Seeking the 'Root Cause'

      One of the stated intentions of this blog was to have light hearted digs at UPA -2. However, it is a bit difficult to see the humorous side when more than 100 innocent people are massacred. Over the past few months, the country has seen numerous daring attacks by Maoists on security forces as well as common civilians. While the clamour for a befitting reply has justifiably grown shriller, the UPA President feels that the solution to this menace is to address the ‘root cause’. But has anyone even bothered to ask her what exactly are these ‘root causes’ of which she seeks redressal? Maybe a look at the history of Naxalism will help us understand what their core issues are.

      The Maoist movement kicked off as an armed revolt by landless tribals in small time Naxalbari (hence the name Naxals) against the zamindari system. The revolt was crushed within months, but it spawned various forms of armed extremism subscribing to Mao’s philosophy. Charu Mazumdar, the first General Secretary of the CPI (ML) and one of the foremost Maoist ideologues, described the twin aims of the armed struggle as ‘seizure of state power’ and overthrow of the ‘Capitalist’ system. If the Congress President seeks to address these core issues, then UPA-2 is certainly on course. At the start of the rebellion, however, the root cause did not seem so important to the Congress. Rebellions in various parts of the country were swiftly crushed. Then, as now, Maoists were the biggest threat to the State as they are today. But then, they were also the biggest threat to the Grand Old Party of Indian Politics. That does not seem to be the case today as Maoists have emerged as useful allies to the Trinamool in its fight against the Left Front in the vulnerable state of West Bengal and hence, the change in the Govt.’s attitude and policy towards Naxals.

      If there is something that Mrs. Gandhi needs to address, it is this policy of appeasement that has been the ‘root cause’ behind the growth of not just Naxalism but also other forms of terrorism and regional warlords who have converted parts of the country into their own personal fiefdoms. The Maoists firmly believe that ‘Power flows from the barrel of a gun’. Anybody who believes that there is scope for dialogue with such a clan is either unbelievably naïve or perpetually blinded by the electoral benefits of inaction.

      One heartening facet of the tragedy has been the maturity displayed by the opposition in dealing with a potentially crucial poll plank. There is a consensus among the national parties that P. Chidambaram is the right person to clean up the mess. However, he is the right man in the wrong party. He is a lucky man to enjoy the backing of the opposition on a sensitive issue. Unfortunately, his luck runs out when it comes to his own party and allies. He has often hinted at his mandate being limited by petty politics within his own party while Mamata refuses to accept the existence of Maoists entirely. PC’s condition is strikingly similar to that of a Guard Dog which has the canines to bite and the heart for a fight but also a leash around his neck which prevents him from doing either. He can only watch the house getting robbed as his Master refuses to wake from his slumber. The visual of well intentioned individuals and policies being restricted by political compulsions has become an all too familiar feature of UPA-2.

      The situation has obvious parallels with the Indian Cricket Team that failed to perform during the WC. On paper, the trio of PC, MMS and Pranab form a perfect team just like the combination of Dhoni, Yuvraj and Co. But their performance has been miserable on all fronts, most notably inflation, security and corruption. While the Men in Blue were exposed by their inability to stand up to the short ball, UPA-2 is inhibited by its inability to stand up to its own allies. AB Vajpayee was often, unfairly, called the secular mask of a communal NDA. MMS is the efficient and honest (yet powerless) mask of a malfunctioning, corrupt UPA -2. Despite all these failures, recent surveys by leading national news channels claim that the country finds no fault with the PM or the HM. Though I am not entirely convinced about the statistical correctness of such surveys, let us, for the sake of argument, accept that they do reflect the mood of the nation. Vir Sanghvi, in a recent article, suggested that the personality of PC and MMS forces people to gloss over the evident failures of the government. If that is indeed the case, then the nation seems to forget that by voting for individuals like MMS and PC they are also voting for the coterie of Yes-men that surround Mrs. Gandhi. By doing so, we stand to make the same mistake that our selectors made by picking people on reputation rather than on performance and should not expect different results. As Einstein would say, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

"The only Emotion...

...worth experiencing is SPORT". These are the famous words of a great intellectual. It’s a pity, then, that with so much editorial space being devoted to discussing the physical attributes of the game, so little is reserved for the emotional aspect. We spend endless hours debating the skill of Sachin, the creativity of Kaka, the guile of Warne, the magic of Ronaldo, the strength of Pollard, the resilience of Rooney and yet we rarely ever dwell on the emotional connect that binds the players, the fans, the Gaffer and the club. What is it that makes a 70 year old dour Manager, who’s spent a lifetime giving lifeless interviews, jump like a school kid at the sight of an injury time goal? What is it that makes absolute strangers hug each other after watching a last ball six? What is it that makes a player spend all his life at a single club despite being lured by much better compensation at greener pastures? What is it that makes players suffer the most painful of injuries without as much as a grimace, but cry like a toddler after failing (and in some cases succeeding) at the final hurdle.

Picture This. The First Kick: You step on the ground for the first time in your life as a second half substitute. The score reads 2-2 with your team needing a victory to stand a chance of lifting the trophy. Half the people in the audience don’t even know your name. Before you can enjoy the moment, a fine pass finds you one on one with the defender with the last few seconds left on the clock. You get only one chance and there is only one small corner of the goal to aim for. The ball curls around the outstretched fingers of the keeper and into the top corner sending 70,000 people into delirium. You have arrived and your name is Federico Macheda.

Now Picture This. The Last Bow: You have spent most of your career with a single club winning all kinds of silverware. Now, at the fag end of your career you are playing in an important derby match where only a victory for that club will ensure that it avoids relegation. The final 20 minutes remain. With the score tied at 0-0, a clever pass finds you unmarked and with a delectable back heel you force the ball into the back of the net. Then, realization dawns. A transfer at the start of the season to the Club’s city rivals means that with your last touch of a football you have actually managed to relegate your beloved club. You are immediately substituted and you exit without celebrating your last goal. Your have just played your last game and your name is Dennis Law.

These two moments – the first step and the last bow - are forever etched in the memory of every player. However, it is the events that occur between these two that end up defining the sportsman. On his day, he is worshipped like a God by his legion of fans. On another, they call for his blood like a Roman Emperor declaring the fate of a fallen Gladiator. Over the years, he is cheered and jeered, worshipped and ostracized, welcomed by clubs like a Messiah and shunted out like dead wood. Most players wither away over the arduous journey, some prove to be efficient servants of the game, but very few build an ever-lasting bond with the fans which gives them the right to be called LEGENDS (not to be confused with Galacticos.)

For a club, the story is no different. It’s a roller coaster ride from the heights of Silverware to the abysmal depths of relegation. From the peaks of a last minute derby victory to the valleys of a home thrashing. One day the fan is emperor, the very next leaves him gutted. But he won’t have it any other way. Even with the odds stacked against him, the only word that he utters is ‘Believe’. This belief is not gained overnight. It has a history. It comes after a journey which spans over decades involving a million heartbreaks and ecstasies. Every decade adds hundreds of players who give their sweat and blood to the club and thousands of fans who give their hearts. It’s the agglomeration of all these decades that transforms a feeder club into a Theatre of Dreams. This basic fact is forgotten by most clubs today chasing instant success. There is no patience in a world where managers are expected to deliver quicker than instant coffee.

So the question that begs to be asked to all such clubs is this. With all the millions that your rich Arab owner pours in, you can buy the best players, the most successful Gaffer and probably even the odd trophy, but can all those millions buy you even a small but glorious piece of history and the resulting emotional connect?

.....and then there was a Blog!!!

Ah, the first post. After weeks of procrastination, I have finally bored myself enough to actually start a blog. A lazy week, an even lazier weekend, compounded further by the absence of the EPL, and a general lack of interest in the world that lies beyond the 4 walls of my kingdom, have all conspired to convince me to commit this act. So between frequent sleeping sojourns, i have managed to find some time to put pen to paper, rather finger to keyboard, and start a blog.

Since this is my first post (and particularly because i have no other topic in mind), its only fair that i dedicate it to explaining the blog itself. This blog will offer my lighthearted two cents on sports, politics(generally Congress bashing), Online Treasure Hunts, life and other issues worthy of comment.

Keeping this one short, but before i (B)log off, I would like to congratulate World Champion Viswanathan Anand for his fantastic achievement. His victory against Topalov with Black pieces in the last game is testimony to the genius that is V. Anand. Also, a huge roar for the 'only Singh of Rajasthan'. R.I.P B S Shekhawat. Only in India can the defeat of such a legend, to a lady known more for the excesses of her relatives, be hailed by the media.

Finally, i leave my readers with two must read(or watch) links. The first one, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMophHw6iX4 , is the Fifa WC 2010 Theme song. A Wonderful composition and a treat to watch. The second, http://blogs.cricinfo.com/clogblog/archives/2010/05/pro_or_no_pro.php, is a delightful blog by a Dutch cricketer on the joys of amateur cricket. Recommended reading.

All comments and criticisms will be encouragements for further posts. So kindly let them flow. Until Next time, adios.