The T Statemanship

The hallmark of a good statesmanship is inclusive governance. If the rule of over 50 years in the State of Andhra Pradesh was anything but inclusive governance, which probably is the reason a section of people felt “allegedly” marginalized, and thereafter successfully revolted for a separate state, neither is the present government at the centre close to unprejudiced conduct, let alone good statesmanship. The reasons should be fair too obvious if one goes through the developments of the past couple of days.


Here you have a Centre that takes a decision affecting lives, directly or indirectly, of millions living out of T state and yet is callous in the manner of announcing the decision. There is not even an attempt to speak to the aggrieved parties. The central government’s superpower authority driving from backseat, has the gumption to decide in a one sided manner, and yet care less to the fallout of the decision or have a proper dialogue with the affected. And all this was supposed to be an elaborate consultative process involving opinions of all the stakeholders!

Modi's Puppy

“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power; because they control the minds of the masses.” – Malcolm X.

 

There’s hard proof in the form of research experiments to show that people indeed are profoundly impacted by exposure to repeat telecast of a particular news item, and views expressed - both explicit and implicit. This preciesely seems to be the Congress I's 2014 political astra before they unleash anything else more potent on us.

 

Yesterday's twist to Modi's Puppy analogy was intended to do just this. With no way to rig the polls considering that this time around the electronic ballot will be with all the "rides" Swami claims, and knowing well how low they have sunk in terms of peoples' perception regarding them, this appears to be a subtle yet virile malevolent campaign, with full-hearted support of the paid media.

To the 4th of July

To the Fourth of July is a poem written by Swami Vivekananda in 1898. Coincidentally, he died the day (4th of July, 1902) he eulogized in his poem; the day America gained Independence was the day he too was freed from the Earthly bonding.


The cause of Vivekananda’s death has been debated on countless occasions. While it is said what came upon him was an act of self will, it may not be, looking at the verifiable facts; ironically, he was afflicted with the same disease his master Ramakrishna Paramahamsa died of – cancer. His throat began to bleed when he was nearing 40. It was at first diagnosed as Clergyman’s sore throat (Dysphonia, loss of voice), but soon re-diagnosed as throat cancer. Paradoxically, his own prophesy that he wouldn’t live to see 40 turned out to be true.

Despite the verifiable facts, few other startling facts force us to believe Swami Vivekananda was aware of his fate. On the morning of his death, it is said, the poem To the Fourth of July was read to him. Three days before his demise, while walking across a spacious lawn with his brother monk, he is said to have pointed to a particular place near river Ganga and expressed his desire to have his body cremated there. A month before his death, in June, he spoke of tapasya and death. On the day of his death, he woke up rather early; meditated for three hours from 8 to 11am, then shut himself off bolting all doors and windows in the chapel of his monastery.

Let me summarize in a Website Author’s own words what transpired next:

“Then he called one of his disciples in and asked him to open all the windows and fan his head. Without a word, he lay down and a silence enveloped the room. The disciple continued to fan the Swami. Minutes passed and not a word was uttered. It was presumed that Vivekananda was either sleeping or gone into deep meditation and in any event it was not for the disciple to disturb him either by word or deed. “

“At the end of an hour, says Swami Nikhilananda in the Swami's official biography, Vivekananda's hands trembled a little and he seemed to take a deep breath. There followed a shattering silence. The Swami again took a similar deep breath. 'His eyes became fixed in the center of his eyebrows, his face assumed a divine expression and eternal silence fell.”