Cabinet Portfolios and the Reshuffle

Cabinet Portfolios and the Reshuffle

According to the government and main ruling party, the cabinet reshuffle on Sunday was a major one and unprecedented too. Yes, it was, because for the first time in so big a democracy, it was not the prime minister who took the decision. it was done on the advice of not only the president of the ruling political party but her son, who has hardly done anything to make the people of the country confident about the righteousness of his various decisions in the past.

It was also done to divert the attention of media and the public at large from the issues related to various scams including one of Vadra-DLF and Haryana government.

Unfortunately, the decision is made on adhoc basis. Over the period, no transparent method has been evolved to find out the performance of the ministers and the criteria for promotion and allocating a particular ministry. Any minister with any qualification and years of experience is given any ministry and is expected to carry on with it. He is not expected to make it a measure of his performance in the development of this country of poor millions.

In a era when politics gone from its adjective of dirty to shameless, perhaps one must not express any good ideas. No one who matters is ready to listen that. Once in the government, perhaps they learn to follow what Mahatma three monkeys represented. The minister is not expected to see, hear or speak on burning issues.

Is not the reason that neither Manmohan nor Sonia or Rahul talked about the scam related to Vadra, the son-in-law of the first family? If the goverment is proactive, how can the story of a person such as Ashok Khemka from an ordinary family who gets through IIT, obtains a Ph.D and competes with flying colours in UPSC, but gets 40 odd transfers in 21 years of his service, get overlooked and the administration considers it just something very common and the country’s system can’t correct such injustices?

So far the reshuffle is concerned, it will hardly make any difference for the country. It will not speed up the implementation process of the millions of crores worth of ongoing projects, be they in railways, irrigation, roads or ports.

However, like many I also felt that the only handicapped but extremely bold and brilliant Jaipal Reddy had to get out of the oil ministry because of the India Inc pressure. I wish Manmohan would have allocated him HRD ministry along with that of science and technology and that would have suited his stature. Education and scientific research still don’t get the due focus of the government. The country will have to ensure not only free but compulsory education for all its citizens, more so of the rural regions.

More importantly, the Country must build in a transparent way of appraising the performances of the ministers in the system. Further, every minister as well as every MP must adapt one village each and as an additional responsibility get it developed as a model one. It will help all of them in constant touch of the grassroots necessity.

It appears the Chinese follows some system as one mentioned here. As reported, Xi Jinping, the newly anointed party chief will take over as president of China in March 2013. As reported, Xi underwent a prolonged apprenticeship for China’s most powerful posts in Xiajiang, in a backward pocket of the booming coastal province. Mr Xi adopted the village. Villagers say Mr Xi helped Xiajiang secure funding and approvals for its projects, which included pooling village land to grow grapes and medicinal plants. Is it not something worth emulating by the politicians of all parties?

The reshuffles by Manmohan have never been any way better than shuffling of playing cards by even a layman and illiterate of the country.

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शब्दों के मौत का मातम

खोती जा रही एक दुनिया
समय के साथ सैकडों
हजारों या लाखों शब्द
और वे चीजें
कहाँ गए कोठे, बरजा
और आँगन के शिव बाबा
न ढेंका, न जांत, और न ओखल मूसर
न वे गीत
न डाली, न ओडी, न दवूरा, न सुप
न सिल ही कहीं है, न लोढा
न पितरियावा लोटा, न कंसह्वा डूभा
फिर बटलोही, कठवत तो
बहूत भारी हैं
अब न आग मांगने कोई जाता
न मसाला पिशा जाता
न मथनी चलती, न बेछिनुई दही
न गोरस, न फेनूस, न खोआ
न लयनू, न मिसिरी के ढेला
यहाँ तक की मट्ठा भी
महंगा है
और साथ गए छिपा और खोरा भी
कौन इस सबका जहमत उठाये
अब तो गुर भी दिखता नहीं
फिर रस, राब कहाँ खोजें
गायब हुए कोनहर के ताल, तलैया भी
और उसमें लेवाड लेती भैसे
और चलते ढेकूल, सैर और दोन
नहीं रहीं रेंहट, न बैलों की जोड़ी
अब हल नहीं बाँधते जोगन या लंगटू
इनार कहाँ गए
साथ ही गए गगरा, घइला
और डोर भी
जाड भी आया पर
न कवूर जलता न बोरसी
न तिलवा मिलता है न सोंठ
अब तो गाँव में भुजनिहारिन
ही नहीं, न मलहोरिन
और दरवाजे सुने
नरिया खपरा के साथ
भूंसंहूल भी गायब
न कहीं चैइता, न होरी
या बारहमासा या रामायन
न पनढकउआ, न चिक्का का
न कोई कनिया आती है
न कोहबर, न सिन्होरा
न आता बहुरंवता न कसार
कितना पीछे छोड़ आये
चन्दा मामा को भी
कैसे आयेंगे कटोरा में
दूध भात लिए
कितने मीठे शब्द कभी न
सुनेगें, न दिखेंगी वे चीजें
क्यों न समय रहते कोई सहरी
बनाये हर क्षेत्र में
कुछ जादूघर
अगली पीढ़ी के लिए |

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Gadkari and BJP Dilemma

The decision to defend Gadkari for the reason of party discipline, even after so weak a defence by Gadkari himself on the channel was very much immature and damaging for the two stalwarts of BJP, namely Sushma and Jaitley. It will cause immense harm to the party’s image too.They would have convinced the party as well as RSS against it. 
With such a shady background Gadkari wouldn’t have accepted the top position of BJP. Gadkari , as it appears, is one of those business men who in India have established big business activities with wrong means. However, they don’t go for fulfilling their political ambitions in such a manner. Surprisingly, Gadkari kept on calling himself a social entrepreneur helping the farmers of Vidarva region with power and sugar factories.

Every one knows that RSS imposed Gadkari on BJP. Can we assume that RSS was not knowing about it?  It is unfortunate that RSS instead of working on improving the ills of the majority community, keeps involving in the national vote politics. 

Gadkari took a bold step to face the media so directly and offered to face investigation from any agency, but his replies to the queries raised by the interviewer were so unconvincing , must be to himself too. And he would have resigned just after coming back. Gadkari would have offered to keep out of politics till the investigation was over. It would have made BJP different.

Actually, just after the revelation of Arvind Kejriwal BJP and RSS would have taken such decision. The amount of the details appearing every day after the revelation is damning and shameful for Gadkari and his party as well as its well-wishers. It is certainly worrisome for the educated class that formed ‘Friends of BJP’. It would have avoided the embarassment for the BJP and particularly, it’s leaders of opposition who will have to face the parliament soon.

The sooner Gadkari resigns, the better it will be for the party. 

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Forthcoming Cabinet Reshuffle: Will it be different?

Why can’t Manmohan’s last cabinet reshuffle leave a signature of his own on the history of India?

Manmohan hardly believes in major changes. At least this is what the majority in the country today believes.

More than the policy changes or major reforms, the country men and women wish to see the government visible in action, implementing what it announces.

One more thought comes in mind. If Manmohan is not going to be the Prime Minister after 2014 even if the Congress gets or cobbles up the majority good enough to form the cabinet, why should Manmohan and Sonia not designate someone, if not Rahul Gandhi, a deputy prime minister? At least the country should know who is going to lead the nation.

For a change, Manmohan should also bring some professional from outside such as Sam Pitroda for telecom and Sreedharan for railways that would have provided the people with a hope for change for better implementation. However, I don’t if Manmohan will be able to sell some new ideas to his boss, Mother Queen Sonia. There are very little talents in the present cabinet or even in the Congress. They mustn’t be shy to agree to the real scarcity.

I still doubt if in the reshuffle Manmohan will show a preference for efficiency and the capability to implement in selecting the persons for key infrastructure ministries. The coming months will expect fast visible implementation that the people of India can see and appreciate, if the vote banks are to be allured. Sonia must realize that the loyalists can wait this time.

Will the reshuffle showcase the sincerity of the government to continue with the reform and end the paralysis in governance for the growth that is so badly needed?

Many professional in media are already predicting the changes that will be known on Sunday. With the fall of Khurshid’s wicket there is hardly anyone credible among the senior most ministers in the cabinet with even Manmohan and Chidambaram in dock.

Let me see if the politics prevail over the national interest. When the government fails to set up a National Investment Board under the prime minister’s dictate because of the greed and ego of Manmohan’s ministers, how can the common man believe that the reshuffle will bring a changed cabinet that will work effectively and efficiently?

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आज दशहरे के दिन

आज दसहरा है | सबेरे सबेरे अलोक, छोटे भाई का पुणे से फोन आया समाचार के साथ दसहरा के दिन प्रणाम कर आश्रीबाद के लिए| उस समय मैं पार्क में घूम रहा था| मैं अभी लौटते हुए रास्ते में ही था कि राकेश का फोन आया इसीलिए अमरीका से | थोड़ी देर बाद सुरेन्द्र जी का सासाराम से|

यह पुरानी परम्परा है गाँव में और फिर बंगाल की भो | बचपन से देखता आया हूँ गाँव में इस दिन शाम को लोग- बच्चे और बूढ़े, घर घर जा अपने से बड़ों को प्रणाम कर आश्रीबाद लेते थे| अलग अलग घरों में अपनी सामर्थ्य के अनुसार कुछ मीठा का भी इंतजाम होता था | एक चीज और याद आती है कि कुछ लोग निकलते वक्त पान भी देते थे | हमे पान नहीं मिलता था, क्योंकि हम छोटे थे तब| एक बार किसी तरह रो गा पान मिल गया | पर खाने का अनुभव इतना ख़राब रहा कि मैं कभी इसे पसंद नहीं किया|

बंगाल में भी करीब यही परंपरा रही थी| दसहरे के दिन किसी घर जाने पर खूब मिठाइयां मिलती थी| लोग एक दूसरे के घर जातें हैं इस दिन गले मिलते हैं या पैर छूते हैं बड़ों का| हिन्दुतान मोटर्स में एक समय मेरे पडोसी थे पालचौधरीजी | उस साल उनके यहाँ से काफी मिठाइयां आईं थी|

मेरी दिली इच्छा यही रही कि हमारे बच्चे और फिर उनके बच्चे भी अपने परिवार और देस की कुछ अच्छी परम्पराओं को माने | अपने से बड़ों का आश्रीबाद समय असमय बहूत आत्मबल देता है | किसी तरह का नुकशान तो इससे नहीं हो सकता | और फिर बड़ों को खुश कर और उन्हे प्रसन्न देख क्या हम को ख़ुशी नहीं होती|

दो साल पहले तक दशहरे और होली के दिन मैं सासाराम और पिपरा फोन कर मामाजी और चाचाजी को प्रणाम कर लेता था, अच्छा लगता था | पिछले साल तक चाचाजी थे | अब तो वे भी नहीं रहे | आज सोचा तो लगा कि परिवार में केवल यमुना के बड़े भाई साहब मुझसे बड़े हैं | फिर एक दो बार के प्रयत्न से उनसे संपर्क हो पाया और उनको प्रणाम कर अच्छा लगा | एक बात और कि ८० साल की उम्र में भी शिव प्रसाद मिश्र मेरे ‘कैसे हैं?’ के जबाब में जबाब दिये, ‘ बहूत अच्छा हूँ अभी, दो घंटे कुदाली चला लेता हूँ|’ किसे ऐसी बात सुन ख़ुशी नहीं होगी?
दसहरा शुभ हो सभी को जो इसे पढ़ें और अन्यों को भो | परम्परा चलती रहे|

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Happy Vijoya Arvind!

The festivity season is really making morose with some or the other revelations almost every day but with a little hope too. I am happy and so must be many that the awareness against the misdeeds of the greedy and shameless politicians and their coteries are coming out in public by at the activists and the media. It also surprises when one finds now everyone talking on TV claiming to know about it. According to them, the material produced by Kejriwal or YP Singh was already available in public domain.
Arvind Kejriwal is certainly the main hero and perhaps has a good dedicated team of well-wishers and friends with the common cause to declare war against the present political system that has caused the dynasties to grow all over the country where rulers can’t be questioned, mango people are just vote banks. The rulers and the crowd of loyal sycophants around do everything to keep themselves in or with power. .
Giving up the route of fasting for getting the corruption curbed by having a good Lokpal Bill after failing because of the crookedness of the present political system, Arvind tries to venture in direct politics with a plan to form one political party with a real difference.

It seems there is a lot of hope among many people from Kejriwal and his team, though almost equal number is there in the camp that is skeptic about his new route and role.
Both- ‘India Today’ and ‘Outlook’ this week has Arvind on its cover page. India Today has cover story ‘Why Everyone Is Afraid of Arvin Kejriwal: Kejriwal exposes the hollowness of existing mainstream political parties.

And the ‘Outlook’ captions its story as ‘Arvind Kejriwal Aam Army’Arvind Kejriwal is certainly kicking up a storm. But will the whirlwind translate into political reform? It has few more articles too in the issue. Main political parties including some regional ones such as SP and RJD still claim Kejriwal to be a media creation.

Surprisingly some very old and learned person such as the former director of IIT,Madras PV Indiresan wish Arvind to go beyond corruption and even he brings the name of Mahatma. “Almost a hundred years ago, a certain Mr Gandhi appeared in India from South Africa. Within a few years, he had become known as the Mahatma. Now, we have Arvind Kejriwal, who is possibly even more ardent. The two were about the same age when they appeared on the political scene. Mahatma Gandhi had Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his advisor and Anna Hazare has probably launched Kejriwal in a like manner.”

R Sukumar in ‘Live Mint’ sees Kejriwal as India’s Julian Assange; only unlike Assange’s strong anti-system objectives, his own are somewhere between highlighting the gaps in people managing the current system and presenting himself as an objective. Wikileaks was built around the documents it leaked and Kejriwal has stressed, more than once, that there are a large number of documents that IAC has received (and continues to receive).’

Outlook’s main article says: http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?282658 ‘This is the mango man who has become a real irritant for the system in New Delhi. In political terms, he may well have inflicted serious damage to the Congress’s already dented image with the Robert Vadra charges and started a debate within the RSS-BJP on how advisable it is to give president Nitin Gadkari a second term in December.’

However, I shall like Kejriwal to appreciate the advices of David Lalmalsawma.

Many unscrupulous ones as usual will create huge obstructions for him. The existing players both in power and opposition will never like his rise. Sycophants of dynasties ruling the country will plant their own men to spy and defame him. Even his own men may walk away and try to damage his image questionable and difficult as it has already started. All that will test his tenacity.

However, I would have liked him to create a large base at village level. Rural India needs education for taking the social responsibility to have equitable development. Every village must have a five years plan and perhaps a website to help it. Education must not only be free it must be compulsory. Restoring the healthy life style and preventive health care is as much required as the modern curative medical facilities. Incorporation of informal skill training and imparting farm related knowledge for all those who will work on field and remain in the villages. Perhaps Kejriwal could integrate all the members of SHGs. I wished Kejriwal will be practical. Some way he must develop the respectability among the aam aadami beyond those who can receive his SMSs.

I am sure when Arvind has endeavoured to set up a political party, he will use his knowledge of engineering management such as FMEA, QFA, and quality engineering to design a robust political party.

I shall also request Arvind to be soft speaking but firm in attacking his opponents keeping his emotional gushes in control.

Let Mother Durga give Arvind the strength to fight the demons.

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From Reforms to Land Scams

After all the chaos in the parliament and its wash-off on coal-gate, Manmohan announced his reforms- opening and enhancing the share of FDI in a number of sectors, rupee started gaining, share market moved up and the foreign press was agog with the brave steps of Manmohan.

However, it was short-lived. Arvind and IAC came out with disclosures of the land deal for the son-in-law of the first family in collusion with the largest builder company of the country. An honest IAS gave the details how Haryana government assisted the deal. A former chief minister of Haryana revealed that Rahul Gandhi also has purchased around 7 acres land in Haryana. And then Kejriwal fired another missile involving Gadkari. The whole of BJP leadership came out to diffuse it. Another activist of Mumbai disclosed the huge land scam of Sharad Pawar family in Lavasa Project of Maharashtra.

Salman Khurshid whom I respected a lot wished to teach Arvind a lesson for making disclosure of Vadra’s ill-gotten landed property worth thousands of crores, And so came Arvind disclosure of how Salman’s own NGO was involved in misappropriating of the grants. Salman’s true character got revealed when he threatened Arvind as goon does.

Will it affect the recuperation of the Indian economy that Manmohan and Finance Minister so badly wished?

But that will be the subject I shall like to discuss in the next blog.
What surprises me is the utter silence of Vadra and his wife Priyanka about the charges? Even Rahul and Sonia have been mum. Do they think that very soon the great ‘mango people’ of India will forget all these and the news will hardly affect their political strength? And perhaps they are following the advice of Mulayam Singh Yadav. ‘Ignore Kejriwal, he will get tired and shut up’.

Surprisingly, Mamta the only clean among Congress allies has already left. Karunanidhi, Sharad Pawar, Mulayam, Mayawati, and Lalu Yadav are with the Sonia’s government under clear threat of CBI. There is suspense as well as confusion in the air.

Politicians in power with many discretionary powers have become self-damagingly strong. Those in opposition don’t hesitate in taking favour for self or kins. Some unscrupulous small business men are trying to get nearer to the powerful politicians in the centre or in the states to share the wealth of the nation in form of land and other natural resources.

How can the farmer get water in their parched fields and improve the production if the politicians, bureaucrats and contractors get into the business of making money out of the irrigation projects such as one in Maharashtra? For example, “in a letter dated 5 May to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Engineer Vijay Pandhare, who is also a member of the State Technical Advisory Committee, claimed that more than Rs 35,000 crore — half the total amount of Rs 70,000 crore spent on irrigation schemes between 1999-2009 — has been pocketed by the nexus.” There must be hundreds of such projects that are being siphoned off by the unscrupulous rulers and those in power.

Where will this greed end? Can all these greedy ones give an answer to the ‘mango people’ of India to one question? Even if they are cremated on the bundles of currency notes, they will not go to the so much sought after destination called Heaven.

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Bihar I Love and Hate

For a long time I didn’t feel like writing about Bihar. With every good news report, I hear or read five horrible ones. Nitish is certainly better than Lallu and Rabri and so say the various independent or sponsored reports appearing in the national newspapers. But few traits of Nitish Kumar just hurt me and perhaps many of my class. One such recent news has a headline, ‘Nitish to lead Bihar delegation to Pakistan’. Nitish Kumar will head a high-level delegation of ministers and officials on a week-long visit to the neighbouring country. I could not understand the real reason behind this move.

After all analysis, it appears to be just to please his vote banks for which he is focusing all his energy and resources. I wish Nitish would have taken a visit of Malaysia or Indonesia. It would have been more useful for the state about which he keep son talking. Both the countries are Muslim countries and examples of how development can make the difference. Many Malaysian companies are working in India and playing a key role in the development of infrastructure. Nitish could have learnt about the way their manufacturing sector has developed as the world class source and is exporting extensively even in many places competing with Chinese. They could have certainly provided various assistances for Nitish’ state that is so much needed. Interestingly, why has not Nitish planned to visit Bangla Desh with which Bihar shares the international boundary? I wish Nitish accepts the suggestion and visit Bangla Desh to see how a country that was only the backward part of an Indian state, is doing better in many of the UN millennium human development parameters than India. Nitish can also take a note of apparel sector of Bangla Desh and how that is competing with India and providing employment to millions of the citizens of the country.

I shall further request Nitish to find out the education system of these countries and advise his friends of minority community in the state to focus on education system that follows modern curricula and not Madrassa system.

Nitish should appreciate the literacy level of the countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia and its advantages for the development of the economy. Bihar requires an intensive focus on the quality of education of the children and the adult literacy drive in rural Bihar with a mission similar to polio eradication drive.

Nitish appears to have failed in making any substantial dent in higher education of the state. With his engineering background, any one could have expected better. When every other state is flooding with the institutes of higher education, the majority of the children from Bihar are to go to other states, pay high fees in private colleges, live in hostels or lodges, and spend a huge lot creating extreme financial pressure on their parents.

His many tours throughout the year with different nomenclatures and Janata Darbar could have made the common people aware and appreciate the need of the education and skilling. But perhaps that is not the priority of Nitish Kimar.

I can appreciate that Nitish is to fight the two demons, hell bent to unseat him using the same vote bank.

However, I love the entrepreneurship however small it may be and the hard honest work of the migrants from the state that I see wherever I go in India. I salute them. They would have certainly done better with better education.

Bihar needs some outsiders to make it move in right direction.

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Does Anyone Believe Manmohan?

India is in a fix. Who is right? Manmohan Singh’s ministers or IAC led now by Arvind Kejriwal? And many are worried too. Where will the inaction and silence of Manmohan Singh and the revelation-after-revelation of Arvind or IAC will take the country particularly its economy?

It is no more the opposition that took initiative to raise the voices against the major scams of CWG, 2G, and then coalgate. It is no more the opposition that forced the resignations of the ministers and demanded that of Manmohan Singh also. It is now the aam aadami represented by Arvind and supported by the legal luminary father-son who is demanding it. While the charges on the son-in-law of the first family run into hundreds of crores, the one on the trust named after a former educationist president and run by a minister’s wife is for under a crore or in reality may be few lakhs.

And today, almost all politicians of varying hues are surprisingly quiet as they themselves are afraid to be named. One such name is certainly that of the HRD minister. The other one from the opposition claiming to have clear conscience has bravely bared himself open for investigation.

Surprisingly, the sycophants of the government who fell upon each other to defend the son-in-law are no more visible, as the first one among them to defend is himself under fire. While the son-in-law has closed his Facebook account where he had reacted calling India a banana republic, gone silent, the family that considers itself producing the de-facto most powerful emperors for the country is almost invisible in media. That is something unusual.

It appears the gusto of announcements of so-called reforms now remains only with the finance minister.

I don’t understand if the officers and the babus of the government or the business community or the people at large believe when Manmohan says something, even though it may be warning to the companies against bribing.

TV channels have already started debating: ‘India is ripe for revolution’

Can one day the anger of aam aadami envelope also the capitalists who are hell bent on taking the advantages of the weaknesses of the politicians?

Interestingly, Manmohan wishes to solve the issues raised by IAC by silence and perhaps he has also advised the first family for following the same prescription to counter the negativity and sullied image of the nation that was being projected by Kejriwal and his IAC. “Silence is golden, and dumb people make no enemies, just like dead men tell no tales/” And the family is taking it lightly. No one can harm the rulers.

Is it not a worrisome situation?

I wish the constitution could have isolated the country’s economy from politics.

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कुछ यादें, कुछ सपने

बचपन में ही मैं बहुत ज़िद्दी था, शायद घर में सबसे छोटा होने के कारण । मां घर में अकेली बहु थी, नाते में सबसे छोटी । घर का पूरा काम उन्हे ही करना पड़ता था, पर मैं बाध्य करता खाट पर आ ही दूध पिलाने को, भले ही वे कितनी भी जरूरी काम में क्यों न लगी हों । खाने में छोटी उम्र में हीं अपनी पसंद बना ली थी । दूध भात मन भाता था, पर कोइ उसना या मोटे चावल का भात सोते में भी नहीं खिला सकता था । उन दिनों गुड़ भी नहीं भाता था । एक बात और याद आती है परदादी का प्रसिद्ध लोकगीत -‘ चंदा मामा आरे आव, बारे आव, नदिया किनारे आव हो’। आज भी लगता है, कल की बात है।
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बचपन से मुझे दूध से प्रीत रहा, यमुना बाबा भैंस धुहते थे सबेरे सबेरे । मैं वहीं जा खड़ा होता था । और बाबा मेरे मुंह को दूध की धार से नहला देते थे । आज भी सोच कर बड़ा अच्छा लगता है । बड़े होने पर गिलास मगांते और उसमें दुह कर देने लगे।फेन भरा थान से निकाला गर्म गर्म दूध क्या मन भाता स्वाद । फेनुस बनाती थी परदादी नयी बच्चा दी गाय या भैंस के दूध का ।मुझे खूब  भाता था ।
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मेरी परदादी मुझे पढ़ाना चाहतीं  थी, पर कोइ शिक्षक नहीं मिलता था ।मेरे हाथ में सलेट और खड़ी दे बड़े दरवाजे पर मूझे ले बैठ ज़ातीं और प्यार से कहतीं ” लिख अ राम अ गति देहू सुमति” ।बार बार सोचता हूँ तो यही लगता है कि केवल पर दादी के कारण जीवन में कुछ कर सका कुछ पा सका ।हां फिर जब गली से किसी को जाती देखतीं तो उसे बुलातीं और सलेट पर कुछ लिख देने को कहतीं । और फिर मुझे लिखते जाने को कहतीं, जबतक फिर दूसरा कोइ दिख नहीं जाता । उससे पूछती ” का ठीक लिखले बाडान? ” अगर ऐसी दादी हो तो कोई क्यों न सफल बने ।
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वही परदादी  मुझे ले पहली बार बिरलापुर आइं दादाजी के पास,  पढ़ने के लिये ।हमारा स्कूल सामने के घर में चलता था । पर देश की आजादी नजदीक आ रही थी । दंगे और उनकी अफवाह भी बढ़ती जा रही थी । दादाजी चिंतित थे । हम रात होते ही जुट मिल के हाते के भीतर रहनेवाले एक सज्जन के घर चले जाते थे सुरक्षा के लिहाज से । वह परिवार दादाजी का बहुत आदर करता था । औरतें साहसी थींं, लाल मिर्च को कूट बदमाशों से सामना करने की तैयारी करता थीं ।
उस समय की एक बात और याद आती है । हमारे घर के बगल में एक बंगाली परिबार ता , उनकी एक छोटी लड़की थी । परदादी मुझसे मज्जाक  करतीं, ‘बबु आ , त  तोर बिआह एक रे ले कर देल जाउ ‘ । मैं गम्भीरता से कहता, ‘आजी ओकर  बोली त हमरा बुझ ईबे ना करी ।’  आज सोचकर केवल हंसी आती है ।
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मेरा साधारण ज्ञान कभी बहुत अच्छा नहीं था । पर सभी दिक्कतों के बावज़ूद परीक्षा में सदा अव्वल आता था ।स्कूल में दो वार इंस्पेक्टर आये- पहली बार गांव के स्कूल में। मै न उनकी शुद्ध हिन्दी में पूछा सवाल समझा, न ठीक उत्तर दिया । मेरे गुरुजी को बहुत दुख हुआ अपने प्रिय शिष्य की बेवकूफ़ी से । पर कुछ कहे नहीं कभी । फिर एक बार इंस्पेक्टर आये बिरलापुर विद्यालय में । मुझसे इस बार भी हमारे अध्यापकों को बहुत उमीद थी, पर इस वार भी तबीयत का बहाना कर मैं स्कूल ही नहीं गया । पता नहीं मुझमें आत्मविश्वास इतना कम क्यों था या हीनभावना थी कहीं ।
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एक याद चौकचंदा की है । दोनों हाथों में दो लकडियां, उसे बजाते और चौकचंदा गाते विद्यालय के सभी लड़के पहले गांव में हर घर के दरवाजे दरवाजे जाते। वहाँ जो मिलता गुरुजी का होता। मैं और मेरे छोटे चाचाजी गाने में टोली का नेतृत्व करते थे । गाने में ‘भारत भारती’ और ‘राधेश्याम रामायण’ मुख्य होता था । बगल के गांवों में जाते थे , क्योंकि लड़के वहाँ के भी होते थे । गुरुजी हमारी खूब बडाइ करते थे और हम उससे खुश हो जाते थे । उस समय हमारे गुरुजी की मासिक तनख्वाह केवल १५ रुपये हुआ करती थी ।मैं दस साल की उम्र में अपनी पढाइ बिरलापुर विद्यालय में प्रारंभ कर पाया कक्षा ६ से।
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हमारे गुरुजी ने मुझे शाकाहारी बनाया और बहुत सारे संस्कार दिये, धार्मिक ग्रंथो में रुचि जगाये, स्वाधीनता आन्दोलन और उनके नेताओं के बारे में जानकारी दी, हिन्दी और उसके लेखकों, कबियों में श्रधा जगाई ।हां, गुरुदक्षिणा में मेरी शादी १९४९ में जब मैं केवल १०साल का था अपने चचेरी बहन से करानी चाही । हमें एक बार अपने गांव मनीपूर भी ले गाये अपने गांव के सुंदर मंदिर को दिखाने के बहाने । बाबा भी तैयार हो गये थे ।पर मेरा भाग्य या दुर्भाग्य तिलक के दिन उनके लोग नहीं आये । मैं उस साल तो बच गया । १९५० से बिरलापूर में पढ़ाई प्रारंभ हुइ। 
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आगे अगली बार……

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