Gujarat can well qualify as the 51st state of USA: Girish Patel

If you ask me to name ten persons who have made Gujarat proud, name of Girish Patel easily adorns the list. Girish Patel is not an ordinary advocate; he is champion of human rights. In the year 2009 activists, academicians and legal luminaries came forward to form Girishbhai Patel Sanman Samiti and organized a mega event to honor Girish Patel. Persons like Justice A. P. Ravani and Justice R. A. Mehta were samiti’s chair person and vice chair person respectively. Hanif lakdawala was the convener of the committee. 

The samiti published two books including ‘Public interest litigation and the poor in Gujarat.’  The book gives monumental account of the activities of Girish Patel who has interpreted various laws from the perspective of the subaltern. I quote one paragraph from the book to give an insight into the mind of a great man:

“Increasing criminalization of politics and society, intense communal polarization, authoritarianism, self-aggrandizement, cult of consumerism and commercialization (from drinking water to blood) mark the emerging Gujarat. Money be any means, power at any cost and pleasure under all circumstances, ate the new mantras. In fact, Gujarat can well qualify as the 51st state of USA. The present ideological hegemony represents the worst combination of Hindu communalism, ruthless developmentalism, cultural authoritarianism and a fascist ideology. It is anti-poor, anti-minority, and anti-freedom. It is all the more insidious because it represents an ideal to be emulated and replicated across the length and breadth of the country.”

Rs. 1.4 miilion to save accused of Atrocity Act

Pairmal and his God

Gujarat government has spent Rs. I.4 million to defend Ex-vice chancellor of Gujarat University Parimal Trivedi in Atrocity case. Parimal Trivedi insulted Pankaj Shrimali, a dalit professor, by castiest remarks. Mr. Shirmali lodged Atrocity case against Parimal Trivedi. Gujarat University has spent more than a million to save Parimal Trivedi. The case is fought in Gujarat High court. 

Modi is God of Parimal Trivedi. People like Parimal Trivedi has given immense contribution in saffronisation of students in Gujarat. Parimal Trivedi was BJP's Vastrapur ward chief in Ahmedabad in the late 1990s. He was said to be a good slogan writer for the BJP during elections or protest campaigns. At that time, he was a lecturer teaching physics at MG Science College. Trivedi was made the pro vice-chancellor of Gujarat University in 2005 when Anandiben Patel was the education minister. He was made vice-chancellor in 2006 and continues to hold this position, enjoying the patronage of Anandiben. After getting a PhD during his first term as V-C, he managed to get a second term in 2009 despite being embroiled in many controversies. In the 2007 Gujarat Assembly election, he also tried to get a ticket for the Ellisbridge Vidhan Sabha seat.

In August 2010, when Modi feared that he might be summoned for questioning in the Kauser-Sohrabuddin killings case, the chief minister had it communicated to Trivedi that he would like a big function organized at the convention hall of Gujarat University. Trivedi issued a circular to all colleges and followed it up with scores of phone calls which ensured a huge participation of around 7000 students, teachers and trustees of local institutions. In the meeting the rabble-rouser Modi raised temperature against CBI. 

Confess your sins, Jadeja

 

In our Gujarat, story of Jesal and Toral is very famous. Jesal Jadeja was an atrocious dacoit who belongs to Kshatriya caste. He massacred many innocent people and beheaded many newly married couples. People were shivered on hearing his name. Once he saw a gorgeous woman, Toral and charmed by her majestic beauty. He kidnapped her. While travelling he took a boat to cross a flooding river. The boat was trembling. 

Jesal was terrified when he saw the natural fury. He prayed Toral to help. Toral was a pious woman. Whatever she said to pacify Jadeja was expressed in a famous folk song, “pap taru parkash Jadeja, dharma taro smabhal re, tari bedali ne dubava nahi dau, o Jadeja re em Toral kahe chhe ji” (O Jadeja, confess your sins, remember your duty, I will not let your boat sink. O Jadeja, thus speak Toral)

Today, this story peeps in my mind. Reason is: entire media is washing sins of Narendra Modi to make him pious for PM’s gaddi. And the only difference between Toral and media is that Toral compelled Jesal to confess his crimes, while Indian media do not want to scratch sins of present day Jesal.

Asharamodi

These are two faces of one person and his name is Asharamodi.

Crisis of Lord Bhikhu Parekh and Indian Democracy

Yesterday Lord Bhikhu Parekh said in Vadodara, “we can’t say whether Narendra Modi becomes Pm or not, but, it seems that he is transforming RSS and he is infusing his ideology.” It is quite inexplicable what compels Lord Bhikhu to give such crass statement. What does Lord mean by ‘transformation’? Transformation from cultural to political? If so, what is new in it? And what is Modi’s ideology? ”I am Hindu nation. Bow down or mow down.”