Hypocritical intellectuals belonging to 'Sushil Samaj' 'Nagarik Samaj' 'Biddwajan' and 'Swajan' have been shamelessly maintaining criminal silence.
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams, chapter 761
Palash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/
Hypocritical intellectuals belonging to 'Sushil Samaj' 'Nagarik Samaj' 'Biddwajan' and 'Swajan' have been shamelessly maintaining criminal silence.
One Hundred and Ten Crore Budget Cake for Mamata Banerjee`s Culture Brigade in Resource Revenue starved West Bengal might be breaking news for media and they launched yet another Panel Discussion Live Campaign, But it is NO Surprise for me as I have written long before that the Great Bengali Intelligentsia and Civil society seek salvation on Government Pay Roll! I am Fed up with the Panel discussions live! Same Faces, Same debate. Same Logic. No one dares to go beyond Panel Discussion!Once I addressed a Press Club Meet of West Bengal Working Journalist`s Association . I sugested that the Press should cease to publish Government news as we did in 1982- 83 against Bihar Press Bill. Everyone protested dubbing it quiet Impossible! The logic is why to miss the news while others would use it.Then Jyoti Basu was the Chief Minister and the Marxist Left Front was ruling. Since then Nothing changed. Press Club is represented by reporters only and Editorial staff is not considered as the members of Press in Kolkata only whereas in Mumbai, even the Artists are members of the Press Club. This is the nature of selective representaion in bengal in every sphere of life and the Hegemony Rule has to be sustained. No one, not even the Rebel Media Tycoons dare to stop Publication of News, Photos and Interviews of the Government and the Ruling Party as the Bihar Press way back in early 1980 did.The Mamata Banerjee government's order, asking state libraries to purchase eight specified newspapers, has triggered outrage among citizens across the state.Then?During her run-up to power, Mamata Banerjee got along well with the leading media houses of Kolkata — but not anymore.Meanwhile,Chief minister Mamata Banerjee met governor MK Narayanan for an hour on ... against the government's efforts to curtail the rights of the media.Media dared not beyond Exposures and panel Discussions and Provoking Mamata again and again!
Bengali Intelligentsia on Pay Roll!
http://bangaindigenous.blogspot.in/2009/11/bengali-intelligentsia-on-pay-roll.html
Daily Telegraph, one of the prominent daily which have been censored for libaries published an Exposure today , titled, Let them eat the cake called culture Guess who got a 125% hike!ARNAB GANGULY AND SREECHETA DAS reported for the daily in which they rightly exposed that One of the biggest beneficiaries of this year's Bengal budget is not any poverty-alleviating ministry but the information and cultural affairs department, which deals with chief minister Mamata Banerjee's culture clan.The department, which is under Mamata's direct supervision, has been allocated Rs 110 crore in one of the steepest increases in budget funds for any section. The figure represents a 125 per cent leap from the revised estimate of Rs 48.60 crore for 2011-12 and a nearly 15-fold jump from the Rs 7.48 crore actually spent in 2010-11.The spectacular surge in funds for culture stands in sharp contrast to the slash for the panchayat and rural development department by over Rs 255 crore.
First Post also reported that Mamata has made it quite clear that she wants to dominate West Bengal's cultural space!
Educationist Sunanda Sanyal made no bones about how much it had shocked him. He said such a decree would make the situation worse than the restrictions during the Emergency period. "Moreover, they (Mamata Banerjee and her party) have made promises to the people before coming to power that they are flouting blatantly. There were promises of only democracy and no party politics, but now there is only autocracy," Sanyal said.He said what the CPM used to do with subtlety over the past 34 years - by asking that their party mouthpiece be read - was being adopted by this government as well. Only this time it is in the form of a written, formal order. "This cannot be supported," Sanyal said. He added that it was the same culture that had stopped the play 'Poshu Khamar' during the fag end of the Left Front government's tenure. The play was stopped by CPM hoodlums during a performance in the Hooghly district.
The West Bengal assembly Friday witnessed noisy scenes over a bill that seeks to restructure the state medical council, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the opposition Left Front of trying to disrupt proceedings in a 'concerted' manner.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have mastered the art of making unforced errors, to use a sports terminology, to hand down potent ammunition to her opponents.She regularly generates controversies without fail through her actions and utterances, the latest being the government's decision to ban most leading dailies from state-run and state funded libraries.Earlier, during her consistent opposition to the Left rule before she became chief minister, Banerjee was the darling of a large section of the media and had always spoken in favour of media freedom.
Now she has attracted severe criticism from all sections of society following the government's ill-thought order to these libraries to stock only specific eight vernacular newspapers for promoting "free thinking" among readers. Banerjee has further fuelled the controversy by asserting that she may in future even ask people to stop buying certain newspapers "because a conspiracy is going on against us".
However, buckling under immense pressure, the government has now included Bengali daily Aajkaal, English daily The Times of India, another Bengali newspaper, and two others in Alchiki script and Nepali in the list.
But still the two most read Bengali dailies Ananda Bazar Patrika and Bartamaan along with leading English dailies like The Telegraph, The Statesman and Hindustan Times - severely critical about policies and functioning of the 10-month old Trinamool Congress government - have been kept out.
Library Affairs Minister Abdul Karim Chowdhury said the government's purpose was to promote small newspapers and encourage free thinking and it does not mean that "we have imposed censorship on big newspapers or banned them".
At the deaths of Rizwanur Rehaman in Kolkata and 14 people at Nandigram, Mahasweta Devi and her team of perverted intellectuals had organized candle processions, rallies, seminars, meetings and conventions. All of them performed feats and tricks of jugglery (Madari Ka Khel) and sang & danced to the tune set by the imperialists, international finance capital and big business houses. They compared Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee with Hitler and Narendra Modi and gave a call for change (Parivartan) in West Bengal during last Parliamentary Elections held in May, 2009.
Defending her government's decision to have selected newspapers in state-run and aided libraries, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that it was done to promote small newspapers.
"This is the affair of a small department (Library Services). Its budget is only Rs 19 crore. From this books and newspapers have to be bought. Therefore we have to pick and choose. We cannot buy 200 newspapers.
We will promote small newspapers," the chief minister told reporters at Writers' Buildings.
She said that in addition to eight specified newspapers another five have been included such as an English daily and a Nepali daily.
Speaking about the flak that the circular on libraries drew, she said "this is a systematic, unfair and dirty game being played by a mischievous section.
"If large newspapers can determine what price they will be sold and what its content will be, then the people's government also has its rights," she said.
Referring to the erstwhile Marxist rule in the state, she said "CPI(M) spoke about the haves and havenots, but did not promote small newspapers.
"Earlier during the previous Left Front regime, shops were not allowed to open if they did not subscribe to Ganshakti (CPI(M) mouthpiece)."
Stating that there was pressure on her because she was against allowing SEZ and lifting of the land ceiling, the chief minister claimed that this was affecting the business interests of a section.
"During the Singur agitation when I went on a 26-day fast, a section of the media was also against me and even wanted my death. But I will not deviate from the manifesto."
She claimed that efforts were being made to spoil the relations between "us and the central government and also stall development when we are trying to bring West Bengal back on the rails."
She said "when 13 youth were killed in police firing during Left rule in the early 90's and people were killed and buried in Nandigram, those raising a hue and cry now did not protest."
Asked if her government's directive amounted to a fatwa or censorship, she dismissed it saying it is not a fatwa. "What the people want we will do."
She, however, said "I have not stated yet what the people should read. But if there is conspiracy against my government, I will dictate in future what papers should be read."
She said "I will not commit a mistake knowingly. When the people will no longer want me I will go away."
Banerjee's detractors have said the newspapers included in the first list are 'pro-government'. One of the Bengali newspapers is owned by the family of a Rajya Sabha lawmaker from the Trinamool Congress, while its associate editor was recently elected to the upper house of parliament on the Trinamool ticket.
"There can always be a discussion in a democracy, but the way things are being said is unwarranted and in bad taste. Regularly, in a planted way, we are being accused of being undemocratic which itself is an insult to democracy. This is not acceptable," said Banerjee in the assembly pointing to the opposition.
"Planted game is a planted game. It is always easy to make allegations, but equally hard to prove them," added Banerjee.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Anisur Rahman's accusation during the passing of the West Bengal Medical Council (Temporary Suppression Amendment) Bill 2012, that Banerjee was 'needlessly interfering' in all matters, prompted the chief minister to hit back.
She also said there was a growing tendency to attack her personally.
"Some people are trying to harm the democracy and the culture of the state which is neither fair nor acceptable. You cannot curb my right to speak as I do not represent your party. There is a tendency to attack me personally... Mamata can be an allergy for you, but not for the people," said Banerjee.
The virtually defunct West Bengal Medical Council has been disbanded and replaced by an ad-hoc committee that will remain in charge till 2015.
Headed by Tridib Banerjee, the chairman of the task force on infant mortality, the committee will have 10 members, including three government nominees. The medical council has not held its elections that were due in 2010. More than 300 cases of medical negligence are now pending before the council that has not been reviewing them for the last two years.
The Bill, which was passed in the Assembly Friday seeks to restructure the Council.
'Poshu Khamar' director Arpita Ghosh - who is close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee and heads many government panels - avoided a comment on the newspaper issue. When TOI contacted her in the evening, Ghosh said she was in the middle of a rehearsal and could not speak.
Actor and theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty, however, said he was not willing to equate the two incidents. "That would be simplifying the issues," Chakraborty said. "It would also be too prompt a conclusion to see it like the Emergency days," he said.
Chakraborty said there was nothing technically wrong in a government asking the libraries to take certain newspapers. "However, it is not advisable for the government to take such a step in a democracy," he said, adding that there were many instances in the past when newspapers had refused to publish advertisements of some plays. "It happened to my own play Adbhut Andhar, which the CPM's mouthpiece Ganashakti had refused to publish after the content of the play came to light," he said. "Such things never happen abroad, it just takes place in our country."
Minister Abdul Karim Chowdhury refused to withdraw the order but later in the day, there was hint of damage control by the administration. Director of information, Uma Pada Chatterjee, said that it was the "sole decision of the library department" and the order had not come from either the chief minister's office or the information and cultural affairs department. It did nothing to stop the uproar.
There was a furore in the assembly. Leader of the Opposition, Surjya Kanta Mishra, said: "This is another blatant attempt by the government to throttle democracy. This attitude is being reflected through different decisions of the government. There is utter disregard for democratic norms. How can a government decide which newspapers people will read?"
Even the Congress, a government constituent, reacted sharply. Pradesh Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said: "It is unfortunate that such an order was issued. Reading a newspaper is a personal, democratic choice. How can the government influence that?" He pointed out that money was being spent from the state exchequer for purchasing newspapers for libraries, so specifying which newspapers were to be read meant scuttling democratic rights of people. "I will write to the CM to withdraw the order," he said.
State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya on Sunday wrote to chief ministerMamata Banerjee dubbing the ban on newspapers in the state libraries "most partial and undemocratic."
He also alleged that there is no precedence for this type of blatant attempt to institutionalize a system of patronage at the cost of exchequer. Requesting the withdrawal of the circulars issued by the state directorate of library services, Bhattacharya said this would not lower the government's prestige but rather save it from deteriorating further.
Bhattacharya had earlier opposed this move and followed this up with a letter to the chief minister on Sunday. Bhattacharya also wrote against another reported directive on discontinuation of government advertisements in the publications in rural, block and district levels. "This would be the most detrimental to the growth of these small but vital publications," he wrote. He also pointed out to the "tardy and lax" investigations into the attacks on journalists on February 28 at Ganguly Bagan and later at Burdwan Medical College. "The government measures are widely interpreted as efforts to muzzle the press," he wrote.
In our constitutional and democratic political order, such partiality towards select newspapers and the directive that no other newspapers can be kept in the libraries is shocking, Bhattacharjee, who is also a party MP and president of the state INTUC, said in his letter. Congress, he said, was committed to democracy and rule of law and "as such we cannot condone any move or government circulars that attempt to run counter to these ideals." He noted that the move and the justification offered by the government had been "soundly and comprehensively criticised" by all sections of the civil society, media and political parties.
Finally, the main opposition party in West Bengal - CPI(M) spoke about the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her decision to 'ban' many English, Bengali and other newspapers in the state. Criticising her decision, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Thursday, Mar 29 claimed that "seeds of fascism" were being sown in West Bengal.
Taking questions from media persons over the decision of the Trinamool Congress supremo, Mr Yechury claimed, "She (Mamata) wants that only what she says should get in to print and not anything else. This shows that seeds of fascism have been sown in the state. But her statements will not change history and neither will the realities change."
However, Mamata, after realizing the grave impact of her decision, quickly took a U-turn on the decision and said that the order was being altered only to include more newspapers.
Her decision to 'ban' English newspapers in libraries was met with sharp criticism from all quarters, including Trinamool ally Congress, Left parties and the community as a whole. They called the decision "undemocratic, undesirable and worse than censorship."
The CM and her party issued a notice on Tuesday, saying that the state and statewide libraries can purchase only eight newspapers whose names have been enlisted in the circular.
Names of leading English Newspapers such as Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Telegraph,Statesman have not featured in that list published by Trinamool Congress (TMC). Most of the Bengalis will be shocked with the news that the CM did not even mention the name of the most famous Bengali newspaper - Ananda Bazar Patrika in the circular.
The circular says, "It is felt that the newspapers/dailies, as named in the table, will, besides promoting language, particularly among the rural masses, significantly contribute to the development and spread of free thinking among the members." The circular named few of Hindi and Urdu newspapers beside some Bengali dailies.
The circular also said that the state government will not spend extra fund for purchasing any newspaper or daily published or purported to be published by any political party in any public library in the state.
Let them eat the cake called cultureGuess who got a 125% hike | |
| ARNAB GANGULY AND SREECHETA DAS | |
Calcutta, April 1: One of the biggest beneficiaries of this year's Bengal budget is not any poverty-alleviating ministry but the information and cultural affairs department, which deals with chief minister Mamata Banerjee's culture clan. The department, which is under Mamata's direct supervision, has been allocated Rs 110 crore in one of the steepest increases in budget funds for any section. The figure represents a 125 per cent leap from the revised estimate of Rs 48.60 crore for 2011-12 and a nearly 15-fold jump from the Rs 7.48 crore actually spent in 2010-11.(See chart) The spectacular surge in funds for culture stands in sharp contrast to the slash for the panchayat and rural development department by over Rs 255 crore. The government has not explained in detail the pressing need for the largesse for cultural affairs at a time the state is grappling with almost every financial malaise conceivable. But the heads under which the money will be spent, listed in pages 126-131 in Budget Publication No. 3, speak for themselves. The money will be spent on awards for drama and music, acquiring as well as modernising studios, organising fairs and film festivals and salvaging a cultural centre. In short, the government has armed itself with enough opportunities to shower incentives on personalities, events and institutions associated with the culture clan. The estimates show, for instance, that the government proposes to spend up to Rs 1 crore in awarding artistes for their contribution to drama and music, a more than 12-fold increase over the revised estimate for 2011-12. "The chief minister wanted a higher allocation for her (I&CA) department this year, so the finance minister increased the funds even though he was forced to curtail the allocations for a department such as panchayat and rural development," a senior finance department official said. The 10-month-old government has already instituted two new culture awards that carry cash prizes: Banga Bibhushan and Banga Samman. The list of Banga Bibhushan awardees, who received Rs 2 lakh each, includes singer Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, dancer Amala Shankar, writer Mahasweta Devi and actress Supriya Devi. Except for Mahasweta Devi, the rest are still close to the chief minister. During her visit to Siliguri last February, Mamata gave away Rs 1 lakh each to the Banga Samman awardees, who included Trinamul MLA Chiranjeet, singer Nachiketa, actress Sandhya Roy, theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty and poet Joy Goswami. In the run-up to the Assembly polls, Goswami, Chakraborty and Nachiketa had campaigned forparibartan (change) in Bengal. Sandhya Roy, one of the awardees, said there was nothing wrong in what Mamata was doing. "An award is a form of recognition for an artiste," she said. Awards and cash prizes, though, are not the only benefits heading the culture clan's way. Singers, actors and writers have been made part of the dozens of committees the department has set up to take the decisions on expenditure under various heads. "The members don't get any financial emoluments other than Rs 300 for attending each meeting but they hold the key to the spending decisions. The chief minister wants to accord them importance by inducting them into the committees," an official said. No one in the department could say exactly how many committees the new government had set up with pro-Trinamul culture clan members as their heads. Veteran actress Supriya Devi said she was on "several" committees but could not remember all the names. "I am very happy with what Mamata is doing for people involved in art and culture," she said. Arpita Ghosh, another culture clan member, said: "Yes, I am a member of several committees including the newly formed task force for culture. However, I am not aware of the increase in budgetary allocations…. But even if there is a leap in the allocations, one should not grudge that. We believe that a well-defined and refined culture is the identity of a community." The generosity is also dragging the administration into responsibilities from which modern governments would recoil. The budget documents reveal that the government will spend Rs 18.55 crore to acquire studios and a further Rs 9 crore on modernising them. Most of this, sources said, is likely to be spent on the rundown state-owned studio which the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government wanted to hand over to a private player. "There is no point in the government involving itself in the running of a studio. A private player should be given the responsibility to ensure efficiency and profit generation," said Priya Entertainment managing director Arijit Dutta. Mamata, however, has inducted the who's who of Tollywood — director Haranath Chakraborty and actors Ranjit Mallick, Dipankar De, Prosenjit and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty — into the project. "The names are indeed impressive but the question is: what will they do?" a senior government official said. "During the audit conducted by the accountants general, the government has to justify the formation of the committees and explain what they have delivered. Let's see what the government can show." |
*http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120402/jsp/frontpage/story_15324021.jsp#.T3ntufBa5vY
BRATYA BASU & OTHER INTELLECTUALS ON THE PAY ROLL OF MAMATA-MAOIST NEXUS MET PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER AND HOME MINISTER UNDER THE BANNER OF TMC
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Posted by GOURANGA CHATTERJEE at 12:54 AMhttp://wwwgourangachatterjee.blogspot.in/2011/01/bratya-basu-other-intellectuals-on-pay.html
Mind it, says Mamata
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politicsApril 1, 2012:
During her run-up to power, Mamata Banerjee got along well with the leading media houses of Kolkata — but not anymore. Her government's controversial order to keep leading Bengali as well as English newspapers out of the 2500-odd government-sponsored public libraries in West Bengal has not found favour with the media. She said during a TV interview: "If need be, we will direct people as to what paper they should read." Banerjee accused a section of media houses of "conspiring against her government".
Unique protest
On Friday, the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly was forced to suspend 14 Shiv Sena and BJP MLAs for performing a maha aartiinside the Legislative Assembly with a large silver statue of Lord Ganesh. The MLA's weren't praying, though. They were protesting against the alleged inaction of Maharashtra police in apprehending the dacoits who had recently stolen a golden idol of Lord Ganesh from a temple in Raigad district. One suspended MLA said the protest was to highlight the fact that even Gods aren't safe in Maharashtra, "only ministers and terrorists like Ajmal Kasab are."
Remote rule
In Andhra Pradesh, it is once again rule by High Command. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in charge of AP affairs, keeps rushing down to Hyderabad. Or else, the CM, Kiran Kumar Reddy, and the APCC Chief, Botcha Satyanarayana, keep rushing down to Delhi. During the nine-year rule of Chandrababu Naidu, and six years of Rajasekhara Reddy, the State had become self-reliant. Now, that is no more the case.
Paramesh who?
The Karnataka unit of BJP is hogging all the limelight. But what's happened to the Congress? There are hardly any leaders who can claim to have a large following across the State. Who, for instance, is G Parameshwara? He heads the party in the state. But tired of anonymity, he has now decided to go on apadyatra with some central ministers. BSY doesn't need any such central crutch.
Modi doesn't have time
Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla's book "2012: End of the World" was "launched" by Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad recently in the presence of the Parsi clergy, business leaders and some more people. The 164-page book was published last year. But it took a while before Mr Modi could launch it in Ahmedabad, with the people concerned willing to wait it out. Invitations for the programme said Mr Modi and Mr Daruwalla would interact with the media after the launch. But Mr Modi left without meeting the media. Has he begun to disregard the Indian media, after appearing on the cover of Time magazine?
Retail revolution
After Swami Ramdev's move to sell various Patanjali products through retail network, the Sahara group has started selling products through 100,000 neighbourhood franchisee stores. Both are claiming their products are pure and cheaper. Sahara is known for its support for the Samajwadi Party. The message: 'We don't need FDI for retail. We can do it', says a senior office-bearer of one of the Swadeshi groups.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article3269373.eceMamata plays culture's Lady Bountiful in broke Bengal
by Sandip Roy Apr 2, 2012Is Didi trying to buy herself a cultural stamp of approval?
West Bengal might be cash-starved and broke andMamata might be constantly taking up the cudgels for the poor aam aadmi but as far as her budget goes, according to The Telegraph the department that has just got itself a 125% boost is the ministry of Information and Cultural Affairs.
Panchayat and rural development was slashed by Rs 255 crore but the culture budget jumped from Rs 48.6 crores to Rs. 110 crore. Apparently if they cannot have bread, let them watch film festivals.
Mamata has made it quite clear that she wants to dominate West Bengal's cultural space. In the run up to her electoral victory she wooed Bengal's generally Left-leaning culturati who had become disillusioned with the Communists especially after the Nandigram and Singur killings. For a party that had quite the lumpen reputation, that cultural seal of approval was very important. Trinamool fielded singers, film stars and theatre personalities as candidates. "The battle for Writers' Building has also been a battle for cultural spaces," writes Monobina Gupta in her book Didi: A Political Biography. Buddhadeb was identified with high culture, avant garde European films and penned plays and wrote poetry. Mamata has resolutely fought to claim the popular culture space – demanding the press corps break into Rabindrasangeet, naming subway stations after cultural icons, promising to revive Uttam Mancha, the theatre named after Uttam Kumar, Bengal's biggest film star ever.
A government that actively patronises the arts is not a bad thing. But should a government in a state as financially-strapped as Bengal spend Rs 18.55 crore to acquire movie studios and another Rs 9 crore to modernise them? Kamal Singh/PTI
As Chief Minister, Didi has been happy to put her money where her mouth is. Traffic signals started singing Rabindrasangeet. She celebrates the birthdays of poets and writers, martyrs and scientists, at little impromptu ceremonies in front of her office, complete with garlanded portraits, songs and incense. She celebrated some 50 anniversaries in her first seven months in office including Kishore Kumar's 82nd birth anniversary at three hours notice. "It's all a function of her whims now," a nervous officer in the department toldIndia Today. "We do not know whose turn it is next. We might just not have a photograph or portrait of that person." "Pictures of those like Bagha Jatin and Shahid Khudiram are not very easy to find," an official told The Telegraph. The Information and Cultural Affairs ministry is now looking for a separate room to store all these portraits.She started the Banga Bibhushan and Banga Samman awards, both of which include cash prizes, Rs 2 lakh and 1 lakh. Almost every cultural celeb from ninety-plus dancer Amala Shankar to veteran actress Supriya Devi were showered with awards.
She's roped actors, writers and singers on to a slew of commissions and committees. Supriya Devi told The Telegraph that she was on "several" committees but could not remember which ones. "I am very happy with what Mamata is doing for people involved in art and culture," she said.
A government that actively patronises the arts is not a bad thing. But should a government in a state as financially-strapped as Bengal spend Rs 18.55 crore to acquire movie studios and another Rs 9 crore to modernise them?
There's nothing wrong with the state's intellectuals showing their political colours. After all cultural icons like Utpal Dutt, Mrinal Sen, Soumitra Chatterjee have never hidden their political preferences. But the question for Bengal's culturati is this: Will the CM's largesse force you to bite your tongue when she goes against your principles?
"If Mamata Banerjee does something that I cannot accept, I will change my stand," said theatre personality Bratya Basu according to the book Didi: A Political Biography. Since that book was written Basu was appointed West Bengal's Minister for Higher Education. Basu got into trouble for suggesting that government college lecturers had a right to strike just as they had the right to ignore a strike call. Didi who had made it her mission to foil that strike hauled him in to upbraid him. Basu has gone mum since then.
One of the few intellectual giants who has both supported Mamata and dared to speak out against her is Mahashweta Devi. Mamata brought the 87-year-old writer out in a wheelchair and touched her feet at her grand victory rally. But months later when Mamata's government denied the Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights permission to hold a rally in Kolkata, Mahasweta Devi called it "a fascist act." Mamata bristled and a couple of days later Mahasweta Devi affirmed her faith in Mamata butadded, "There can be criticism of the government. That is democracy."
Mamata as CM has no compunctions about issuing circulars that tell libraries what newspapers they can buy all in the name of spreading "free thinking". Anyone who disagrees with her, even a rape victim, is painted as part of a conspiracy to defame her government. Mamata believes being CM means never having to say sorry.
Who is calling her on it?
"We believe that a well-defined and refined culture is the identity of a community," culture clan member Arpita Ghosh told the media. But what about the identity of the cultural community?
Isn't it their job to speak truth to power?
There's no problem with actors and writers getting Banga Samman awards. There is no problem with the government being a patron of the arts. But as Didi boosts the artistes' share in Bengal's budget is she putting them in a golden cage as well?
Read The Telegraph's Arnab Ganguly and Sreecheta Das' breakdown of the cultural budget allocations with charts and graphs here.
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/mamata-plays-cultures-lady-bountiful-in-broke-bengal-262978.html
Next, we'll tell you what to buy and read: Mamata
by Sandip Roy Mar 30, 2012We all knew Mamata Banerjee was for the little guy, the very aam aadmi.
Now it turns out she is also for the aam newspaper.
Didi told the media that her government's policy was to stand by the little papers. Apparently, now, that also includes The Times of India.
The West Bengal government, under severe attack for having no English papers in its list of newspapers government libraries could subscribe to, hastily added TOI to its list along with four others including, a Nepali one, a Santhali and an Urdu one. The TOIwhich has been aggressively competing with The Telegraph for market share must be wondering whether to be pleased or offended by this honour. The Statesman has gleefully published a Poor Paper List that now includes TOI alongside Azad Hind,Himalaya Darpan and Sakalbela.
Not everyone is assuaged by this stand up for the poor little guy argument.
Didi, as is her style, is sticking to her guns, invoking her favourite C-word – Conspiracy or chakranto. AFP Photo
An advocate has filed a PIL in the Calcutta High Court challenging the government's order. It claims it violates Article 14 of the Constitution, and the Public Library Act of 1979. Even during the Emergency, when newspapers were being censored, there were no directives about what newspapers libraries could subscribe to.The CPM, having conveniently forgotten its own sorry role in booting English out of government schools during its tenure, is trying to make the most of the controversy, crying themselves hoarse about a move to gag the voice of the press. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha head Bimal Gurung has also called the whole directive "undemocratic". Some library patrons in various districts have said they will raise their own money to subscribe to some of the popular newspapers.
"Now we are trying to create paid news in the state," lawyer Subrata Mukhopadhyay told the Ananda Bazar Patrika. Some editor-owners of the newspapers included in the government's favourites list have received Trinamool tickets to go to the Rajya Sabha.
Ironically, the largest selling English daily, The Telegraph and its sister pub, the Ananda Bazar Patrika, were the greatest cheerleaders for change in the days leading up to the election that brought Trinamool to power. Now that they have criticised her government about a whole slew of issues, they have fallen out of favour.
Didi, as is her style, is sticking to her guns, invoking her favourite C-word – Conspiracy or chakranto. "We have not yet said what papers people should buy and read. We will say that later. Because this issue is reaching the level of a conspiracy against us," she announced.
Her minister Abdul Karim Chowdhury was handed the unenviable task of defending the government's directive.
Punishing papers that criticise the government? Rubbish. "We have not asked the libraries to subscribe to Jaago Bangla – which is our party mouthpiece," the minister said.
Playing favourites with newspapers? No, no. This is just economic. The government's library budget is just 19 crores and you cannot subscribe to everything, can you? Umm, just a day ago it was apparently about spreading free thinking. Now it's suddenly about belt-tightening.
Why was there no English paper in the first cut? Oh, just some "confusion and problems with the choice of languages."
Why does the government decide what paper makes the cut? "I am not going to subscribe to newspapers according to your taste. The government will keep what it likes." No, no, a private citizen can subscribe to whatever he likes. The government which is spending our money is actually answerable to us. At least that's the way it is supposed to be.
Chowdhury took pains to make clear that he was still letting as much "free thinking" flow into his house as possible. There's no ban on anything at the Chowdhury home. His son, Mehtab Chowdhury told Ananda Bazar Patrika that they still subscribed to 15 newspapers including the out-of-favour ones. "We used to keep 15 before. We will keep them in the future. One should read them all. My father also thinks that," he said.
But what do you if you are just an aam aadmi and cannot subscribe to all 15? Mehtab had this ingenious solution. "No one is forbidding anyone from reading anything. One will have to decide what they will read and how they will do it. For example you might want to go to a newspaper stall and stand there and read the paper of your choice."
Mamata has gotten one thing right. "This is a small issue. A small department's small circular," she said. The freedom of press in Bengal is not exactly hanging in the balance here. The Ananda Bazar group's future viability is not hanging by a thread either because of this. But the media love a media story and this is the perfect media storm in a teacup which is being milked for all its worth.
With all of West Bengal's many woes, Mamata has picked another fight that's ultimately of little consequence to the larger well-being of the state. And now faced with the backlash, she calls it "dirty games".
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/next-well-tell-you-what-to-buy-and-read-mamata-260991.html
Full coverage
 *Mamata's honeymoon with media seems to be overIBNLive.com - Mar 31, 2012 Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have mastered the art of making unforced errors, to use a sports terminology, to hand down potent ammunition to her opponents. She regularly generates controversies without fail through her ... BJP, Cong condemn Mamata`s ban on newspapersZee News - Mar 31, 2012 Kolkata: Criticising the West Bengal government's move to ban leading dailies in state-funded libraries to promote "free thinking" among readers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Saturday said a government has no right to decide what ... Cong against ban on English, Bengali dailies in WB librariesIBNLive.com - Mar 28, 2012 We are for total freedom to media," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told reporters when asked to react to the West Bengal government's move, which has stoked a controversy as it is being seen as an assault on media. The state unit of Congress, ... Mamata's media gag falls flat; takes U-turn on decisionOneindia - Mar 28, 2012 Kolkata, Mar 29: West Bengal Mamata Banerjee grabbed media headlines this time around when she declared that the state banned all English and mass-circulation Bengali dailies at state-sponsored and aided libraries. The announcement was made on ... 'Ban' Newspapers: Is Mamata a fascist?Oneindia - Mar 29, 2012 Criticising her decision, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Thursday, Mar 29 claimed that "seeds of fascism" were being sown in West Bengal. Taking questions from media persons over the decision of the Trinamool Congress supremo, Mr Yechury claimed, ... WB: Cong Against Ban on English Dailies in LibrariesOutlook - Mar 28, 2012 PTI | New Delhi | Mar 28, 2012 Congress today sought to disapprove Mamata Banerjee government's decision to ban English and mass-circulation Bengali dailies at state-sponsored and aided libraries in West Bengal. "We do not have complete information in ... In West Bengal libraries, now read only what Didi's govt wants you toTimes of India - Mar 28, 2012 The CM on Wednesday endorsed the library department's decision to buy only eight vernacular newspapers for readers and ban the rest - including all English dailies and the largest sellingBengali newspapers. Is it a coincidence that all eight ... Time to take a standIndia Today - Mar 29, 2012 But when reporters persisted he said, "We are for total freedom to the media. The state government's decision to ban English and mass-circulation Bengali dailies at state-sponsored and aided libraries in West Bengal has stoked a controversy as it is ... Bengal's libraries shut out newspapersDaily Pioneer - Mar 28, 2012 Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to ban all but eight newspapers from Government-run libraries has drawn widespread criticism from all political parties. They closed ranks on Wednesday, demanding "immediate withdrawal of the draconian ... Mamata's newspaper ban sparks protestindiablooms - Mar 28, 2012 West Bengal Library Minister Karim Chowdhury after a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: "It is government policy and we are acting accordingly." There was a strong media reaction after the circular was issued to keep out dailies like ... |
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