By Goutam Shankar
There is indeed a dissimilar similarity in happening and miss-happening. You will agree for all your remnants of the grey zone that unless there is a happening, there cannot be a mishap.
Kolkata�s brethrens, including their cisterns in the rest of the state of West Bengal, have been witness to this dilemma ever since the advent of the jungle law system of general elections where booth capturing, threatening and roughing up genuine voters, false voting and now, chhapa voting, continue to be in vogue except the last module which shot into prominence during the current Assembly �system� of balloting.
To substantiate my claim, let me give you a blatant example. The pulling down of the 36 year old Left Front regime was a happening; Trinamool Congress (TMC), riding on Miss Mamata Banerjee�s invincible crest, sailed into the Writers� Building (since shifted to the banks of the now frothing Ganges) to start a regime that saw promises of hope being razed by the humble ebb and flow of the holy river.
Coming back to the point, TMC�s victorious march to the hallowed Assembly house was a miss-happening. The happening of the LF�s fall was caused by the popular wave for change and the irrepressible Miss M made it happen. This Miss led revolution of, for and by the people, caused the happening and so, logically or otherwise, it was a Miss-happening.
Now, ask your wrinkled conscience, did this miss-happening bring relief to the people of Kolkata apart for the transient euphoria of taller and taller promises crumbling to the ground, the Vivekananda flyover being a sweet example? There are hundreds of similar or dissimilar instances that have been reported in the media, be they boldly or in obscure spaces.
Humans, lower animals including dogs and lizards and vehicles have been crushed with more regularity, during this Miss led regime.
Promised job opportunities, better living conditions, spreading of electrification (and electrocution), solving commuter problems (by the minute processions not included), have, so far, tantamount-ed to hogwash.
On the job front, kin of grass-root or Trinamool hardcore supporters and that too, selectively, have been blessed with �threat-created� jobs while most others resort to money-lenders� moods; one tribe of money-minters,the Syndicate guardians, who have been growing and flourishing under the Two Little Flowers� blessings are a pointer to TMC�s ways of wealth creation; the better known laundering project, Sarada has ensured the emergence of reverse Robin Hoods wherein the rich and mighty with political blessings have robbed the poor and enriched their high flying lifestyle whereas Narada has just given us a peek into the greater Miss deeds; true, electrification and distribution of blue bicycles to girl children have added credence to partial promises to the rural mass, but �electrocution� by poverty and drought have left villagers high and dry; a bold attempt to introduce more buses of the luxury and semi-luxury types are seeing CSTC garages grunting with more jaded vehicles than they can accommodate; tramcars are far and few between and cabs are available as per the mood swings of the drivers who prefer whims to dishonor. But, all is not bad under the state government�s Miss-rule.
We, the self-centered Bengal-ke-Lals tend to overlook the growing tribe of pavement vendors who make a living by setting shops on pavements and annihilating walking and farting space. There are many more pro and con points that may best be left unwritten or else, this author, like voters, may be threatened by goons who fail to differentiate between the two sides of intent.
For the time being, let Bengal chant, �Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu�� till May 19 when the state find�s out if it is a God or a Goddess who is to be chanted to. Another Miss adventure in the offing?
The views expressed are personal of the author. He can be reached at (goutam.shankar.das@gmail.com)
