[Assam] poem and news : The true story about encounters with Maoist in West Bengal

Thu Jun 24 12:57:22 PDT 2010

Sushanta,

This is indeed a nice poem,and a sad story of Rameshwar. One cannot but feel
terrible that a great injustice has been
perpetrated on poor Rameshwar, and his parents. No one in his or her right
mind would ever wish this upon someone like Rameshwar.

The police or 'forces' are obviously ill-trained, inept, incompetent, and
like many of the police do go overboard when they come across someone like
Rameshwar. I sincerely hope that someone with good sense, and power is able
to release this person without further delay.

Now, for the other, bigger part.

It is a fact, that Communists or Naxals use violence as a part of their
strategy to cause chaos in India. This is true specially in the poorer
sections of Indian society. Their goal in India is to change the political
setup (democracy) with a Leftist agenda. They are not there to fight for the
cause of the poor.

In an already corrupt, 'bursting at the seams', country, like India,
elements like these Communists, ULFA, and other such groups do not make the
situation any better for the common Indian.

In fact, they always make it worse. Can you point out even a single benefit
that has accrued from the Naxals or even from ULFA? At least in the case of
the ULFA, maybe, just maybe, Assam has more attention, and more money poured
into it by the Center - if that can be called a benefit.

Their main tactics include causing mayhem and hiding among poor,terrified
people. This obviously leads to civilian casualties.
And then everyone and his uncle are ready to blame the inept police force.

While I vehemently agree that the police, CRP etc be well-trained, be
sensitive to issues of the local needs, and lastly have respect for both
friend or foe they deal with, I do not agree they are to blame for the
situation ripened for violence. The Naxals are solely to be blamed for that.

But let us not forget, who really is behind the violence? The Naxals
basically use the Rameshwars of this world to show the world why their
'cause' is the correct path, and why they need to fight, kill, cause
turmoil. For them everything has a "root cause', and they will use violence
every chance they get.

And it makes a great story for the papers, and poets emerge with new
talents.

And many a time, the Naxals have added another feather to their cap (getting
attention), the police, probably doesn't even read the TOI or heard the news
about Rameshwar, but poor Rameshwar will languish for a while at least in
some Indian prison.

In a few days, everybody will forget Rameshwar, including the TOI, Himanshu
Upadhyaya , the poet, Mandal, the reporter, the Communists, and the Naxals.

On a side note, those who hate democracy in India in whatever form, should
try and remember the couple of years when Indira Gandhi imposed the local
emergency in India.

I was in India at that time. It was then I realized, I did not have so many
freedoms. I could not write, read or speak what I liked. It was a time when,
sheer force ruled, and basically the whole of India was cowed down.

People were thrown in jails, and punished at the slightest hint , and then
there were these sycophants who were so eager to please Indira. That was
another age, when one of Assam's politician turned poet, sang "India is
Indira, Indira is India.

That was one time when India very nearly lost whatever democratic values she
held on to. The Communists, Naxals, and such other groups will be no better
(possibly worse) than the Indira Gandhi on a power trip.

--Ram da

On Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 1:35 PM, Sushanta Kar <pragyan.tsc50 at gmail.com>wrote:

> >
> >
> >  Poem:
> >
> > They named you Maoist today, Rameshwar
> >
> > Had you heard what they were saying
> >
> > While anointing you with this name
> >
> > You would have shaken your head violently from right to left
> >
> > Because that is the only way, you said ‘No’ all your life
> >
> > But, who had time to listen to you, Rameshwar?
> >
> > They behaved just like our villagers did
> >
> > Who kept calling you ‘Mental’
> >
> > I know, how violently you shook your head from right to left
> >
> > Every time you could read their lips saying that M word, Rameshwar
> >
> > But those ‘Hearies’ never cared to listen to your plea.
> >
> > I know last time when we took you to an ENT
> >
> > That ‘good doctor’ rather than pitying you
> >
> > Was angry on our ‘progressive’ state
> >
> > For not having enough special schools for kids like you.
> >
> > When we reported to him how you had to drop out after
> >
> > Fourth standard, he even angrily cursed your teachers
> >
> > Saying, “those Aatel Oralists”.
> >
> > That ‘good doctor’ rang up your father today morning
> >
> > After reading news in Times of India
> >
> > He said he felt sad for your predicament
> >
> > But also added how hard he and others had to fight to
> >
> > Prove that Binayak da, his friend and another ‘good doctor’
> >
> > Was no Maoist either.
> >
> > Himanshu Upadhyaya [June 18, 2010]
> >
> > News: Cops parade deranged man as Maoist
> > Caesar Mandal, The Times of India
> > 18 June 2010
> > --------------------
> >
> > SALBONI (WEST MIDNAPORE): The "dreaded" Maoist captured by joint forces
> on
> > Wednesday the only one apparently caught alive at the encounter site
> where
> > eight rebels lay dead is a 20-year-old mute and mentally challenged youth
> > from Duli village. No wonder, police haven't been able to make him speak.
> >
> > In what may cast a shadow on the way the police are rounding up suspects,
> > Rameshwar Murmu has been branded a hardcore Maoist and slapped with the
> most
> > stringent of charges, including sedition under Unlawful Activities
> > Prevention Act (UAPA).
> >
> > The Midnapore court on Thursday remanded him in 15 days judicial custody.
> > While on Wednesday, the cops claimed the "captured Maoist" was too
> stunned
> > at the loss of so many comrades to speak and admitted that he hadn't said
> a
> > word, Rameshwar's father, Bankim Murmu, cried, "My son can't speak. He
> may
> > scream if you hit him, but he can't speak a word." The Murmus live right
> > behind Wednesday's encounter site.
> >
> > Bankim says Rameshwar suffers from congenital epilepsy and developed ENT
> > problems at a very young age leading to loss of speech and hearing. He
> > produced medical records to support his claim. "He can only make barely
> > legible sounds. It affected his behaviour and he lost his mental balance.
> > That is why he could not pursue education beyond class IV," a tearful
> Bankim
> > told TOI on Thursday.
> >
> > Bankim owns a mud house and a small plot of land on the edge of Ranjya
> > forest where the bloody encounter took place on Wednesday. His elder son,
> > Ram, works in a factory in Orissa.
> >
> > Recounting Wednesday's developments that led to his son being captured,
> > Bankim said they woke up to the sound of gunfire behind his house. The
> > family rushed out in the direction of the village to avoid being hit.
> >
> > "My wife Madina was holding Rameshwar's hand as we ran. The gunfire had
> > woken up other villagers as well and they were running helter-skelter. In
> > the melee, Rameshwar broke free and ran back towards the house. I don't
> know
> > what was on his mind. My wife ran after him. But before she could reach
> > Rameshwar, police caught him. They put a gun to his head and said they
> would
> > shoot if anyone took a step forward," he said.
> >
> > The parents could only watch helplessly as the forces led their son away.
> > "We pleaded with them to let him go. We told them that he is mentally
> > challenged and not involved with Maoists. But they refused to listen,"
> said
> > Madina. They don't know where their son has been taken. Nor do they have
> the
> > courage to go to the police for fear of being thrashed.
> >
> > According to medical documents, Rameshwar was treated at several places
> > between 2004 and 2006, including ENT specialists at Tarakeshwar in
> Hooghly
> > and Midnapore. On June 5, 2006, when Rameshwar was 16, he was taken to
> > Anirban Diagnostic Centre Pvt Ltd in Midnapore town (ID B-6884, checked
> by
> > Dr N Adhikari).
> >
> > Other villagers, like Sudha Soren and Lakshmi Murmu, confirmed that
> > Rameshwar was mentally challenged. "He never behaved like a normal kid.
> Now
> > we hear that he has been paraded before TV channels with his hands tied
> and
> > branded a Maoist," Sudha said.
> >
> > Rameshwar was bare-bodied and wearing blue shorts when he was caught, an
> > unlikely dress for a guerrilla. Police insist Rameshwar was present
> > alongside senior Maoist leaders Bikash and Akash. "After the gunfight, we
> > caught him hiding behind a hedge. He had a single-barrel gun," a cop
> said.
> >
> > Online at:
> >
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cops-parade-deranged-man-as-Maoist/articleshow/6060704.cms
> >
> >
> > --
> Sushnta Kar
> সুশান্ত কর
> তিনসুকিয়া, আসাম
>
> আমার ব্লগগুলি:
> http://sushantakar40.blogspot.com
> http://ishankonerkahini.blogspot.com
> http://ishankonerkotha.blogspot.com
> আমার সম্পাদিত 'প্রজ্ঞান'
> http://pragyan06now.blogspot.com
> http://sites.google.com/site/pragyan06now
>
> "স্বাজাত্যের অহমিকার থেকে মুক্তি দানের শিক্ষাই, আজকের দিনের প্রধান শিক্ষা"
> রবীন্দ্রনাথ
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