As pilgrims flock to the Maha Kumbh, a mass gathering in which Hindus travel to bathe in the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, Soma Basu and Bharat Lal Seth examine the impact on the rivers and the surrounding areas. In their article in Down To Earth magazine, Ms. Basu points out that the large number of people drawn to the event help cause water pollution and demand a large number of resources such as waste disposal, sanitation facilities and basic amenities like food, water and electricity. She writes that despite the authorities’ claim that they are prepared for the pilgrimage, the region remains ill equipped to deal with such crowds.
In the second half of the piece Bharat Lal Seth writes that while temporary measures are taken to clean the Ganga during the festival, the river continues to stay dirty through the rest of the year. He writes, “Maha Kumbh is no Olympics, which leaves behind a legacy of infrastructure. Come March 10, the tents, stalls, offices, ghats and pontoon bridges will be dismantled. The 100 million people will leave behind a mountain of waste, excreta and plastics for the residents of the host city and downstream villages to deal with, for long.”
In Foreign Affairs, Sumit Ganguly analyzes the Congress Party’s decision in January to elevate Rahul Gandhi to the position of party vice president, a role that did not previously exist. The role, he argues, is an attempt to solidify the Congress Party’s position before the national elections in 2014. Mr. Ganguly suggests that as the Indian democracy matures and the Indian electorate demands a meritocratic leadership, this decision might backfire on the Congress.
In keeping with the dynastic politics that have dominated the Congress, the piece argues that Rahul Gandhi has long been groomed to take over the party’s vice presidency, while others among the party have been discouraged from attempting to take the Congress’s top position. However, Mr. Gaguly notes that if the party operated in a democratic manner internally, it is unlikely that Mr. Gandhi would have worked his way to the top position. He points to Mr. Gandhi’s ineffective public speaking, unremarkable career in parliament, inability to lead the Congress to victory in regional elections and lack of engagement with contemporary issues as evidence for this argument. “In the end, the party that has placed all its bets on him could well discover that his dynastic halo has less appeal in India’s evolving political order than it expected,” writes Mr. Ganguly.
In a deeply personal essay in Open, Rahul Pandita writes of the impetus behind his memoir, “Our Moon Has Blood Clots,” which talks about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990. Speaking of his horrific memories from the time, he talks of the forced removal of Kashmiri Pandits from their homes and the experiences they faced in refugee camps. While the pain of the experience has never left him in the 23 years he has been in exile, Mr. Pandita writes that in the last few years he has become angrier over his fate because the story of the Kashmiri Pandit has been marginalized. His said his desire to write the memoir was fueled by his anger over the denial his community faced about the events leading up to the exodus.
The piece describes the events of the night of 19 January 1990 as experienced by Mr. Pandita. He writes:
“Ask any Kashmiri Pandit — any — who left the Valley in 1990, about the night of 19 January 1990, and he will tell you the same story. Of how Muslims from his neighbourhood assembled in mosques, intimidating him and his family with scary slogans. Of how it happened not in one locality or street, or one district, but in the entire Valley at the same time.”
Speaking of those who have tried to suppress the point of view of Kashmiri Pandits, Mr. Pandita says that as in any genocide, the witnesses play a crucial role in shaping public discourse. When the witnesses manipulate the facts for fear of reproach, truth is compromised. He concludes, “There will be some who will live in permanent denial, but the world will overwhelmingly learn and believe and not be able to disregard our story. The war may end, but it won’t be won against us.”
