Gujarat diary

By Japan K Pathak

That was Kasambapu

Last time I met him ten years ago when his 75th birth anniversary was celebrated. I could meet him and also his friend Madhavsinh Solanki at his farm in Limbadia on Naroda-Chiloda road located just next to Narmada canal. Kasambapu Tirmizi passed away at the age of 85 early this month. He was minister in Madhavsinh Solanki government. Overall the public life of Gujarat was different in that era, and Gujarat Congress too was very different compared to present time. I could observe, Kasambapu’s besna function had presence of more Hindus than Muslims. Kasambapu had donated huge sum for village Mandir in Limbadiya. Every year lakhs of people would walk to Ambaji through Naroda-Chiloda road. Kasambapu would arrange shelter with basic facilities in his farm house, so that Hindu pilgrims can have rest. He would pull Goddess Ambaji’s rath during such times. Joined by his family, he would participate in aarti on such occasions. When he passed away, a group of Ambaji pilgrims visited his place and offered Ambaji’s toran to his dead body. More interesting is, neither Kasambapu nor his relatives were to contest elections(last election Kasambapu contested was before/around 1990). Real secular approach was very natural to them. Kasambapu’s son in law Rizwan is well-known researcher. His focus area is history. He is professor too in Ahmedabad’s Swaminarayan college. Rizwan told me that Kasambapu would every morning at 8.00 am call Rizwan’s son Aman just to listen ‘Jay Hind’ from him. When Kasambapu was being buried in grave, Aman gave him salute and said ‘Jay Hind’. There were people lesser known or unknown to Kasambapu’s family visiting his Besna and crying with tears in eyes. When he was in power, Kasambapu had helped them. This reminded me my nanaji’s funeral processions in which scores of persons stranger to us would come and cry and when asked describe how nanaji who was in public life had helped them at some point of time. (In photo above, Kasambapu pulling Ambaji pilgrimage rath)

Power and Control

As per the Supreme Court order, Sharad Pawar will be leaving the Mumbai Cricket Association due to age factor. Similarly in Saurashtra Cricket Association, Secretary Niranjan Shah will need to step down due to age factor. Shah is not happy with the court order, but then he understands that there’s nothing above Supreme Court, and therefore its decision is binding. At this juncture, Shah says the Saurashtra Cricket Association(SCA) team will meet and discuss the future course. He said he would like to stay connected to SCA some way but if that’s not possible then retirement will be the only option. There’s possibility of election for new SCA head. In that case Shah would definitely like to field someone ‘rubber stamp’ for him. Shah’s son Jaydev is captain of Saurashtra cricket team.

Natural or not

There’s this person Amrut Makwana who has announced to return ‘Dasi Jivan’ Dalit literature award as he is hurt with the recent Una atrocity incident. First of all this announcement by him was made through someone I can call a Congress cadre. The email to media on this announcement was sent not by Makwana, but a Congress cadre. Makwana is based in Surendranagar district, but he has decided to return the award to district Collector of Ahmedabad. So that’s better place to attract media compared to sleepy Surendranagar. In fact Makwana in his release invited media persons to remain present at Ahmedabad district collector office at particular date and time. While announcement was made on day 01 through release, Makwana will return the award on day 03. So altogether two-three days full of mention in media. I spoke to Mr. Makwana about this. He said he was originally from Ahmedabad and therefore decided to return the award to collector of Ahmedabad. Press Trust of India(PTI) story described Makwana as someone associated with Congress party. Makwana however during our talk denied it. I read out a line from Makwana’s press release in which Makwana had slammed the Gujarat government and the BJP. Makwana said Gujarat govt did nothing for Than atrocity victims. I read out a briefing note issued a few days back by state Social Justice minister Ramanlal Vora about steps taken by government for Than victims. Makwana argued that he had read in some newspaper that government was in process to file ‘B’ summary in Than case. Fine, I asked Makwana what was his demand before the government? He said, he had nothing to demand!

The point is, among all these caste and group protests, on first look it becomes very difficult to identify whether it was natural anger or sponsored one(by opposition parties or their NGO/media Eco-system).

By the way this ‘Dasi Jivan’ award that Gujarat government presents to Dalit auhtors/poets is named after Dasi Jivan who was not female, but a stylist young man from Chamar sub-caste. Dasi Jivan was a Harijan from small village near Gondal town in Saurashtra region. He had two wives. He would dress very well, he had his distinct hair style and he would keep a fine horse which was his favorite. He was considered a saint among his followers. He would title himself as Dasi(servant) because he believed he was a dasi of Shri Krishna. Once he was asked by someone working in royal court: ‘Why you have titled yourself as Dasi, when you dress like a royal always?’ To this Dasi Jivan replied: ‘You are serving a ruler of small kingdom and you dress royally, while I am dasi(servant) of Shri Krishna who rules the universe, think how royally I should dress?’

BJP and Congress

I always say that while BJP leaders deliver better governance, the Congress leaders are best when it comes to one-to-one relation. It seems my this line is circulating well among the political circles. Recently a BJP leader told me this. He was in agreement that by-and-large BJP leaders are not good in one-to-one relation.

A friend told me about his recent experience. A school boy studying in Vadodara had tragedy in family. His father passed away. The family wanted to shift to Ahmedabad as all relatives on maternal side who can take care of family were living in Ahmedabad. The school in Vadodara was denying school leaving certificate to child because of non-payment of fees. The child had lost father and the family was not so well-to-do. Shifting of family to Ahmedabad was delaying due to this school leaving certificate issue. Some people came forward to this child’s help among whom one was my friend. They went to minister’s office in Gandhinagar expecting that minister would phone call the school principal seeking favor for child. The minister told the group: ‘Look this is CBSC school and therefore the state government can’t intervene. Also if today I speak to this principal and seek favor, tomorrow he my come to my office to seek favor for something that I may not agree to deliver. So leave it and pay the fees.’ With this sad response from the minister, a group came to campus of Sachivalaya when they met someone known to them who was from Congress. The Congress cadre told them that they should come with him to Shankersinh Bapu’s office in assembly complex. Shankersinh has been given an office in assembly complex as he is the leader of opposition. There was good number of people outside Shankersinh’s office, my friend observed. He said lot of people possibly come to Shankersinh’s office, because he even though he is in opposition, he listens to visitors and tries his best to deliver. As the group from Vadodara made representation about poor child’s issue, Shankersinh dialed phone call to his associate in Vadodara namely Sureshbhai. Shankersinh’s man later spoke to school management and settled the issue. A poor child got school leaving certificate and family could shift to Ahmedabad.

My other friend recently went to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation with a group of industry association members in order to make representation over encroachment issue. Industry people met office bearers of BJP ruled AMC and complained that some particular person had illegally occupied land and started developing it, due to which rain water discharge channel has been obstructed. There will be possibly huge water logging issue in factory premises in Lambha this monsoon if illegal activity is not stopped. My friend said, BJP office bearers did nothing in response and asked factory unit owners to file case in court. My friend observes that AMC under BJP constructed best garden in Uttamnagar, they gave Kankaria lake front. Their governance is not bad, but compared to Congress they are very poor in one-to-one relation and problem-solving front. There are few exceptions on both sides, but by-and-large at root level this is what most people feel.

Now listen to my journo friend. The BJP had perhaps for the first time called journos to state party headquarter for lunch in presence of state chief minister, state party president, Parshottam Rupala and others a few months back. During the lunch, the chief minister, party president and other BJP leaders sat separately on round table to have a lunch. Body guards were placed around the table looking at journos who were having lunch in same hall but at some distance. There was no attempt from chief minister or party president’s side to mingle among journos. Ruling class attitude was very visible in their behavior. This was completely contrary to Narendrabhai’s time in Gujarat. Modi would mingle with not just journos but also press photographers. Modi had on at least couple of occasions made some senior journos seat on his table when he hosted post-Diwali lunch at his residence. This present chief minister and other party leaders are not as super as Modi. They should learn to mingle more, they should learn to come down more, they need to be more humble to earn favor. They should keep safe their ruling class mentality, body language and behavior only for occasion where it is needed.

 

DeshGujarat