Thirtysix(+1)%>Sixtythree%
May it be ever 36(+1)>63? It is true that it is never possible in Arithmetic. But it might be possible sometimes. The recent poll results of the general election, 2019 proves so. In this poll, as per record, BJP has got only 36(+1)% of total vote polled. But it has won the highest seats and it has got the entity of the single majority in the Parliament of India. The majority of the voters of India has rejected the BJP and its policies it pursuedduring last 5 years. Various political economic systems, from slave system to imperialism, we experience that minority rule the majority. Now it happened in democracy.

"United we stand, divided we fall." This phrase is true to other political parties of India. These political parties have gained the majority's faith in the election. But it did not reach to success of capturing seats because of different opinions and divisions among these parties. Either these parties were unable to read the opinion of the majority, or these parties were only looking after their own interest. Sixty-three percent (63%) voted these parties in spite of varied opinions and colours.

Now in the next 5 years, this majority would have to face the consequence of a government of minority's choice. Indian democracy might go to its severe condition of distress. Last 5 years, we have experienced that this party led government did not do almost anything to create employment and betterment of agriculture. There was no industry. But it accelerated privatisation, and it took policy to transform the public-sector jobs into contractual. It sincerely nurtured 'nabal' nationalism and Hinduism.

So, what would it do in the next? It is very much clear to all of us. It would hardly do anything to meet the economic crisis. It would be more interested in so-called nationalism and Hinduism to meet its very purpose of divisions and disharmony.
Harasankar Adhikari, Kolkata

Article 370 Revoked
The government had on 5th August 2019 revoked provisions of Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and proposed the bifurcation of the state into two Union territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. It has not taken the parliament in confidence before taking such an important step. The entire operation was conducted in a most secretive manner. It has gone to the extent of arresting the people's representatives state. It will give rise to another spell of unrest in the state. This time not only the stone pelters but the people of the state as a whole might come out in the street. They are put into unending miseries again. Besides, there might be a constitutional logjam as well.
Sunil Ghose, Kolkata

75 lakh ka sauda
For a payment of 75 lacs to the East India Company in 1846, Gulab Singh became the ruler of Kashmir. 75 lakh ka Sauda were the lines that poet Hafeez Jalandhari penned to vouch for his disgust. This time a brute ideology represented by a brute majority cheered by a crowd denied special status to J and K. In the dead of the night, suitable amendments were made by which "Constituent Assembly" is to be read as "Legislative Assembly" and "Sadr-i-Riyasat" means "Governor of the state".
Soumya Guhathakurtha, Kolkata

Doubt
A Raghu Kumar in his article "The 'summer' of the Right and the 'fall' of the Left" appeared in vol. 52, no. 4 has raised a very pertinent question regarding the attitude of the left parties. These parties do not doubt about shortcomings if any in their theory. Failures, they believe,are always due to fault in the application of the theory in action. Absence of such doubt in the analysis of situation, according to the author, belies them to reach a correct conclusion. As a general statement he says that—"'Doubt' is the foundation of all the growth narratives. If we have no doubts, even while failures are glaring at us, and we repeatedly re-affirm our faith in the theory and blame only the practicing individuals for all failures, secure 'The Book' beyond criticism, it is Ahankara. Ahankara refuses the need for reflexive processes". Later, he mentions that - "Marxists all over the world suffer from this intellectual arrogance. History did not teach them anything. The historical experience of USSR, or of the most of the East Europe or China never caused any such need for introspection in the Left. Instead there are more confirmations, re-assurances and re-affirmations of faith in the Book". Introspection in this line may help them see light at the end of the tunnel.
Sudhir Biswas, Kolkata

To be and only to be
This being the only motto, in the light of its recent electoral washout the Congress party is hard pressed to find a president outside the Nehru fold. All they want is someone to stand tall and elegant and take the ruling party's assault while the other members/supporters can continue with their money-making activities, which they all do for a living. More importantly and more than the Congress it is the left that wishes the Congress to "play its due role in history" so that they can dream of a third front and also keep their home fires burning. If only a hologram of Jawaharlal Nehru could be put up outside AICC headquarters and the "tryst with destiny" speech played in the background, it could be a venue for a nice "light and sound" show.
Soumya Guhathakurta, Kolkata

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Frontier
Vol. 52, No. 10, Sep 8 - 14, 2019