TIMEOUT FOR ATALJEE

It's hard to believe that he was Prime Minister of India just about a month ago. Sans power, he is not just down these days, but probably on way out. The sad thing is that I don't feel sad about it all.

The image one has of Ataljee, thanks to our media, is that of an elderly, suave, mild-mannered and experienced politician with vision, insight and Indian values. But if you think really deep enough, he has hardly ever done justice to this image.

Let us recall, for example, his role in post-Godhra progrom sponsored by Narendra Hitler Modi. Well, when he visited the state as Prime Minister, he slammed Modi in right tone and with just words. But he didn't take any action against him. What added to our woes, he forgot the heinous crime and patted Modi on the back just after a few days.

This is the quintessential Ataljee for you. He'll stand up for one thing in the morning and act quite contrary to it in the evening. He's an unprincipled and wily man who can shape-shift quickly according to changing circumstances.

But what he did recently in the Mumbai party meet bordres on the ludicrous. Sensing his power in the party on the wane, he announced he would like to retire from politics. The media splashed the news and raved about the veteran leader's decision.

But only the following day, Ataljee quipped, "I was just joking. How can I quit my ideology?"
MRINAL BOSE

LIVE AND LET DIE

So what if five persons die of starvation in backwaters of West Bengal in India? Does it really matter? One should object to using the word 'starvation'. The news is an embarassment for all of us in these times when people don't like to hear such words as hunger or starvation!

It's indeed amazing how such a news had a place on the front page of a daily. Very few people have heard of Amlashole - a remote village down in west Midnapur. Admittedly, it's without any cultivable land, potable water, electricity or any health facilities. Only forest. But who do you know lives there? A tribal population that has no education or any touch with the civilization. Who has time to bother about them?

Bengal's Marxist Chief Minister -may he live long --says that starvaion-like conditions prevail in the area, but it's not really what you can call starvation death. His minister in charge of tribal welfare, himself a tribal, adds that two among the five died of jaundice. About three other cases, he fails to ascertain the cause. He's not a doctor, he rightly argues.

Newspapers say that one crore was allocated for the development of the area. The administration spent the money for promoting the tourism in this area. It bought generators and makeshift tents for the tourists. Anything wrong with it? Well, this is how we all boost up the local economy these days.

You are right:starvation is awful. But don't let it get on your nerves. Nobody strves these days. It's a constuct of the media. Believe it.

MRINAL BOSE