The NGO Phenomenon

 Their real contribution is that they defuse political anger and dole out as aid or benevolence what people ought to have by right. They alter the public psyche. They turn people into dependent victims and blunt the edges of political resistance. NGOs form a sort of buffer between the sarkar and public. Between Empire and its subjects. They have become the arbitrators, the interpreters, the facilitators.

What is unique about Emmanuel Carrère?

A man whose mind is liberated and not caged in a genre, free from censorship

Lotus blooms in Bengal

I must admit I react ambiguously to BJP's victory in Basirhat South by-election. While I'm happy that it defeats TMC -  which put in all of its resources and muscle power to win the seat-thus giving a blow to Mamata Banerjee and her corrupt regime, I can't entirely accept that the lotus blooms here in Bengal.

Judging by the political environs right now, this debut will snowball across the state, and in the absence of a real people's party (the so-called Marxists have done extremely badly in both the by-elections), is going to occupy the centre-stage anyway.

An extreme right-wing party seems to be the destiny of the state.

 It has always happened to every state or country where the leftists misruled and went out of power.

I don't see any chance of the leftists -real or fake or whatever kind - returning to power in Bengal any time soon.