DARPAN Singh
Patna, August 21
WITH THE passing away of shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, many of his wishes have, sadly, been put to rest forever at his birthplace Dumraon. Often accused of not introducing himself as a native of Bihar, the shehnai maestro had once told this correspondent: “Koi apni paidaish ki jagah ko kaise bhool sakta hai. Meri khwahish hai ki us jagah ko ek nazar dekh loon. (How can anyone forget his place of birth? I wish I could have one last look at it before I am dead).” In the recent past, several efforts were made to bring him over to his birthplace. However, despite his keenness, this undying wish of his could never be fulfilled for one reason or another.Born on March 21, 1916, in a poor family of professional shehnai players in the employ of the erstwhile Dumraon Estate, Bismillah Khan spent his childhood playing ‘gilli danda’ near the famous Chhatiya pond. Till very recently, he would attribute his good health to the regular intake of lentils produced in Dumraon.His father, Paigambar Bux, more popularly known as Bachai Miyan, grandfather, Rasul Bux, and great-grandfather, Hussain Bux, were all employees of Dumraon Raj. He learnt the three Rs at the Urdu School located near Naya Talab. During his childhood, Bismillah Khan used to play shehnai at the Bihariji temple and get ration and Rs 1.50 for it from the Estate.His friend, Jehangir Khan, who spent his childhood with the maestro and still lives in Dumraon, recalls: “Every time he sang the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ song — Ehi matiya mein bhulail hamar motiya he rama, (It is in this place that I lost my pearl) — at the behest of then Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh, the temple priest would give Bismillah a ‘laddu’ weighing 1.25 kg.”Bismillah was only six when he lost his mother. Soon after, his maternal uncle took him to Varanasi which later came to be known as his workplace. In 2001, when he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, Bismillah Khan had said: “The Government, it seems, has finally begun to acknowledge the contributions made by artists of yesteryears.” However, two chief ministers of Bihar left no stone unturned to prove him wrong. During a felicitation ceremony in Patna a couple of years back, the shehnai wizard requested the then CM, Rabri Devi, to get a community hall built on his ancestral land still left in Dumraon so that it could be used for public purposes. Needless to say, despite the promise made by Rabri, the community hall never came up. And Bismillah did not hide his hurt sentiments either. Talking to this correspondent sometime back, he said, “If the Bihar Government fails to keep its promise, I am capable of getting the work done on my own. If need be, I can talk to the Prime Minister instead.” Not only this, the then CM, Lalu Prasad Yadav, way back in 1994, had laid the foundation stone of a town hall to be built at Dumraon in the shehnai maestro’s honour. However, the construction of the town hall never started. Mobarak Hussain, another octogenarian who spent his childhood with Bismillah, told the HT, “The police department, which owned the land, refused to give it for the town hall. Even the ceremonial plaque was removed the day after the foundation laying function.”Recently, one of Bismillah’s sons also expressed his displeasure over the apathetic attitude of both the State Government and the local administration towards the construction of the town hall and the community hall. Another local resident, Aslam Khan, who runs a private school at Dumraon, lamented, “Though he brought honour to the shehnai and raised its stature in the world of music through the national and international rewards that were showered on him, the people of Bihar never realised the significance of his contributions.”
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Row ‘soils’ CM gift for Mauritius PM
Darpan Singh
Dumraon (Buxar), July 24
EVEN AS Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is all set to fly to Mauritius on Friday next, taking along soil from village Badka Singhanpura under Dumraon subdivision of Buxar district—supposed to be the ancestral village of Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam— as a gift for his host, a controversy is raging in the district over which is the real place where the Mauritius PM has his roots.Suddenly, the residents of another village in the district have started claiming that the Ramgoolams hailed from their village.The Buxar district administration on Tuesday was busy carrying out an investigation to find out if the Ramgoolams actually belonged to Badka Singhanpura. A couple of days back, Nitish had in Patna announced that the village—being the native place of Mauritius PM—would be developed. Officials in Patna seemed satisfied with the claim of the eight villagers taken to the State Capital by Dumraon CO Firoz Akhtar for verification. The village soil was also sent to Patna so that the CM could take it to Mauritius and present the same to the country’s PM.However, the people of Keshopur, an adjacent village, are not ready to accept Badka Singhanpura’s claim to fame.
Dumraon (Buxar), July 24
EVEN AS Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is all set to fly to Mauritius on Friday next, taking along soil from village Badka Singhanpura under Dumraon subdivision of Buxar district—supposed to be the ancestral village of Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam— as a gift for his host, a controversy is raging in the district over which is the real place where the Mauritius PM has his roots.Suddenly, the residents of another village in the district have started claiming that the Ramgoolams hailed from their village.The Buxar district administration on Tuesday was busy carrying out an investigation to find out if the Ramgoolams actually belonged to Badka Singhanpura. A couple of days back, Nitish had in Patna announced that the village—being the native place of Mauritius PM—would be developed. Officials in Patna seemed satisfied with the claim of the eight villagers taken to the State Capital by Dumraon CO Firoz Akhtar for verification. The village soil was also sent to Patna so that the CM could take it to Mauritius and present the same to the country’s PM.However, the people of Keshopur, an adjacent village, are not ready to accept Badka Singhanpura’s claim to fame.
Naxalites blow up police picket, kill jawan
Darpan Singh
Buxar/Patna, January 23
IN A major offensive late on Monday night, activists of the banned CPI (Maoists) blew up a police picket, killed a homeguard jawan and injured two others, besides looting ten .303 calibre rifles and a huge quantity of ammunition at village Itadhi under the same police station of Buxar district. The slain jawan was identified as Suman Ram, a resident of Chandudihra village of Itadhi, who succumbed to his injuries at the Buxar Sadar Hospital. Havildar Ramashankar Singh and jawan Ramanand Singh also sustained injuries in the attack. Ramashankar was later rushed to the PMCH where his condition is reported to be critical. Ramanand is undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital in Buxar. Sources said, at around 10:30 pm, around 50 Naxalites, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons, raided the site where a bridge is being built across Thora river by the State Bridge Construction Corporation. A police picket had earlier been set up by the administration there to provide security to the construction site. The raiding Maoists attacked the police picket. The exchange of fire that followed lasted for about two hours and both sides fired hundreds of rounds during this period. However, the Maoists soon overwhelmed the policemen and looted their rifles and ammunition. Buxar SP Paresh Saxena said that, on receiving information, a police team was rushed from Itadhi police station. The team engaged the retreating Naxalites in a gun battle in which nobody was reported injured or killed. During their operation, the Maoists held hostage around 30 labourers who had been hired for work on the bridge’s construction. All the labourers were later freed. The Naxalites had also laid landmines on both sides of the bridge to blow up police reinforcements but no damage was done as the police later defused them. While retreating, the ultras left behind a few pamphlets on the spot owning responsibility for the incident and declaring that those who took part in the development work being carried out by the district administration would be defying their diktat and would, therefore, meet the same fate as the policemen. The pamphlets further declared that the Maoists would carry out more such operations to loot arms and ammunition from the district police. Some crude bombs were also recovered from the spot.The police picket was set up in February last year to provide security to the construction agency after the Maoists demanded ‘levy’ from it and issued a ‘diktat’ ordering that work on the bridge be stopped. The Buxar SP, who reached the spot in a bulletproof vehicle late in the night, said the Naxalites had used petrol bombs and IEDs during the operation. All the entry and exit points of the district had been sealed and a massive combing operation had been launched to apprehend the Maoists, he said, adding that additional police forces, led by senior officers, had been deployed in Itadhi village. Meanwhile, refuting the Buxar SP’s version of events, homeguard jawans of the district alleged the Itadhi police had not come to their rescue; instead, they had preferred to remain mute spectators to the heavy firing and bombing by the Maoists. Buxar Homeguard Jawans’ Association president Shri Bhagwan Singh said had the reinforcement reached in time, the incident could have been averted. Buxar SP has assured that he would recommend that the next of kin of the slain jawan be paid Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia. Strangely, when Hindustan Times contacted the Buxar District Magistrate on his cell phone at 10:30 am on Tuesday, he feigned ignorance of the incident, saying he was in the State Capital.
Buxar/Patna, January 23
IN A major offensive late on Monday night, activists of the banned CPI (Maoists) blew up a police picket, killed a homeguard jawan and injured two others, besides looting ten .303 calibre rifles and a huge quantity of ammunition at village Itadhi under the same police station of Buxar district. The slain jawan was identified as Suman Ram, a resident of Chandudihra village of Itadhi, who succumbed to his injuries at the Buxar Sadar Hospital. Havildar Ramashankar Singh and jawan Ramanand Singh also sustained injuries in the attack. Ramashankar was later rushed to the PMCH where his condition is reported to be critical. Ramanand is undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital in Buxar. Sources said, at around 10:30 pm, around 50 Naxalites, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons, raided the site where a bridge is being built across Thora river by the State Bridge Construction Corporation. A police picket had earlier been set up by the administration there to provide security to the construction site. The raiding Maoists attacked the police picket. The exchange of fire that followed lasted for about two hours and both sides fired hundreds of rounds during this period. However, the Maoists soon overwhelmed the policemen and looted their rifles and ammunition. Buxar SP Paresh Saxena said that, on receiving information, a police team was rushed from Itadhi police station. The team engaged the retreating Naxalites in a gun battle in which nobody was reported injured or killed. During their operation, the Maoists held hostage around 30 labourers who had been hired for work on the bridge’s construction. All the labourers were later freed. The Naxalites had also laid landmines on both sides of the bridge to blow up police reinforcements but no damage was done as the police later defused them. While retreating, the ultras left behind a few pamphlets on the spot owning responsibility for the incident and declaring that those who took part in the development work being carried out by the district administration would be defying their diktat and would, therefore, meet the same fate as the policemen. The pamphlets further declared that the Maoists would carry out more such operations to loot arms and ammunition from the district police. Some crude bombs were also recovered from the spot.The police picket was set up in February last year to provide security to the construction agency after the Maoists demanded ‘levy’ from it and issued a ‘diktat’ ordering that work on the bridge be stopped. The Buxar SP, who reached the spot in a bulletproof vehicle late in the night, said the Naxalites had used petrol bombs and IEDs during the operation. All the entry and exit points of the district had been sealed and a massive combing operation had been launched to apprehend the Maoists, he said, adding that additional police forces, led by senior officers, had been deployed in Itadhi village. Meanwhile, refuting the Buxar SP’s version of events, homeguard jawans of the district alleged the Itadhi police had not come to their rescue; instead, they had preferred to remain mute spectators to the heavy firing and bombing by the Maoists. Buxar Homeguard Jawans’ Association president Shri Bhagwan Singh said had the reinforcement reached in time, the incident could have been averted. Buxar SP has assured that he would recommend that the next of kin of the slain jawan be paid Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia. Strangely, when Hindustan Times contacted the Buxar District Magistrate on his cell phone at 10:30 am on Tuesday, he feigned ignorance of the incident, saying he was in the State Capital.
Opium factory falls on bad times
Darpan Singh
Ghazipur, April 25
The opium & alkaloid factory as Ghazipur, only the second of its kind in the country, has fallen on bad times. The persistent downward spiral in India’s export of refined opium has taken its toll on the opium-producing farmers of the state. From 649 tones in 1999-2000, the country’s export of refined opium fell to 368 tones in 2004-05. As a result, the government has been reducing the price of Indian opium in the international market to better its export. The procurement price for raw opium has also been brought down. The number of workers in the factory has, over the years, come down to 2,000 from 4000.
Besides, all licensees for opium cultivation in Ghazipur have been cancelled. Only 10 per cent of opium producers have been spared in Barabanki. A sources in the factory said, “The Narcotics Commissioner used to procure 350 tones of opium for the factory which has come down to only 60 tonnes this year.” He attributed it to the dwindling demand/production of opium. Now opium is procured chiefly from Rajasthan.
Set up by the British in 1820, the factory had been earning foreign money to the tune of Rs 70-80 crore per annum. After independence, the Government of India acquired it and it later came under the jurisdiction of Finance Ministry. In 2002-03, the government sanctioned Rs three crore for its modernisation which could never be carried out in a proper way. In January this year, a devastating fire that broke out in the factory reduced a processing unit to ashes and caused damaged estimated at crores of rupees.
Government sources said that the refined opium is exported to US, France, Japan, Iraq and Germany by the Government of India. The value of opium is determined by on the basis of morphine units. One kg of Indian opium has 11 morphine units. An official of the factory said, “Other countries are producing opium with higher morphine count and that is why Indian export market is generally shrinking.” Another official said, “While we continue to rely on age-old technology, countries like Australia and turkey have perfected the art of directly extracting morphine from the opium plant.”
It is alleged that at Ghazipur, a lot of opium is produced and sold off in the black market during transit to the government factories and godowns. It is also alleged that workers while going home manage to take their clothes smeared with opium along with them. They later reportedly sell their clothes as opium! However, a CISF official said all workers while leaving the factory have to take a shower and wash their clothes.
The opium farm lobby, by virtue of the prosperity of its patrons, enjoy great clout among local politicians. No wonder, resentment prevails among MPs and MLAs from opium producing districts, who, cutting across party lines, are now demanding steps to boost the country’s export market. In the poll-bound UP, where parties are baying for each others’ blood over one issue or the other, only opium seems to be the a unifying factor!
Ghazipur, April 25
The opium & alkaloid factory as Ghazipur, only the second of its kind in the country, has fallen on bad times. The persistent downward spiral in India’s export of refined opium has taken its toll on the opium-producing farmers of the state. From 649 tones in 1999-2000, the country’s export of refined opium fell to 368 tones in 2004-05. As a result, the government has been reducing the price of Indian opium in the international market to better its export. The procurement price for raw opium has also been brought down. The number of workers in the factory has, over the years, come down to 2,000 from 4000.
Besides, all licensees for opium cultivation in Ghazipur have been cancelled. Only 10 per cent of opium producers have been spared in Barabanki. A sources in the factory said, “The Narcotics Commissioner used to procure 350 tones of opium for the factory which has come down to only 60 tonnes this year.” He attributed it to the dwindling demand/production of opium. Now opium is procured chiefly from Rajasthan.
Set up by the British in 1820, the factory had been earning foreign money to the tune of Rs 70-80 crore per annum. After independence, the Government of India acquired it and it later came under the jurisdiction of Finance Ministry. In 2002-03, the government sanctioned Rs three crore for its modernisation which could never be carried out in a proper way. In January this year, a devastating fire that broke out in the factory reduced a processing unit to ashes and caused damaged estimated at crores of rupees.
Government sources said that the refined opium is exported to US, France, Japan, Iraq and Germany by the Government of India. The value of opium is determined by on the basis of morphine units. One kg of Indian opium has 11 morphine units. An official of the factory said, “Other countries are producing opium with higher morphine count and that is why Indian export market is generally shrinking.” Another official said, “While we continue to rely on age-old technology, countries like Australia and turkey have perfected the art of directly extracting morphine from the opium plant.”
It is alleged that at Ghazipur, a lot of opium is produced and sold off in the black market during transit to the government factories and godowns. It is also alleged that workers while going home manage to take their clothes smeared with opium along with them. They later reportedly sell their clothes as opium! However, a CISF official said all workers while leaving the factory have to take a shower and wash their clothes.
The opium farm lobby, by virtue of the prosperity of its patrons, enjoy great clout among local politicians. No wonder, resentment prevails among MPs and MLAs from opium producing districts, who, cutting across party lines, are now demanding steps to boost the country’s export market. In the poll-bound UP, where parties are baying for each others’ blood over one issue or the other, only opium seems to be the a unifying factor!
Carpet industry in tatters
Darpan Singh
Bhadohi, April 24
Politics in Bhadohi, nowadays, contributes more to crime and corruption than the world famous carpet industry it is known for. No wonder, the industry, in which lakhs of people are involved, is in tatters.
Sample this: SP MLA Vijay Mishra, who represents Gyanpur constituency, has more than 40 criminal cases pending against him. Bhadohi MLA Dinanath Bhaskar (SP) also ‘boasted’ some cases. But they have now been withdrawn by the Mulayam government.
And now a dubious distinction. SP MLA from Aurai Uday Bhan Singh was the first legislator to have been disqualified by the state assembly. He was disqualified in 2004 following his conviction in a triple murder case that took place in 1999. After his disqualification, his wife Rita Devi contested the by-election and lost to Rangnath Mishra (BSP). She is now contesting Aurai seat as an Apna Dal candidate.
To add to the list, Local BSP MP Narendra Kumar Kushwaha was among the MPs caught taking bribe on camera in 2005.
And there is bandit-turned MP Phoolan Devi who also represented Mizrapur-Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat before she was gunned down. Now, another bandit queen Sima Parihar is joining Bhadohi politics to ‘complete the work left unfinished’ by Phoolan. Sima, who has also acted in a movie loosely based on her life, is contesting the Mirzapur-Bhadohi by-election.
According to a district administration source, out the 40-0dd candidates in fray for the three assembly seats of the district going to the polls on May 3, most of them have criminal background. An aspirant from Gyanpur said, “Merely being accused in criminal cases does not make one a criminal. All governments in UP will fall if you disqualify what you call tainted people.”
However, locals are not impressed. Prakash Mishra, a grocery shop owner, said, “When the MLAs resort to crime and corruption and patronize criminals, the society is well and truly left to the mercy of God.” Police records show that gang wars, extortion, threats, murders and kidnappings are quite a routine here. It was a great shame when Kushwaha was exposed through a sting operation, quipped Mishra.
A carpet exporter Zafar Iqbal said, “With police looking the other way, it is the carpet industry which is feeling the maximum heat.” He cited several recent instances where exporters were butchered and kidnapped when they dared to refuse to ‘oblige’ local goons owing allegiance to one MLA or the other.
A top cop in Bhadohi, however, refused to term the situation as ‘very bad’ but admitted that there had been a mushrooming growth of security agencies over the years whose services were chiefly being availed by terrified exporters. He said, “Some people, who do not believe in police machinery, are trying to buy peace by paying up to these agencies. But with criminals patronized by the local politicians calling the shots and the annual turn over of the carpet business running into crores of rupees, can the hapless exporters really be blamed?
Bhadohi, April 24
Politics in Bhadohi, nowadays, contributes more to crime and corruption than the world famous carpet industry it is known for. No wonder, the industry, in which lakhs of people are involved, is in tatters.
Sample this: SP MLA Vijay Mishra, who represents Gyanpur constituency, has more than 40 criminal cases pending against him. Bhadohi MLA Dinanath Bhaskar (SP) also ‘boasted’ some cases. But they have now been withdrawn by the Mulayam government.
And now a dubious distinction. SP MLA from Aurai Uday Bhan Singh was the first legislator to have been disqualified by the state assembly. He was disqualified in 2004 following his conviction in a triple murder case that took place in 1999. After his disqualification, his wife Rita Devi contested the by-election and lost to Rangnath Mishra (BSP). She is now contesting Aurai seat as an Apna Dal candidate.
To add to the list, Local BSP MP Narendra Kumar Kushwaha was among the MPs caught taking bribe on camera in 2005.
And there is bandit-turned MP Phoolan Devi who also represented Mizrapur-Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat before she was gunned down. Now, another bandit queen Sima Parihar is joining Bhadohi politics to ‘complete the work left unfinished’ by Phoolan. Sima, who has also acted in a movie loosely based on her life, is contesting the Mirzapur-Bhadohi by-election.
According to a district administration source, out the 40-0dd candidates in fray for the three assembly seats of the district going to the polls on May 3, most of them have criminal background. An aspirant from Gyanpur said, “Merely being accused in criminal cases does not make one a criminal. All governments in UP will fall if you disqualify what you call tainted people.”
However, locals are not impressed. Prakash Mishra, a grocery shop owner, said, “When the MLAs resort to crime and corruption and patronize criminals, the society is well and truly left to the mercy of God.” Police records show that gang wars, extortion, threats, murders and kidnappings are quite a routine here. It was a great shame when Kushwaha was exposed through a sting operation, quipped Mishra.
A carpet exporter Zafar Iqbal said, “With police looking the other way, it is the carpet industry which is feeling the maximum heat.” He cited several recent instances where exporters were butchered and kidnapped when they dared to refuse to ‘oblige’ local goons owing allegiance to one MLA or the other.
A top cop in Bhadohi, however, refused to term the situation as ‘very bad’ but admitted that there had been a mushrooming growth of security agencies over the years whose services were chiefly being availed by terrified exporters. He said, “Some people, who do not believe in police machinery, are trying to buy peace by paying up to these agencies. But with criminals patronized by the local politicians calling the shots and the annual turn over of the carpet business running into crores of rupees, can the hapless exporters really be blamed?
Of a poor candidate and 'cop campaigning'
Darpan Singh
Bhadohi, April 27
Ravikant Gautam is a candidate with a difference. Contesting from the Bhadohi assembly seat on a National Loktantrik Party ticket, Gautam, unlike other candidates in fray, has only a handful of party supporters and absolutely no big name to stump for him.
In the name of ‘resources’, all he can boast of are the two UP policemen that the district administration has provided him for security. Talking to HT, Gautam, in a lighter vein, said, “Since I do not have any vehicle, I sometimes use their (the security guards’) motorcycle to carry out my door-to-door campaign.”
He went on to add that these two policemen were proving good Samaritans as they were ‘helping him a lot’ to brave the heat and dust of Bhadohi’s backwaters. He believes their presence might help him fetch some votes!
But he has the apprehension that the duo might soon desert him as they are certainly not enjoying covering long distances on foot in this scorching heat. He admitted that he could not keep the two policemen in ‘good humour’ for long as his party had not given him funds to carry out his campaign and he himself had not been able to garner monetary support from the public.
Interestingly, many aspirants in fray from the three assembly constituencies in the district have fielded dummy candidates from the same assembly segment in an apparent bid to avail more and more vehicles and security guards for campaigning. And it is also quite apparent that these dummy candidates are not seeking votes for themselves. As per the Election Commission guidelines, each candidate is entitled to two security guards and three vehicle passes. A senior police officer in Bhadohi admitted to the practice but said that the same could not be checked on legal grounds.
Heavyweight SP MLA from Gyanpur Vijay Mishra has fielded his nephew and Digha block pramukh Manish Mishra from his own constituency. Likewise, BSP MLA Rangnath Mishra has fielded a dummy candidate from Auari.
Though Gautam has been issued three vehicle passes, he says he does not really need them. He said, “These passes are useless to me as I do not own a vehicle.” Father of six and a resident of Nayee Bazar, Raghunathpur, Gautam termed the administration’s claim of providing security to the candidates as farce as it meant nothing to those who did not have their ‘own resources.’
Bhadohi, April 27
Ravikant Gautam is a candidate with a difference. Contesting from the Bhadohi assembly seat on a National Loktantrik Party ticket, Gautam, unlike other candidates in fray, has only a handful of party supporters and absolutely no big name to stump for him.
In the name of ‘resources’, all he can boast of are the two UP policemen that the district administration has provided him for security. Talking to HT, Gautam, in a lighter vein, said, “Since I do not have any vehicle, I sometimes use their (the security guards’) motorcycle to carry out my door-to-door campaign.”
He went on to add that these two policemen were proving good Samaritans as they were ‘helping him a lot’ to brave the heat and dust of Bhadohi’s backwaters. He believes their presence might help him fetch some votes!
But he has the apprehension that the duo might soon desert him as they are certainly not enjoying covering long distances on foot in this scorching heat. He admitted that he could not keep the two policemen in ‘good humour’ for long as his party had not given him funds to carry out his campaign and he himself had not been able to garner monetary support from the public.
Interestingly, many aspirants in fray from the three assembly constituencies in the district have fielded dummy candidates from the same assembly segment in an apparent bid to avail more and more vehicles and security guards for campaigning. And it is also quite apparent that these dummy candidates are not seeking votes for themselves. As per the Election Commission guidelines, each candidate is entitled to two security guards and three vehicle passes. A senior police officer in Bhadohi admitted to the practice but said that the same could not be checked on legal grounds.
Heavyweight SP MLA from Gyanpur Vijay Mishra has fielded his nephew and Digha block pramukh Manish Mishra from his own constituency. Likewise, BSP MLA Rangnath Mishra has fielded a dummy candidate from Auari.
Though Gautam has been issued three vehicle passes, he says he does not really need them. He said, “These passes are useless to me as I do not own a vehicle.” Father of six and a resident of Nayee Bazar, Raghunathpur, Gautam termed the administration’s claim of providing security to the candidates as farce as it meant nothing to those who did not have their ‘own resources.’
Of birha, bati and bar girls!
Darpan Singh
Ghazipur, April 25,
Electioneering in Ghazipur areas bordering Bihar is slowly but steadily coming into its elements. In order to woo the electorate, contestants are employing novel methods. While some are trying to satiate their taste buds by organising ‘bati-chhokha’ party with ‘noorie-laila’ (country liquor) flowing in abundance, others are offering some music to their ears by holding ‘birha’ and ‘chaita’ shows.
Hard pressed for time a sizeable number of desperate aspirants can be seen going all out to satisfy voters’ prurience. For the purpose, they are roping in bar girls, ‘nauthc’ girls. Even male dancers are a hit!
A candidate from Saidpur said, “Male dancers, who are very difficult to differentiate from bar girls, are mostly brought from Bihar and they are cashing in on the opportunity and making the most of the poll season.” According to sources, they, while crossing all limits of vulgarity, were giving their female counterparts a run for their money.
Sources said many consignments of bar girls, who were recently rendered jobless in Mumbai, had already arrived here and they were being used as crowd pullers. Congress candidate from Sadat (reserved) Subas Pasi is moving around in the area to carry out his campaign with a troupe of artistes that he claims to have been brought from Mumbai. Apart from bar girls, the major attraction of his troupe is Nirhu ‘Birahiya.’
Chunnu Singh, a local resident, said, “Such shows are becoming popular but people turn up there just for entertainment and not to listen to politicians.” On Tuesday, ‘nautch’ girls brought from Buxar in Bihar offered some pelvic gyration at the election meeting of SP candidate from Ghazipur sadar, Shadab Fatima, at Mishra Bazar. The show suddenly became the talk of the town as the performers were said to be minors. An SP worker, on the condition of anonymity, said, “ Fatima should not allowed it to happen in her presence.”
Kashinath Yadav, a three-time SP MLC, who was once a famous ‘biraha’ singer, is organising several shows to stump for Mulayam and his party. Yadav, who did his BSc from Satishchandra College , Ballia, in 1979, said, “Birha logon ka dard hai.” He said that these shows were a success in striking a sentimental chord with voters. Talking to the Hindustan Times, he hummed, “Banala ke saar bahnoi ha, jagatawa mein koi nahi apna.”
However, organising ‘baati-chhokha’ parties is not proving as smooth. A pradhan and his associate have been arrested after a case was lodged against them for throwing such a party at village Veerpur under Bhanwarkol police station in Mohammadabad constituency. Not one to lag behind, the electorate have also coined a slogan and they can be heard saying “Baati kha ke sat ke, vote mara hat ke”, as they return home after savouring the delicacy late in the night.
Ghazipur, April 25,
Electioneering in Ghazipur areas bordering Bihar is slowly but steadily coming into its elements. In order to woo the electorate, contestants are employing novel methods. While some are trying to satiate their taste buds by organising ‘bati-chhokha’ party with ‘noorie-laila’ (country liquor) flowing in abundance, others are offering some music to their ears by holding ‘birha’ and ‘chaita’ shows.
Hard pressed for time a sizeable number of desperate aspirants can be seen going all out to satisfy voters’ prurience. For the purpose, they are roping in bar girls, ‘nauthc’ girls. Even male dancers are a hit!
A candidate from Saidpur said, “Male dancers, who are very difficult to differentiate from bar girls, are mostly brought from Bihar and they are cashing in on the opportunity and making the most of the poll season.” According to sources, they, while crossing all limits of vulgarity, were giving their female counterparts a run for their money.
Sources said many consignments of bar girls, who were recently rendered jobless in Mumbai, had already arrived here and they were being used as crowd pullers. Congress candidate from Sadat (reserved) Subas Pasi is moving around in the area to carry out his campaign with a troupe of artistes that he claims to have been brought from Mumbai. Apart from bar girls, the major attraction of his troupe is Nirhu ‘Birahiya.’
Chunnu Singh, a local resident, said, “Such shows are becoming popular but people turn up there just for entertainment and not to listen to politicians.” On Tuesday, ‘nautch’ girls brought from Buxar in Bihar offered some pelvic gyration at the election meeting of SP candidate from Ghazipur sadar, Shadab Fatima, at Mishra Bazar. The show suddenly became the talk of the town as the performers were said to be minors. An SP worker, on the condition of anonymity, said, “ Fatima should not allowed it to happen in her presence.”
Kashinath Yadav, a three-time SP MLC, who was once a famous ‘biraha’ singer, is organising several shows to stump for Mulayam and his party. Yadav, who did his BSc from Satishchandra College , Ballia, in 1979, said, “Birha logon ka dard hai.” He said that these shows were a success in striking a sentimental chord with voters. Talking to the Hindustan Times, he hummed, “Banala ke saar bahnoi ha, jagatawa mein koi nahi apna.”
However, organising ‘baati-chhokha’ parties is not proving as smooth. A pradhan and his associate have been arrested after a case was lodged against them for throwing such a party at village Veerpur under Bhanwarkol police station in Mohammadabad constituency. Not one to lag behind, the electorate have also coined a slogan and they can be heard saying “Baati kha ke sat ke, vote mara hat ke”, as they return home after savouring the delicacy late in the night.
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