a long single-files like blue less unfurling, all neatly uniformed. They cavorting in the corridors or chanting lessons aloud in their classes or supping midday meal that served well ahead of mid-day in a swept school yard.

“Sir, two years back there were only 35 students were enrolled who never turned to the classes. But now there are 140 students. They are very brilliant sir,” a man who later introduced himself as “Myself Dipendra Kumar Chaudhary teacher of this school” said.

Asked is s it one day show or happens daily? “Happens daily. “Happens daily, Sir,” Chaudhary replies. John Joseph Benjamin Gumla district planning officer explains how this wonder happened. “We held regular meeting with the villagers to make them aware of the importance of education. Many parents resisted to send their children on the ground that their children are to graze their cattle. Village parliament then hired a person with suitable monthly payment to manage their cattle. Now they realize importance of education.”

The village where literacy rate staggered around 10 percent years back is now boasting 100 percent literacy. “At least people now can sign and write their name. Their thumbs are no more stained with ink,” observes Jolgas Kuzur, a farmer.
Happens daily? “Happens daily, Sir,” Master Dilip Singh replied. Jhargaon has been observing total prohibition with tipplers like Soma Oraon — whose habit to guzzle gallon of liquor a day made him infamous as tanker, were either counseled, criticized or canned to leave their habit.

Something’s happening that has fuelled their economic prospect. Unlettered Minjuwa Oraon (30) showed them the way that their fallow and barren field too can yield bumper crops. “Last year he obtained four and half acre of land on lease for farming and lifted water from a nearby water source. This has induced farmers into cash crops and others. Besides we took them on exposure visit. Thing is that they have tasted development and everybody wants to develop and prosper,” Subeer Kumar Das, district facilitator of the UNISEF India said. The village has recently established milk collection centre Gokul Dham to add into it.

The country is slowly getting burnished to gold with the paddy stalks ripening and the government has come with paddy collection centre LAMPS to purchase with support price. All it came with little governmental support of a total of Rs 22 lakhs. But the way Jhargaon emerged as model for another 35 villages of Gumla included in the scheme; left Ibrahim Hussain; Asia chief of the UNDP Germany to remark ‘something is happening here.’ Saplings have been planted on 56.5 acre of land under ‘National Horticulture Mission.’ When rest of Gumla submerges in darkness at night; streets and roads of Jhargaon glow by solar lamps. A couple of years back there was no road to speak of; it felt like being shoved about at the back of a tractor. Progress was slow and tortuous. The district administration has recommended the village for Rastriya Gaurab Gram Sabha award. Something’s happening.

Graphic by Bapi Choudhwry



A politician who writes like retired spy

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

Writing a book over scams and inside story of power corridor are essential post retirement plans of bureaucrats and bosses of investigative agencies. Look at this way, senior BJP leader Saryu Roy is neither of the two. But his book Madhu Koda Loot Raj over the loot in regime of former chief Minister Madhu Koda over the globe, whose estimate heist staggers beyond Rs 4000 crore. The book to be released by veteran leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday, has already gathered attention of critic, connoisseurs and skeptical about the findings and frauds that this book is about to bring.

On Friday Koda moved an interlocutory application in the Jharkhand High Court seeking ban on the release of the book pleading the book will tarnish his image — already besmirched. The court directed him to approach a fresh, on Monday, and by this time the book will already reach to hundreds of hands. “It will be a historic document I believe. All these years I have collected facts and documents to expose corruption during the Madhu Koda raj. I raised this matter inside and outside of the state assembly. It is in the book form,” Roy said.

At least a couple of classified information makes the book interesting to read like three phase transfer of money done by Koda and Co in the foreign countries and how the group formed Golden Bird Company and tried to register it at the NASDAQ stock market.

Former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha has written the forwarding making corruption as key point of concern damaging the body politics of the nation. Should one believe all what Roy has written? Did he indeed remain neutral and honest by pounding Koda and Co. into pulp only in his investigative catharsis while making only a partial reference to those who controlled Koda and baptized him in corruption?
Writing prologue Roy owns responsibilities for what he has written. “On August 28, 2008 I had held a press conference with documentary evidences about corruptions in awarding mining lease, scams in rural electrification and the way over the years, one time petty politician and crooked swindled millions and billions from the state coffer, until Durga Oraon filed Public Interest Investigation for a throughout probe,” he claimed.

Published by the Prabhat Publication the book spreads over 320 pages divided in six chapters the book offers a deep insight into corruption, its modus oprendi and people involved.

Those who know him and those who actually faced burnt out of his Machiavellian faculty and his ability to gather details of corruptions and shady deals would hardly dispute his claim. He haunts memory of former Bihar Chief Minister and an accused in infamous Rs 950 crore fodder scam case after he hounded the case like a sniffer. A member of Legislative Council of undivided Bihar from 1998 to 2004 he shifted his political base to Jharkhand later on. A relieved Lalu Yadav had quipped: “Rahat mili ki biskhopra ab Bihar se gaya ab wah Jharkhand udham machayega, (feel relieved after devil mind has shifted from Bihar. Now he will raise hackle in Jharkhand.)” Some even despise him as a devil version and a prototype of Subramanian Swamy in Jharkhand for their matching ability to sniff corruption.

For him criticism is a kind of compliment that he happily accepts even if some blame him a vested and sponsored crusader against corruption.

But the way he pursued Koda case and exposed details of corruptions and deal from one press conference to another and regular press release it gave speculations some ground: who supplies him these details, whether he is more efficient than smarter investigative agencies. “I have good friends who help me…sometimes my intuition guide me,” Roy said.

You name an accused of the Koda scam case and he gives the details of their deeds. Call it an obsession or his observation Roy does not mind.

Hand over maps to Jharkhand; centre prods Nitish
Ranchi
Goaded by the Centre the Bihar government has finally woken up to address the concern of Jharkhand over land records and maps stashed at Bihar’s Land Revenue Department.
Though, Humkum Singh Meena Director land Record of Bihar Government sought time to go into the details of the dispute as he took over the charge of the department recently but top sources in the land Revenue confided matter has been placed before the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“We have received communication from the Centre and the Jharkhand government. The file has been placed before the Chief Minister and a meeting is likely to be held after he completes his Seva Yatra,” the official said.
The same was confirmed by Land Revenue Minister of the Bihar government Ramai Ram in a hushed overture. “It will soon be resolved. We are in touch with our Jharkhand counterpart,” Ram told the pioneer over telephone but refused to share details of the status of the case.
Eleven years after its formation Jharkhand has still not been able to keep its land records straight owing to the apathy of Big Brother Bihar that did not handover original maps to Jharkhand. Around 82000 land maps are lying unattended at the Gulzarbag Printing Press, Patna.
Twice in the last one year Chief Minister Arjun Munda shot missives to his Bihar counterpart and called attention of the Centre over unsupportive response of the Bihar government all these years. Munda had specifically raised the matter with the Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh during his Jharkhand visit. Centre is reported to have instructed the Bihar government to handover the maps to Jharkhand have asked to handover maps to Jharkhand. The absence of proper land records have been proving boon for racketeers to indulge in massive land scams like in Deoghar and Ranchi.
“We are soon going to send a delegation of officials to resolve the matter with our Bihar counterpart. I personally visited Bihar with the request and have dropped several missives. Now we have approached the Centre to intervene in this matter,” Jharkhand Land and Revenue Minister Mathura Mahto said.
Official sources in the state Land Revenue Department said that due to non-transfer of maps proposed drive for digitalised land record e-khatiyan has suffered badly. The problem is acute in districts sharing boarder of Bihar. “We are running beyond the deadline. We are lacking in modernization of land records under National Land Record Modernisation Programme,” the official said. In 2005-06 fiscal year Centre had granted Rs five crore to Jharkhand under this head. So far only two districts — Jamshedpur and Lohardaga have computerized land record while Centre granted more funds for Koderma, Pakur, Dumka and Dhanbad. But in the absence of land maps the state department has been able to digitalize barely 8,000 land maps.

Flaunted then, condemned now!
Dozens of government vehicles gather dust at Secretariat and Assemvly

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

Ministers and officials may differ and doubt even on policy matter involving larger public interest but they unanimously feel that public interest can better be served swiftly and effectively provided they are given swanky and swift vehicles.
Bowing before popular ministerial belief the cabinet last year ordered to procure 12 ‘Tata Safari Top Model’ each costing around Rs 13 to add glamour in the ministerial convoy forcing their official vehicles ‘Ford Endeavour’ into a premature state of condemnation.
Nobody loves Government of India’s gazetted sturdy bodied Ambassador now, Ford Endeavour enamours no more and Baleno VXI is a belated love story.
Stranding on the premise of state secretariat the official vehicle of Science and Technology Minister Chnadra Prakash Chaudhary JH 01N-8233 of Ford Endeavour make; is facing dust and ravage of weather, unattended; amid the fleet of around three dozen of equally condemned official vehicles. And nobody knows as to when and who dumped it there.
“The minister is now using Tata Safari probably. From past couple of week this vehicle has been left unattended here,” a security man said.
Though the minister is reported to be the most vocal one to demand new vehicle but he was not an isolated voice. One first time minister from the BJP quota had made similar demand. A heavy weight minister ventured father and forceful kept official vehicle of his one of his subordinates for a month and more finding it more swift and cozy.
In the race for costly flaunt of high tech vehicles the state secretariat looks like a dreary graveyard of condemned vehicles with frustrating counts of numbers. So is the case with premise of the Jharkhand State Assembly. Mostly these are Ambassador cars probably purchased during the formation of Jharkhand in year 2000 as their registration series numbers suggest — JH01A, JH10K, JH 01C, JH 01 C. Around 30 to 40 vehicles were purchased by the state government for officials and secretaries. At least 10 vehicles bearing the registration number of Bihar state might run beyond the prescribed limit of 15 years. “But you can’t say about rest of these. Send it to mechanic it can be used again. Some of these are still in the running condition. But when government is ready to buy new fleet every year who cares for old,” said an official.
Another 10 vehicles can be found parked on the premise of Jharkhand State Assembly with series of registration number ranging from JH 01A to JH 01B and JH 01AJ. A brand new Tata Qualis—JH01C 9367 does not deem fit to be deserved to be declared condemned. These vehicles will be finally auctioned at a throw away price for prospective buyers to turn it into running conditions by spending Rs 30000 to Rs 50000. “Some months back the Law Department had published tender for the auction of condemned vehicles. There is no central pool of condemned vehicles these vehicles belong to different departments. So it is very tough to say anything,” a senior official of the Finance Department said.
Back to the purchase of 15 plush Ford Endeavour vehicles in 2006 which were purchased by diverting huge fund of Rs 40 crore provided by the Centre for police modernization in Jharkhand, the decision which faced criticism. The government later on purchased 15 Ford Endeavours and 21 Balenos, the total cost working up to Rs 15 crore, in the name of creating a vehicle pool for VIPs despite it had enough vehicles.
The state and the ministers have tradition to change their vehicles even under minor glitch. A former health Minister had not liked his official vehicles Ambassador car — JH 01A 2515 and JH 01A 1514 which was declared condemned within three years of its purchase. It is one of the reasons as to why count of condemned has been on the rise.

Tales of flickering flame
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Who are you writing for? Why do you do it? Who do you think you are?
— Margaret Atwood on writers and writing, in Negotiating with the Dead

Journalism is not an equal opportunity employer. Journalism must often be an even more discriminating concern, for the press of dubious claimants at its door is frenetic. This, mind you has been the realm of meritocracy which is now struggling to banish agents and agenda to allow market and money against a takeover, after the boom of liberalization in 1990.
Wannabe entrants should learn the new set of rules of this changed realm with so many midwife of pride and prejudice — editors and agent, publisher and promoter, market and money, reader and critic as stakeholders. And mind legendry editors have just been chucked to the bin of fable and journalists are now no more than paid labourers.
Rajnish Sharma is probably best able, at the moment, to convey the sensations of baptism into journalism— at once beatific and blistered. His book —Flickering Flames — has had such a lavish stewing at the hands of Indian reviewers you’d think the idea was to turn Rajnish fiction to pulp.
Reviewers found it many layered novel, ‘funny but not flippant’ a story of the metamorphosis of media through a love story and a take on journalism, its constant pressures and moments of joy, the free parties, the professional jealousy, the editorial-management divide and the inevitable edit bloopers.
And all these are woven around a love story between sensitive, cynical and reticent Aditya and the enigmatic Shenaz Zaidi, a young liberal woman that takes shapes quietly beyond frenzied editorial meetings of The Times a newspaper launched in the city of nawabs, Lucknow. They fall in love and their love bloomed to blight after Shenaz moved to Mauritius. It sprouted again after they met at the end of the story. The story of Aditya and Shenaz are the only romantic relief otherwise, “newspaper is just another product like soap. Journalists…paid labourers who must know the art of survival, shedding of intellectual pretensions and falling in line with the company's business interests".


The novel seems to bear the imprint Rajnish’s own trail and tribulation as a journalist craftily serving few slices of his life to munch. But then, why Lucknow, why not Delhi or Mumbai? “My novel draws largely from the people I came across over the years, but the inspiration was the feature I feel is unique to the city—communal harmony. I believe, in no other part of the world could there be such peaceful coexistence.”

“Problems and perils in the media world in small town like Ranchi, Patna, and Ranchi etc are more obvious than metros,” he says.

This 40 chapters book takes the readers from news room to some of the pulsating vista of the ‘city of Nawabs’ with around 15 interesting characters joining the main protagonist Aditya There is G.K. Bose, the editor looking like an "overgrown teddy bear with podgy hands”, desperately fighting a losing battle with the management over editorial control. There is a Bureau Chief; Rameez “with a Machiavellian axe to grind;” there is Siddh (Sid) Shukla, a "scrawny and frizzy haired" who have a sore in the eyes of the management.
Rajnish is bold in adminting what a journlaist feel: "working with passion is fine, but you must draw a line. Always remember that we are just employees, not the owners."
Flickering Flames seeks reply to Who are you writing for? Why do you write? Who do you think you are?

VIJAY DEO JHA

VIJAY DEO JHA

Time to celebrate but no time for introspection
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Rahul Gandhi, Jharkhand Congress calls your attention for an urgent housekeeping: your party is lurching to a cold and tearful end in Jharkhand.
Gandhi twice visited Jharkhand in 2009 and 2010 to recruit young and youthful in the party and its party’s youth wing and instructed immediate membership drive.
The drive netted less members and courted more controversies for forging a fraud list of membership. Only the number of leaders has grown but not workers, far and few left in a forced hibernation. And its staunch supporters are wheezing on expired emotion, too unattached and anaemic even to talk about the party today.
“We have deserted old tradition of Congress. Full timers have been replaced by part timers. We need a serious review,” Arun Pandey who took retirement from active party politics observed. Pandey does not shy in going so straightforward because he has nothing to lose because he has already played his innings in the party. “But we can’t speak. Ideologically and organizationally we have made lapses. Sorry part is that nobody even takes cognizance and the Centre is too indifferent,” a senior party functionary said. It gets worse than that funereal lament.
When Congress actually severed ties with party tradition and the masses that matters? It was probably after the end of popular era of Satyadev Narayan Tiwari and Jagganath Prasad Chaudhary who had called a many public stirs and kept the party organizationally robust and mobile.
The pity for the Congress is which its spokesperson Sailesh Sinha denied strongly. “It is the oldest party having its root in the mass. We regularly raise public issue in Jharkhand. It is the strength that helped the party to survive and grow from the last 127 years. Our shares in vote have leaped in double digit,” he said.
It is hard to remember the last time the Congress as a credible opposition actually courted any mass agitation to show its organizational mobility, never mind sporadic and splintered show of protest here and there aiming to secure media space.
State Congress in-charge Sakil Ahmed has specially arrived to take part in 127th foundation ceremony of the Congress to be held in Ranchi on Sunday. “I am sure when the pamphlet of spectacular achievements of the Congress will be read Jharkhand will blush them. There isn’t much left for Congressmen in Jharkhand. All the messes and culture adhocism in party here has been created by central leadership. Some of the district and block presidents will be felicitated for their good performance on this occasion for all that they have not done. This is a deeply divided Congress where everybody is loyal to somebody. Our meetings end with fight…what more,” a senior leader courted anonymity.
That cost party dearly in Jamshedpur parliamentary by-election. It lost because of open differences among seniors like state party president Pradeep balmuchu and Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay. Party discipline has been tossed in air. The much hyped report of the committee of KN Jha over party indiscipline during and after Jamshedpur was shelved that believed to have passed serious stricture over Balmuchu and some other leaders.
Organizational elections are an unscheduled affair and a full time elected president is an old demand. Balmuchu overstayed beyond his tenure otherwise he had to be replaced after 2008 state organizational election. Three years later slumbering central Congress leadership granted him one year of extension leaving large section of party grudging. Why to blame Balmuchu alone, rests are equally responsible including central leadership for killing the spirit of party workers,” retorted one.
The people like former Congress MP Gayanranjan, Tiwari are not among the list of mourners. That’s how lonely your party’s Jharkhand cortege is, Rahul Gandhi.

Munda accepts responsibilities; shifts half blame on Centre

Munda accepts responsibilities; shifts half blame on Centre

VIJAY DEO JHA

Palamu/ Garhwa

After three days of ground searching of the development and deprivation of the Palamu division it is time to make promises and blunt blame game, too.

Before taking chopper ride to Ranchi after completing three day road visit of Palamu division Chief Minister Arjun Munda, on Friday, assured to gush the region with development.

“By the end of March Palamu power grid will be connected with Hatia grid to end power blue. The government will explore the possibility of establishing power plant. All of its pending irrigation projects within the division will be completed top priority basis,” Munda told the media in Garhwa before leaving to Ranchi.

Other than decade long negligence and the lack of robust executive will in bringing development here Munda sprang a third angle if Jharkhand got an unalloyed infamy for its bad roads specially in the Palamu division.

Munda spent two and half days travelling along the roads of Latehar, Palamu and Garhwa. He was clearly in no mood to waste or waffle; his bag of unrequited grouses, in fact, lay unpacked during the journey, old whine in new throttle. “I have seen the condition of two of the National Highways—75 and 98 which don’t deserve to be called as road. The Centre has been prejudicial towards Jharkhand. Our repeated demands have fallen in the deaf ears,” Munda said. The CM was not letting the demands of politeness tone down his thrust or temper.

Sources in the CMO confided that after taking stock of pitiable conditions of two highways the government mulling a PR offensive against the Centre. “Things needed to be brought before people. The Opposition often blames the government even about bad condition national highways whereas state government is nowhere responsible. Best thing is to make video footage of these roads send it to the Centre as a proof and upload it on government websites,” a senior CMO officer said. The Centre on its part has often been heard claiming that the state failed to utilize funds.

Munda held scores of public and party meetings from one stop to another-- Belchampa,Chetna, Meral, Ramna, Nagar Untari and Bhwnathpur in Garhwa. He was ringing signature tune of development; dexterously hemming social development with economic one that pleased many. But that often got distracted amid the chorus of decade long unfulfilled demands of development. Fate of proposed Mandal Dam project Kanhar Dam project (proposed in 1974) and others are in limbo. Scheme of urban water supply in Daltonganj has not fetched even a glass of pure water though the administration is talking about the second phase of its expansion. Roads have lost in potholes and craters. Palmau survives on merely 35 mw of electricity supplied by Bihar; too little to fight the darkness leave talking anything surplus to power any plant or project.

Those who called his visit an expansive political show sans any administrative orientation under elaborate security arrangement; he called their attention towards his dedication for development. “I will make visit after three months once again to see changed ground. It is my responsibility,” Munda told the pioneer.

Sources in the CMO confided that government has already formed a ‘Direct Monitoring Unit,’ for a direct monitoring of the development projects. “He can achieve his target provided he tighten and tame bureaucrats who are critical notch in his fancied delivery mechanism,” a former bureaucrat said. At least Munda was not under any misconception about systematic failure of administration in this naxal hit belt specially to mention Palamu.

Palamu remained on the radar of the government despite pretty polished Palamu DC Puja Singhal tried to cover-up unbrushed realism.