# Sir Vidhya : Doyen of post war II literature

Sir Vidhyadhar Sarjuprasad Naipaul, the Nobel laureate fondly known to the circle of his admirer as # Sir Vidhya passed into eternity at the ripe age of 85 in his London residence where he precisely spent his entire life. He had flagged his own aura from the tender age when his father , the son of a migrant labourer who shipped as indentured labourer  from Uttar Pradesh of India to Trinidad earned his own education and livelihood by working hard during night time and by continuing his study during the day.Thus his father, despite of financial hardship he could register his thrust for literature through writing some articles in local tribunes. 

Sir Vidhya earned a scholarship in London at the age of 18 only and he landed in post war shabby, marginalise and economically downtrodden London in 1948 which can be no way compared with modern day vibrant London city. He had started his literary carrier from there only .He started his journey in a hostile environment of those days and gradually reached on the pinnacle of contemporary English literature by dint of sheer quality of his writing 

His style of writing soon made him popular among the readers and his " A house of Mr. Biswas" written in 1961 gave him an instant fame throughout the globe.He had no tenacity for India, the land of his forefathers; as his mother who carried only Hindi word with her was 'beta' and once she said the her great son 'beta leave India to the Indians'. Later year he wrote many novels, non fiction works on India of those " India: A million mutinies" he wrote in 1990 is considered a controversial one by many readers where he described 'Sepoy Mutiny' of 1857 as Muslim uprising.

He was also famous for his misogynistic utterances to fellow literary giants and thus he dismissed his contemporary 20th century greats like James Joyce and E M Foster as quality authors. His nasty criticise on India as a 'land of defecating' is still proving to be true as our PMs recent mission on 'Swachh Bharat' is yet far away to be attained 100% of it.

His childhood struggle and his struggle of earlier day in England has been reflected on his writings and thus he became a talk of the world in many ways. But his gravitas on his works was supreme and that no one can dent this. 

He was knight hooded by the British Empire in 1990 and he continued his literary journey more vibrantly and some of his great works viz." half a life, "A way in world", "Magic Seeds" and his controversial " India: A Million Mutinies" are written during this period. He was conferred Nobel, the highest award in the field of literature by Swedish Academy on 2001.

He lead a complex private life, where his first wife was an English lady named Margaret.But he dumped her after he met his last wife Nadira, a Pakistani Muslim. In between he visited prostitutes regularly to meet his physical urge.

He attained everything he deserved as wife of late author Lady Nadira Naipaul  rightly said after his demise " he was a giant in all that he achieved and he died surrounded by those he loved having lived a life which was full of wonderful creativity and endeavour."

Lastly,  'A house for Mr Biswas' is vacated after 85 long years of stay. During this long stay he travelled a lot 'in a free state' through 'Miguel street'.He led 'half a life' in 'an area of darkness' 'among the believers'. He confidently erected 'a flag on the island'for 'literary occasions'. Later 'the mystic masseur' had taken 'a turn to the south' for search of 'magic seeds'. The 'mimic men' read the 'middle passage' during this journey and lost 'the enigma of' his life in 'an area of darkness'. 'Beyond belief' at last he took 'a bend in the river' of his life and at last for all of us this is a great loss, 'the loss of El dorado'

    

   

GLOBAL IMMIGRANT SCENARIO WITH AN EMPHASIS ON RIGHT WING RADICALISATION

The word 'Immigrant' became mother of all problems in socio political circle during recent days in entire north eastern part of India with firebrand revolutionary speeches some leaders of different students union and other bodies, followed by processions in different parts of the state of Assam precisely gyrated this issue more controversial. Vehement expostulations with demands for deportation of a particular community of particular religious belief soared up to sky high in all corners and walks of life at this part of the globe. 

Since the issue of illegal immigrants became a global problem in recent past and Fahrenheit soared up against immigrant people in different corners of globe, in this article we will try to analyse the subject with an emphasis on gradual radicalisation of the issue by right wing groups. But at the very outset, we will try to define who is an immigrant.

As per global definition an immigrant or refugee are of two types. i.e.the first type are the group of people who seek refuge to other country due to threat of life, property in their country of origin, and other group of  people who migrates to other country for search of better place for survival with better economic condition.

Meanwhile, let us travel with history and try to find the circumstances compelled people to migrate from their homeland for search of land for survival. Continuous gun battle and war torn economy of Syria resulted mass exodus of people of Islamic faith into European countries from 2016. Those people had no other alternative than to cross over the mighty Mediterranean sea in  overloaded rubber boats with peril of drowning at any time to reach Europe to take refuge.Many of them drowned during such journey but could not stop their indomitable courage for survival. They are immigrants of both type because their life was in danger as well as economic condition.

Now as per Dublin convention and declarations it was decided that refugees or migrated mankind have to be accommodated in the nearest country of there homeland or the country they touch first. So, in cases of Europe Italy and Greece are two countries who receives the waves of such migrant first, since these two countries are gateway to Europe through sea route over Mediterranean. So, Italy with a not so good economic condition had to take large chunk of those Syrian and East African refugees which is described by official release as 6,40,000 whereas large economy like Germany has taken about 800000 refugees only.Other countries like Sweden,France,Netherlands, Hungary are in same line of sheltering large chunk of migrants through sea route from different sides. 

The problem of illegal migrants reached in the pinnacle at countries like Italy, Sweden etc. The recent data produced by the government of Italy shows these illegal migrants are mainly from Islamic faith comprise 8% of Italy"s total population now are changing the social scenario of the countries culture,tradition and economy. The catholic Christians culture and social bonding is deeply effected by Islamic culture and tradition of those illegal migrants. Moreover, those migrants are arrogant in nature and time and again creating ruckus in public places regularly with destruction of government and public property. Cases of rape, murder, loot, arson etc in places have substantially increased in these countries for which these illegal migrants are found responsible in all cases. It is not strange to say that in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden one among every four women outside their house are raped now and it is unofficially called the rape capital of Europe. 

In this juncture,right wing sentiments has taken a leap  with resentment against these immigrants and  a group of people started expostulating their grievances against governments policy.The radicalisation has soared in all walks after the group lead by Matheo Salvini, the interior minister of Italy whose umbrage against the policy of appeasement rained heavily in the parliament. He clearly expressed that Italy cannot give shelter to these illegal immigrants anymore at the expense of its own economy which is already in a bad shape and he strongly favoured total evacuation of immigrants who are already in Italy and no to fresh entry of any of its kind. This outrage barricaded the entry of a ship with  fresh group of immigrants from east Africa a couple of days back and the ship was sent back from the shore of Italy after dusk pushing those helpless people in the ship in uncertainty. Matheo Salvini is compared with Benito Mussolini of World war time who clearly stated that at times fascist agenda is good for the society.

Meanwhile, the president of France Emmanuel Macron has reminded Italy the outlines of Dublin convention and categorically threatened them against pushing out of immigrants. But fascist Salvini  with indomitable courage expressed that if France and other countries try to compel them to provide shelter to these illegal immigrants, then Italy may seriously think to go out from gamuts of EU in days to come.

Hungary also pulled up its socks against illegal Muslim immigrants and sounding in a high note against sheltering and  forbearance of these people.Meanwhile, Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician who is the founder and the current leader of the Party for Freedom in Netherlands is campaigning to stop Islam, what he views as the "Islamisation of the Netherlands". He has compared the Quran to Mein Kampf and has campaigned to have the book banned in the Netherlands.The right wing group is following him at Achilles heel and strong feeling of radicalisation has already deep  rooted in Netherlands also. 

More recently the iron lady of Germany, Angela Merkel is also facing opposition and protests from right wing groups in her own country against providing shelter to several hundred thousand illegal  Muslim immigrant from Syria and East Africa.

So, finally talk about the fact that right wing radicalisation is at rise in entire European Union against Muslim illegal immigrants which is totally in contrast what is happening in India specially Assam.Here, the scenario is totally different. Here radicalisation is directly not against illegal immigrant Muslims only but against the refugee Hindu who had their dhimmitude at there erstwhile land of origin and entered India decades back.In this process not only those refugee Hindus are targeted by some groups/organisations but genuine Indian citizens are also in receiving regular  harassment from the long hand of government machinaries in the name of law which is most unethical, undemocratic, obnoxious against the act of land and its subsequent amendments and declarations.

Digital Banking and Bank strike

Banking operations in the entire country was hit due to strike called for consecutive two days by approximately around ten lakhs bank employee primarily from PSU Banks  under the common banner of United forum.The strike also supported by unions of some old private sector banks and foreign banks .

The heat was endured by majority of citizens if the country since only 25% of meagre skeleton service was rendered by some new age private sector banks and of course the most helpful DIGITAL Banking. Although it is widely believed that only 5% of total population under the umbrella of banking industry is covered by digital banking service. Although government is trying hard to increase this percentage at all levels, but  most of the public servants still depend on regular banking.

Interestingly, unions of banking industry intentionally choose these dates two trouble employees of all sectors whose salary as well as pensions of retired employees is credited to their respective account on last working day of the month.

To some extent they could succeed since a large chunk of senior citizens and people from lower strata, who find it more comfortable and friendly to withdraw cash from branch. People residing in remote rural areas are also part of this branch banking.But,the entire scenario has gradually taken a paradigm shift in semi-urban and all urban areas including metro cities. The change has come silently and not overnight rather it took year to step out from conventional arena to digital world.Of course the central government and its demonetisation in recent past has added roller coaster to the feet of this fast forward. But till that time most of the countrymen were already acquainted with ATM service of banking at least and that was the first leap towards Digital Banking,

Now, we will go for an emphasis on digital banking step by step and try to earmark that how it helped the population to go for carefree banking during last two days.

1) All bank ATM were functioning throughout the country more or less except West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar and Jharkhand states where militant union rolled down the shutter of ATM also. Cash was loaded in its fullest capacity in all ATM under strict instructions of management on the eve of first strike day.So,at least first day of the strike could not make much impact on transactions for ordinary citizens.Moreover., salary was not credited on 30th obviously amount of withdrawals were not very large. 

2) Business class people were not effected much due to two reasons. Firstly, RTGS and NEFT centres under  supervision  of RBI functioned normally and fund clearance was done smoothly. Secondly e-banking platform is always open for customers 24 x 7 and most of business houses transacted their funds through e-banking platform without any hindrances. 

3) Plenty of e-wallets are available in the monetary domain and people could make payments towards any type of purchase they did right from groceries and provisions to drink and dine with movie buffs did not require any cash at all.

4) All payment gateways of all major credit and debit cards rendered services to holders relentlessly for any type of purchase from alpine to elephant or payment of all all utility bills digitally even on the last date also.

These examples are illustrative and not exhaustive.

In this context I am afraid that employees of banking industry is slowly and gradually losing its ground for compelling Indian Banking Association (IBA) or Labour commissioner to move for their cause since the strike has lost much of impact towards paralysing the monetary system as well as central government for a day or two as they used to do in earlier days. 

Are Bengalis in Assam facing reverse dhimmitude ?

Bengali Hindus are perennially treated as stateless modern day Jews in this part of the globe specially in entire North East India.The origin of inhibition of this race in North East India dates back about 150 years, but till present day they are looked upon by others more precisely so called indigenous communities as intruders and diaspora of there home land. This aspect I have discussed elaborately in my previous book " Log Out North East India- an untold story of reverse racism". 

But if we go back deep in this issue we find Bengali Hindus settled  in North East India since the days of Imperial Raj and they were brought by the then masters as clerks to run the administrations. Many were brought for expansion of railways and thus concentration of Bengali Hindus will be found in major rail area like Guwahati, Lumding, Tinsukia ,Bongaigoan, Dhubri( since this was an important rail station till 1947) etc. 

These are facts that known to all. On this pretext,I have few questions:

1) What is the definition of original inhabitants? Probably it defines a group people or race staying at a place continuously for an unspecified long time and inculcate all socio cultural systems of the place and embrace the same as their own may be defined as original inhabitants.In this category Ahom of Assam, Khasi and Jaintia of Meghalaya falls in same category of Bengali inhabitants. All those races came to settle in vast North east in different time and different circumstances.What about tea tribes of Assam ? Are they not brought by Britishers from outside? Koch came from Coochbehar of West Bengal to settle in fertile land of Assam and so on.

2) They embraced all local culture and social bonding at per with Assamese speaking people except their language which is their birth right. Moreover all children of Bengali Hindu read and write Assamese correctly and each one of them speak local language fluently. What more is required to prove their identity? Do they need to speak in Assamese to their mother and wife in their home? This is next to impossible and everyone know why? 

3) A large chunk of Bengali migrated from Erstwhile Sylhet district of Assam when the district merged with Pakistan during infamous partition of the country.Are those people not original inhabitants of Assam?They simple shifted from one part of Assam to another part after 18/07/1947.Are they  diaspora? 

4) After bifurcation of erstwhile K&J Hills district and Garo Hills district of Assam for formation of new state Meghalaya Lakhs of Bengali Hindu employees from erstwhile capital of Shillong  and Tura permanently migrated to Assam with their family. Are they not original inhabitants of Assam? Under same circumstances thousands of Bengali Hindus came back to Silchar after erstwhile Lusai Hills bifurcated from Assam. They are definitely original inhabitants of Assam. 

Last year one gentleman from Assamese speaking community adversely commented in a TV talk show that wherever Bengali Hindus will settle they would construct a Kali temple and go for one Netaji commune. My question is this a crime? Lots of Assamese speaking people are settled in different parts of world are celebrating BIHU under a banner of Bihutali. Are they doing activities against their rights? Moreover, Assamese speaking people should inculcate history to know that it was Netaji Subhash only proposed the name of Gopinath Bordoloi as president of APCC during British Raj instead Sadullah was ready to be sworn in as president of APCC They should instead thank Netaji who saved the hegemony of indigenous Assamese people during the material time.

Last but not the least , I personally do not reside in Assam, so my comments in this regard to be impartially taken. 

Punjab National Bank Fraud: An in depth analysis of a common men

A large chunk of mass Indian including media persons are making storm on their cup of tea regarding Punjab National Bank  mega fraud for Rs 11880 crores where Mr Nirav Modi the Numero Uno suspect who alleged siphoning this fund from Bank out of country. Common men are as usual divided into two and slinging mud to either of political parties   BJP or INC. Some are even speaking in terms of NPA the word is now known to almost every Indian without knowing the meaning of the word in absolute term. I will try to explain the meaning of NPA for common people as well as I will explain how this fraud slowly took shape into a mammoth scam in history of Indian economy. Let us discuss first

What is NPA is absolute Banking term?

When an advance becomes overdue either by installment due or and interest thereon or both more than 29 days it is called “Temporarily Irregular Account” This not defined as NPA

Where an advance (Rs25.00 Lakhs and above) become overdue either by installment due or and interest thereon or both more than 59 days it is termed as SMA (special mention account)

When an advance becomes overdue either by installment due or and interest thereon or both more than 89 days it is called NPA account

This is discussed in broader sense only for consumption of general public, without going deep inside where many more modalities are there.

Now an advance may be different types, Viz, Working Capital for running expenses for a unit, term loan for purchase of machineries and equipment for business and third one in bank guarantee. Since this mega fraud in PNB was against Bank Guarantee, we with discuss on this only.

Bank Guarantee is of two types viz, Performance Guarantee and Deferred Payment Guarantee. Now Deferred Payment Guarantee is given by Bank against large amount Equipment finance to the manufacturer instead of direct Term Loan. Performance Guarantee is issued against import license of parties where good are delivered against the Bank guarantee. This is issued as a letter of undertaking (LOU) given by Bank on behalf of importer to the exporter at other foreign land. Bank Guarantee was extended time to time to the party by Bank authorities wherein as per banking rule party had to deposit 100% cash collateral securities against issuance of each Bank Guarantee or extension thereof. After the transaction is over, this has to be invariably loaded in the Core Banking System by a maker and will be approved by a checker. Thus the amount of Guarantee will reflect in the System with absolute transparency amount will be added to Bank’s total exposure under the head of Contingent Liability.

In this very case, one fraudulent Deputy Manager in a particular branch has taken chance of the loophole of the system. He issued the Performance Guarantee as Letter of Undertaking manually, and handed over the document to the party without obtaining any cash collateral against this. He has sent the information through SWIFT mode (for international remittances of fund) by using his own password. This he continued from 2008 to till his retirement from the service, i.e. about a year back.

So, this is clearly a fault of that very branch and PNB authorities. He was not transferred from this branch for many years and that is unusual. His desk was not changed also due to reasons best known to his authorities.

So, it is clear case of laxity in PNB and this is their in house problem. The account  has  nowhere the account became NPA. Neither authorities of RBI have any connection with this fraud nor is involvement of any political party established. Common men are requested to refrain making any loose comments against RBI or involvement of any political party.

Padmavat or Padmavati : A serious question to Government of India

Central Board of Film Certification has recently certified a film which has ignited much uproar with hue and cry in the country. They certified with some changes one of which is minor change in the name of the film. Name does not matter much so long the contents of the film remains the same. Tagore once told somewhere that If we change the name of the flower Rose, it does not lose its fragrance. So, the discussion here does not necessarily revolve around the film only and its subject matter.

Well the discussion starts when the CBFC, the highest authority for making judgement regarding licencing of an artwork in cinematic form  and accords its certification, why the people of some specific group will try to stop the filming of this? Why these groups who are intimidating, vandalising properties which are not owned by them are not arrested by the guardian of law?

It is understood that the film may carry something against sentiments of people of a state named Rajasthan, and some descendent of Royals are against the filming. Right, but what sentiment it has with people of Gujrat? Or the people of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and or Haryana? If we talk about Haryana, less we speak its better.The state where every day rape of more than one woman occurs ( recent record says 8 numbers of rape of women and minor in 6 days), where an elected government cannot act upon goondas and hooligans they at least should concentrate more on their state administration then the moral policing. Haryana records of mass loot and rape of numbers of women in one single night on 22.02.2017 on national highway near a place called Murthial still fresh in people's mind. The stalking and chasing of IAS officer's daughter by the son of State BJP president is matter of yesterday only. Over and above all these heinous rape and murder of minor child followed by some more rapes in last week only has brought down the pride and administration of Haryana government at its nadir.They even could not arrest those rapist till this day instead propagating that media is sensitising the issue. So, for CM of Haryana  it is high time to concentrate on his pending law and order issues instead of talking about film.

Moreover, how many of them has watched the film? Without seeing the trash film or certified film do they have any right to say against the film in chorus in the language of those hooligans? Banning the film is a far cry. Other day I saw a lawyer,representing as legal adviser of those fringe groups in media channel, he spoke more as a activist then a lawyer. 

Now I will ask some pertinent questions on our government. The State machinaries of Rajasthan, Gujrat and other two states who declared a blanket ban on this film Padmabat and the maker of the film rightly knocked the door of highest court of the republic for justice. The Supreme Court scowled those state governments for there action and gave order to withdraw all such ban.These are known facts to all of us.But my question how dare a regional government of a republic acts in such whimsical and stubborn manner against the CBFC who functions under Cinematic Act 1952. Who gave gave them power to do so? why they are not coming down on those fringe groups and Vandals? They should remember that , they are elected government by the people of the state and not by those fringe groups only. They are to look upon the welfare and security of all under there governance. people who do have reservation against this film may stay back at their home and do not watch this film. The matter ends there only. But in the name of moral policing they cannot take away the rights people given by the constitution of the country.

Now, last but not the least , I will ask the Central government.What action has taken by our Home Minister and his deputy? He is our Home Minister and he is responsible for all his action and governance to all of us, because he is elected by us.Why he is silent on this matter and not spoken a single word on this till date? Does his narrow faith and party politics debar him to act upon?How some members of fringe group go to the office of a respected lawyer and threatens him for consequences in national capital itself?

 Although city of new Delhi has an elected government, but on this pretext he cannot forgo his responsibilities and watch silently all these drama for ever. It is definitely enough time we had and now it is their duty to intervene. They are elected by by the people of India and should not act as government of certain party and its faith. 

Hope still time is there. Respective state governments and their machinery must ensure the smooth release of the film all over the country on the scheduled date with security of property and people also who will go to watch this film.