There is a scoundrel who roams around as a Democratic (offcourse secular) "leader". This scoundrel was directly responsible for many of the atrocities committed during Emergency and many miseries in last few decades. The supine incompetent leaders of Congress in the state (kerala) helped him (and his uncouth son) to thrive in last few years. He survives through groupism, with equally corrupt and other opportunists and also using money power. People find him disgusting. Some small timers call him "leader" but he is always is: Karunakaran. At the age of 87 this scoundrel should be doing something else (compare him with Nelson Mandela who is also 87!!). He and his cronies are making mockery of democracy whereas those who rose to protect democracy and values associates with freedom, particularly naxalites of that era (1970s) languish an unacknowledged scarred life, traumatized by horrifying memory-many have suicided, physically debilitated. I happen to see two documentaries recently one by Ananth Patwardhan's Prisoners Of Conscience (made in 1978) as also Lest We Forget (a recent Malayalam documentary by E.K.Santha). These documentaries are about the dark times in the history of independent India, about some spectacular people who rose to fight the injustice. Ironically the perpetrators of atrocities are now usurping democracy and values associated with it. Karunakaran's hands are covered in the blood of Rajan (an Engineering student who was tortured and killed by the state. Shaji Karun's Piravi a brilliant Malayalam movie is relevant in this context) and others; ineffective law machinery is the reason why these people like Karunakaran are not inside jail (anyway which politician is ever prosecuted, that speaks lot about law machinery particularly judiciary.....such incompetence). What I could gather from recent happening is that this scoundrel seems to positioning himself to take the credit of "defeat" of Congress in the State. This assumption offcourse an insult on people of Kerala. The Communist party seems to be gleefully accepting and degrading itself in the process. Rather than faltering, the comrades are asked to come out strongly. If you dare to tarnish the memory of Rajan and others for short-term gains and lusts of power (ideally Panchayat elections should be non political) then be prepared to face the consequences. Concerns arises from hard-core realities it shouldn't be reduced to a farce. It is important that the reality of the nation and its history is not lost in the world of media savvy positioners and the worldview they churn. The reality these days seem to be getting more virtual in the din of glamour. History rarely forgets and the question it asks need be the answer for future.
These lines as a tribute to Rajan and others who gave up everything for the cause of freedom during the dark bleak hours of independent India. Their sacrifice is not and will never be forgotten.......
Then there was a pause
the counting stopped
everything spruced up for another sequel
for an audience of bereaved time.
Pause again,
a space for gasps to articulate
some orphaned screams
before they find another reason
for mistakes of knifes on flesh
of bullets on skulls.
Another pause......
These lines as a tribute to Rajan and others who gave up everything for the cause of freedom during the dark bleak hours of independent India. Their sacrifice is not and will never be forgotten.......
Then there was a pause
the counting stopped
everything spruced up for another sequel
for an audience of bereaved time.
Pause again,
a space for gasps to articulate
some orphaned screams
before they find another reason
for mistakes of knifes on flesh
of bullets on skulls.
Another pause......
