Another Show-Boy

Mr. Shahnawaz Hussain is happy after his resounding success in Bhagalpur , which has sent him to the Lok Sabha. This distinction is rare because of Muslim aversion to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which today is happier than Mr. Shahnawaz, who now stands shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, another show-boy of the Saffron.

Bhagalpur crashed into headlines first for Bhagalpur Blindings in 1987 and later on for communal riots in 1989.

In the said blindings, the Police blinded a good number of seasoned goons, who had turned into a serious menace for the areas around Bhagalpur . They knew how to square the law and justice. Those were good old days. Today some sections of our men-in-uniform just liquidate the sharks in what they call “encounters”.

The Bihar upheaval took place between October 22-November 23, 1987. According to a survey, conducted by the Bihar branch of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, 876 Muslims lost their lives, 106 Muslims were reported missing; 269 received grievous injuries; 2,100 Muslims were arrested, 42 mosques were damaged; 10 mausoleums were razed to the ground, 9 madrasas were arsoned, 6 Imambaras were dilapidated; out of 44, eighteen police stations of Bhagalpur district were adversely affected; nine Muslim localities were completely destroyed; 35,000 Muslims were displaced as a sequel to the riot; 3,000 looms were looted, among the casualties 42 were non-Muslims, 200 Hindu houses were also burnt; but no Hindu temple was damaged.

Now do you understand why Mr. Shahnawaz Hussain is happy and BJP the happier? The city destroyed so systematically by the Saffron forces under the Congress rule has once again, added to the Saffron joy.

And hats off to Mr. Lalu Prasad, who could not beget justice to the riot victims till he was shown the doormat by Mr. Nitish Kumar. And hats off to Mr. Nitish Kumar for ensuring the BJP victory from Bhagalpur that saw 982 Muslim deaths in just 31 days.

They Have a Point

When in the 14^th century Geoffrey Chaucer exclaimed: “Here is God’s plenty,” he, perhaps did never anticipate inclusion of eunuchs in God’s plenty. This third sex today has its own noble uses. The Income Tax department of Bihar is exploiting its talent for constructive causes. This somewhat startling fact came to public notice on November 8 when a group of clapping brigade forced a tax-dodger, Mr. Ram Sagar Singh to shell out an arrear of Rs. one lakh. On the very first day, the dancing troop successfully netted Rs. four lakhs for the Patna Municipal Corporation.

But when a group of the neuter gender ran into a retired Judge, Mr. Sachidanand Prasad, he gave hard time to the PMC. He said the PMC can use the legal option and confiscate his property. But it had no right to humiliate him. A PMC official’s undaunted and brimming with temerity shot back: The eunuchs are an honourable segment of our society. They contest elections and win. Ms Shabnam Mausi’s case is a case in point. Why can’t they go to a tax-evader’s house and ask him to pay his dues?

The PMC, nay the eunuchs have a point!

Un-elegant Language

Does the un-elegant language become less-than-filthy on some lips? The use of foul language by Ms. Mayawati is a case in point.

The former UP Chief Minister, who last week asked her admirers for cash as her birthday gift, had unkind words for Muslims, who, she said are fundamentalist and prefer extremists as their leaders. Then, he turned towards the Vaishs. The less-than-elegant lady described her candidate as “banya” and a Samajwadi Party candidate as “banainy”. To her the Brahmins of UP are worse than Dalits.