MOBILE IN BANDA: DAY FIVE
Political meva, Hindu-Muslim seva?
The official notice board resembling a sarkari board,
bureaucrat on duty style, highlights a Muslim and a Hindu, at the SP zila
office.
He praises Meera to
the skies, even as she is unmoved by this very sudden public adulation. The
Hindu-Muslim rhetoric in Mullah Mulayam terrain, reminds me that the story of
this town which knows violence intimately, yet has an unghettoised Hindu-Muslim
social fabric, deserves unravelling. But for now, this is election season and
you can see rows of keds have replaced chappals, as mineral water bottles have
replaced ghadaas. Meeting a politician thus, is also an exercise in watching
waste being generated, one of the apathetic side-lines of generous local
hospitality.
This particular candidate’s switch from Samaajwadi Party to
Congress to SP to now the gathbandhan has a local political science teacher
fuming, ‘ Candidates have moved parties
but this business of a daughter gets ticket from one party, another relative in
another party – this is new and shows the value placed on power, not ideals.’
Her remark reminds me of the meeting with the said candidate, who when he
finally arrives, proceeds to waylay reporter Meera’s question of charges
against him, with a proud dabang response, ‘we
got the bureaucrat who made those charges transferred.’ Meera walks out
silently and also, a trifle relieved, that the chase over this guy, is done.
After a day of chasing politicians with all their drama of power, it is a
relief when Meera suggests a trip to the Mahavidyalaya, where we find these
teachers.
advocates in Chandigarh
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