Saturday, 25 May 2019
Friday, 24 May 2019
Column | Window Seat
Window Seat
| Mrinal Chatterjee | 26.5.19
Modi Mania
People have voted Modi once again- this time with greater
numbers. The number of seats that BJP won surprised even the party leaders. Somebody
posted a meme on social media in which Digvijay Singh says: Are yeh to Exit
Poll se vi jyada ho gaya. (It came out more than the exit poll hinted.)
 |
| Cartoon by Rakesh Ranjan |
The question going round is why people voted for Modi so
empathetically. Unemployment, demonetization, slower economic growth rate, and
agrarian crisis- nothing seemed to stop people from voting Modi. The Rafale
issue and the Congress-led propaganda ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ did not work, it
actually backfired.
I think there were four points that worked to Modi’s advantage. First,
there was no strong opposition-face to counter Modi. Congress seemed ill
prepared and reluctant to take on BJP with full force. The gathbandhan was too diverse and too loosely created. There was a
comment in social media: Abtak sarkar
gathbandhan se banti thi, Ab bipakhy
gathbandhan se ban rahi hai (Till the other day, governemtnh used to be formed
by coalition of diffderent parties, now the opposition is being made by that.)
Second, the opposition criticized Modi’s failures but failed to
highlight what they have to offer, Nyay was too late to come. On vital issues the voters felt Modi
could deliver better. Voters didn’t punish Modi for not creating enough jobs or
for the demonetization fiasco.
Third, BJP as a party was better organized and determined to
win. From mobilizing funds to forming booth level committee BJP did it almost
with professional finesse. They were
successful in positing Nationalism and National security as core issues.
Fourth, Religious polarisation has become more intense.
And BJP could successfully position itself as the messiah for the majority
Hindus.
Task before the new government
With a 48 percent
vote share, the NDA’s performance is comparable to the Congress’ 1984 victory.
Huge victory means a high expectation level. Now the Modi Government 2.0 will
have to deliver. In 2014 Modi asked for 60 months to change the face of the
country. He has been given 60 more months.
The first task before the new Government is to dispel the
perception that minorities are unsafe under NDA government. Some proactive
measures need to be taken to dispel this perception. The gau-rakshaks need to be put under tight leash.
Second, the new government must take proactive measures to create
and provide employment. That needs some strict policy measures.
Agriculture is another area that should get priority. India
is facing an agrarian crisis. It must be addressed properly. From water
allocation to handholding in marketing agricultural produce to improving cold
chain management- this sector needs urgent attention.
We must create good relationship with our neighbours. If this
is the Asian Century - then India must take the leadership, not by browbeating
the smaller countries- but by taking them on our stride.
Nabin stands tall despite Modi tsunami
Despite the massive Modi wave across the country, Nabin
Pattnaik stands tall in Odisha, little shaky perhaps as BJP cornered 8 of the
21 MP seats. But BJP’s much touted ‘Mission 120’- lofty aim to win in 120 seats
out of 147 failed miserably. They could get only 23 out of 146, short of 100
from their aim. BJD got 112 and Nabin Pattnaik got his fifth term, which made
him one of the five longest serving CM in the country.
Paban Kumar Chamling of Sikkim still holds the record of the
longest serving CM with over 24 years of rule followed by Jyoti Basu (23
Years+) of West Bengal, Gegong Apang (22 Years +) of Arunachal Pradesh and Lal
Thanhawala (22 Years +) of Mizoram.
\
\
 |
| Cartoon by Utkal Gaurav |
While Paban Chamling and Jyoti Basu served continuously,
others were CMs with breaks. Paban Chamling has lost the present election.
Nabin Pattnaik has been CM for 19 + years. With another stint with comfortable
majority he might in another five years emerge as the longest serving CM of
India.
What is the secret of Nabin Pattnaik’s success? Nobody really
knows. He is an enigma, hard to decipher. He is nowhere like a conventional
politician. That probably is his plus point.
Global Obesity rising faster in rural areas than cities
Contrary to
popular perception, global rates of obesity among people who love in the
countryside are rising faster than those among city dwellers.
In a study
of 33 years of trends in body mass index (BMI) across 200 countries and
territories, the scientists found that people worldwide are getting fatter-
with average weight rising by 5 to 6 kg over the period of the study- and that
most of the rise is due to gains in BMI in rural areas.
The study,
published in Nature analysed data across rural and urban areas of 200 countries
and territ0ories between 1985 and 2017.
This is
happening as the report says, because people living in urban areas have better
access to places to exercise and healthier food.
This is
completely different from our perception of people living in villages and
cities. We think people living in villages get and eat healthier food and city
dwellers eat junk food; kids and young men play more often and longer in
villages than their city-based counterparts.
It is time
to mend those perceptions.
Exit Polls
Exit Polls are
almost like the astrological predictions. Many of us do read or watch it. But
do we really believe in it? Probably some of us do.
The difference
between exit poll and astrological prediction is the former is based on known
and tested statistical methods. But the problem of exit polls not being always
right in India is: the basis of any polls is people’s opinion. The researchers
ask people a set of questions and expect t them to answer truthfully. The
analysis is based on people’s responses to the questions. If the person answers
not what he feels or thinks, instead answers what he thinks you would like to
hear- then the ultimate analysis will be totally wrong.
This time, somehow,
results of almost all exit polls were close to the final result. With that,
thankfully the credibility of Exit Polls has been restored.
We can safely
predict that real-time data analysis will play a bigger role in subsequent
elections.
Tail-piece: Exit Polls
I am glad
that we didn’t have any Exit Polls during our school results.
Otherwise
our parents would have started thrashing us 3-4 days in advancve of results.
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
This column is published every Sunday in Gangtok based English daily Sikkim Express and www.orissadiary.com
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Saturday, 18 May 2019
Review of 'Mahatma Gandhi: A Journalist and Editor'
 |
| Published in Odia daily Dharitri. Review by Soumya Ranjan Bihara |
 |
| Review by Priyanka Joshi. Published in World Watch, April 2019 issue. |
Column | Window Seat | 19.5.19
Window Seat
| Mrinal Chatterjee | 19.5.19
Election Fatigue
2019 elections
have been the longest in the history of India. A grueling schedule in the hot
summer months is taking its toll on the candidates and their supporters and
also the machinery entrusted to conduct it smoothly.
Never before
India saw elections, where people are polarized like they are now. Never before
elections in India were such bereft of pressing fundamental issues concerning
livelihood and development. By far this election has been the costliest and
shrillest one. The level of political discourse has touched a new low, even as
lumpen elements wearing toupees of different political parties are having a
blast.
The other day
lumpen elements broke the statue of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar installed in the
college named after him in Kolkata. It probably was a metaphor of the state of
the affairs now. Vidyasagar was one of the architects of modern progressive
India. His broken statue shows how we are moving back in time and probably in
our mental makeup.
Technology for What?
11 May was
National Technology Day.
It is observed
to mark the historic feat of test-firing its very first nuclear-capable missile
in Pokhran back in 1998.
Look at the
irony: we have nuclear missiles. We can send rockets to Moon and are preparing
to send to Mars. But we cannot get street lights on after a week of the cyclone
that hit the coastal Odisha districts. We are not able to utilise solar energy
at this time, even though we talk about using renewable energy. We cannot even
clean our sewage mechanically; there are thousands of manual scavengers across
the country. We have done precious little in farm mechanization.
Do we have our priorities right, when it comes to using technology?
Do we have our priorities right, when it comes to using technology?
The Death of a Giant
Cyclone Fani has
uprooted over a million trees in Bhubaneswar alone. The coastal Odisha, which
has had a green cover is almost denuded now. The large trees which have been
uprooted need to be cleared off the road. It needs to be cut, sliced and taken
off. The very sight of a large tree being cut into pieces is heart-wrenching.
My student and a noble soul Moutia De Roy, who loves trees, cats and dogs has
written the following in her social media post. It is so heart touching that I took her permission to reproduce here:
It
is beyond heart-wrenching to see the huge trees collapsing as the teeth of the
saw is butchering the topmost branches first, middle stems next and then the
girth finally. The End.
The
inhabitants of these trees, squirrels, birds, dogs, are looking at their home
getting butchered from a distance, scared, harrowed and lost. Several colonies
of ants and other insects are also butchered along with the green pillars.
These trees which
have stood as natural landmarks for people like me are now dead with many
secrets tight in their chest. The trees swayed and smiled joyfully when the
breeze kissed every part of it. But the same breeze turned demonic and shook it
out from the root. The two sides of the same coin can be so colossally
opposite. One, a life giver and another, an agent of death.
The
sky and the clouds have lost their friends. Now I can see the sky clearly but I
don't like it. The sky is bare, sad and missing its friends. Now two buildings
stand tall, Concrete and barren.
The
trees have been silent listeners to the stories of drudgery and struggle of
common man; people stood under its umbrage for hours and shared their joys and
sorrow, Whether in rain or in sun. The trees have enjoyed children playing in
its shade. They have laughed jauntily when tots and teens quarreled while
playing and shared their trivial tales. The rustle of their leaves have fanned
the sweating and puffing hawkers who parked their cartful of mangoes under them
and took a few breathes.
This
mango tree I am seeing getting butchered right now is not dead yet because its
roots are still clasped with the soil. But it cannot be planted back. Right now
, the tree must be going through the same unimaginable pain that one may go
through if one is butchered alive.
RIP,
thousands of green friends.
Greening Initiative by IIMC
Post cyclone
Fani, the entire coastal Odisha is denuded as tens of thousands of trees were
uprooted. The greenery needs to be brought back to save the environment.
Dhenkanal based Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has taken a good initiative. They have decided to present seeds, kernels and saplings to its guest faculty visiting our campus, trainees for short courses and regular students- with a request to plant them and take care of them till they are grown up. They are using discarded plastic containers as pots after painting them with tribal motifs.
Dhenkanal based Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has taken a good initiative. They have decided to present seeds, kernels and saplings to its guest faculty visiting our campus, trainees for short courses and regular students- with a request to plant them and take care of them till they are grown up. They are using discarded plastic containers as pots after painting them with tribal motifs.
Tailpiece: Fani
After getting
electricity supply at home after 7 days here is how my friend Mohammad
Ibrarullah, a renowned gastro-enteritis
surgeon reacted in his social media
platform:
No better way to
realize why electricity is called 'power'. From ’powerless’ to
being 'powerful'... I shall never forget zindegi ke woh 7 din. Feeling
‘TooFani’.
Tailpiece: Fani 2
Another comment by
my friend J P Jagdev:
The worst outcome
of Cyclone Fani is that people are blaming the trees and thanking the diesel
generators.
Now we know how we
screw up.
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
Saturday, 11 May 2019
Column | Window Seat | 12.5.19
Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 12.5.19
Cyclone Fani
Cyclone Fani
(pronounced Phoni, means hood of a snake, name given by Bangladesh) made
landfall on 3 May at coastal town of Puri, a popular tourist spot in Eastern
India. Puri is also the abode of Lord Jagannath, one of the four dhams of the Hindus. Though Odisha is
cyclone-prone, Puri has not faced the wrath of a cyclone for a long time. This
has made the sevayats of Puri temple often say, Puri is protected by Lord
Jagannath. No cyclone can touch this place. In deed the 1999 super cyclone
spared Puri. So did Titli, Hudhud, Phailin. But they were wrong this time.
 |
| Cyclone Fani ravaged Bhubaneswar Railway Station on 4 May 2019. Photo: Sanjiv Mukherjee |
Fani struck and
struck with ferocity. The winds speed was over 250 km per hour, enough to blow
an able bodied person off its feet or turn a 52 seater bus turtle or twist the
electric poles and tower beyond recognition or uproot trees. It did all these
and more in eleven coastal districts and the state capital city Bhubaneswar,
considered to be Number 1 smart city of the country. Fani ripped apart its
smartness in four hours flat. Bhubaneswar has not returned to normalcy even as
I write this column on four and half days after the cyclone struck. Three
fourth of the city is still without electricity. People are facing worst kind
of water scarcity. Connectivity is still a big problem. So is communication.
Fani shook us.
Rattled us. Showed us our place in the scheme of nature. It left with a
message, loud and clear: respect nature. Or get wiped off.
Cyclone Fani 2
Water supply is
the major problem in all cyclone ravaged city and towns, which are dependent on
piped water supply, which again is dependent on electricity supply. People can
live for a day or two without electric light, but not without water. There are
few hand operated tube wells. Even if some people have water in their sumps without
electricity supply they are not able to lift that to the overhead tanks.
Private generator-walas are charging a fortune to lift water to the overhead
water tanks.
I am told Andhra
Govt has already sent tens of thousands of water pouches. However, equitable
distribution remains a challenge, as the lumpen elements try to snatch and
forcibly take away these. Lessons learnt: 1. We must have some hand operated
tube wells in cities and towns. 2. Underground cabling to pre-empt disruption
of electricity supply 3. Where that is not possible, use cyclone resistant
electric poles 4. Fill up water tankers and position them strategically as soon
as the cyclone warning is released. It should be part of Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP) 4. Distribution of food, water and relief materials must be
orderly and equitable.
Cyclone Fani 3
There have been
incidents of theft and looting even as the cyclone was razing. After the
cyclone, there have been incidents of road blockade demanding relief and
resumption of electricity and water supply. People are scared of theft as the
cities plunge into darkness. Prices of all essential commodities including
water have skyrocketed in Cyclone ravaged areas.
Why do some
people behave like this? We take pride in the fact that we are part of an
ancient civilization. Have we been civilized? Can't we face a natural calamity
together without trying to take advantage of it by exploiting, looting others.
Cyclone Fani 4: Those who worked silently
Crisis tests the
mettle of man and also organisations. Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force
(ODRAF) and all personnel involved in minimising the effect of the cyclone and
bringing back normalcy after Cyclone Fani wreaked havoc in coastal districts of
Odisha did and doing exemplary work. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated
in matters of hours and housed at safe places. This minimised the casualty
figure and earned praise from all around including an advertisement by Amul.
The efficiency and commitment level of the
team engaged in bringing back normalcy is very high. After the 150 km cyclone
hit Dhenkanal at around 11 am and continued till afternoon,uprooting several
electric poles and big trees- the electricity supply was resumed by midnight.
East coast railways and Airport Authority have done commendable job by resuming
train and air service from Bhubaneswar even as the station and airport lie in a
shambles.
Media in Odisha
did an excellent job in Cyclone Fani coverage. From educating people about the
cyclone, to warning them to take appropriate steps, to ground coverage of the
cyclone affected areas, to post cyclone coverage - they did an excellent job
overall. There were some glitches, of course. Certain areas could have been
done differently and better. But overall excellent. But DD and AIR,
unfortunately lagged behind. At 9 pm on 3 May
as there was no electricity so no TV and we wanted to news of Puri where
my in laws live, I tuned to AIR, Cuttack for cyclone news. What I got was
bhajan extolling Bajrangbali. I tuned to AIR, Rainbow. What I got was Ghajal,
about love and sweetheart. I was later told they were airing hourly bulletins.
AIR should have done more than that. when a crisis of this proportion,
impacting one third of the population of Odisha loomed large.
Cyclone Fani 5: What we learnt?
Natural Calamities
brings out many facets of our personalities which are yet unknown even to us. My
friend J.P.Jagdev, who is in Bhubaneswar with family without electricity and
water supply and phone and net connectivity has discovered some. This is what
he has posted in social media: The recent disaster showed it to us:
1. You don't need
electricity to survive.
2. You shall sleep
in heat and humidity without a fan or AC if you are sleepy enough.
3. You are happy
knowing nothing about the world if you are just with your family and friends
and your neighborhood - safe.
4. Your fridge
stored mostly food which is not great for your health.
5. You find some
solution if you stay calm and respond without reacting and complaining.
6. Nature is all powerful
and we must respect it without trying to subjugate it.
7. The cyclone
could blow away buildings and telecom tower; but can’t do anything to our local
mosquitoes.
8. We need very few
things to lead a happy life but we have been sacrificing our happiness chasing
things thinking acquisition of which will make us happy...
Tailpiece: True Heart
Meanwhile results
of CBSC have been declared.
Before exam Boy to
his girl-friend
Boy: Hey, All the
best
Girl Friend: All
the best to you too
Exam. result declared.
Girl scored 90 marks and boy failed.
Moral: Only boys
wish with true heart.
(Courtesy: Social
Media)
***
The author, a journalist turned media
academician lives in Central Odisha town of Dhenkanal. An anthology of his
weekly column Window Seat, published
in 2018 has been published as a book. Write to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
This column is published every Sunday in Gangtok based English daily Sikkim Express and www.orisswadiary.com
AIMEC: Special Session on Mahatma Gandhi
 |
| Registration under progress. Rush your registration and theme papers. Visit www.aimec.in for details |
Friday, 10 May 2019
IIMC Admissions: Last date to apply extended to May 15
IIMC PG Diploma Admissions: Last date to apply extended to May 15
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication has extended the last date for receiving online application forms for its various PG Diploma Programmes till 15th May from the earlier date of 12th May. The institute had been receiving requests for extension of last date, particularly from students in Odisha and adjoining states, where communication services were badly affected due to severe cyclonic storm.
Admissions have been announced for 476 seats across IIMC’s six campuses in Delhi, Dhenkanal (Odisha), Aizawl (Mizoram), Jammu (J&K), Amravati (Maharashtra) and Kottayam (Kerala). The Institute has also introduced 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section.
The selection for the IIMC PG Diploma Courses will be through a national level entrance examinations comprising a descriptive written test, group discussion and interview. The written examination for the IIMC PG Diploma Courses in Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, and Urdu will be held on Saturday, 25th May. For English Journalism, Hindi Journalism, Radio & TV Journalism and Advertising & Public Relations, the written test will be held on Sunday, 26th May, 2019.
Indian nationals possessing a recognized Bachelor’s degree in any field are eligible to apply. The details of Course content, fees structure and the process of online application can be accessed at the Institute’s website: iimc.gov.in
Thursday, 9 May 2019
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
An Appeal
Natya Gram, Khurda has been severely hit by Cyclone FANI on 3rd May 2019. The iconic Theatre Village, built with lots of sweat and blood for over last 30 years lies in a shambles. It is beyond the capacity of Natya Chetana alone to rebuild it.
Natya Gram is not just an institution preserving and promoting theatre and other performing art, it is an example of collective aesthetics of the grass root.
Natya Gram needs help.
NOW.
Natya Gram is not just an institution preserving and promoting theatre and other performing art, it is an example of collective aesthetics of the grass root.
Natya Gram needs help.
NOW.
Should you want to help, please contact Subodh Patnaik.
PHONE - +91-674-2555400, fax - 2555300
MOBILE- +91-9437055590(Subodh)
SKYPE : subodh.patnaik
WEBSITE: www.natyachetana.in
PHONE - +91-674-2555400, fax - 2555300
MOBILE- +91-9437055590(Subodh)
SKYPE : subodh.patnaik
WEBSITE: www.natyachetana.in
Monday, 6 May 2019
Column | Window Seat | 5.5.19
Window Seat | Mrinal
Chatterjee | 5.5.19
Vote
On 23 April 2019 morning I planted
a sapling- physically and symbolically.
I know, mid-summer is not the right
time to plant a sapling. It should be ideally done after the earth gets a
shower or two of the monsoon. But I planted a sapling today for three reasons.
First, to mark the occasion- of
casting my vote. Second, to goad myself
to take the responsibility of watering and tending the plant to grow. Third, to
have faith on the hope that the plant will grow and mature and bear fruit like
the vote I just casted will see a good candidate getting elected and doing what
he/she is supposed to do.
Nobody asked me to plant a sapling.
I did it on my own, as I thought it is my responsibility- to plant and tend the
sapling so that it would grow. Similarly it is my responsibility as a citizen
of this country to see that we get good and able representatives; and they
deliver.
In both cases I have a stake. I
need clean environment. So, I must do my bit. I need good governance and
therefore I must do my bit towards getting it. The least that I can do is to
vote.
And like the sapling needs care,
the elected representatives need constant monitoring. I need to do that because
I, as a citizen have a stake in it.
Individually I may not have enough
power to make the elected representative do what he/she is supposed to do. But
what I can do is to put in my bit- whatever I can. The least I can- is to vote.
The Price Journalists pay for telling the truth
Myanmar Supreme Court
recently upheld Reuters' journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo's convictions. The
two journalists were arrested in December 2017 and convicted in September 2018
of allegedly possessing and disseminating secret information sensitive to
national security under Myanmar's colonial-era Official Secrets Act. They were
each sentenced to seven years in prison.
In
January, Myanmar's High Court in Yangon rejected the reporters' appeal, thereby
elevating the case to the Supreme Court, which
heard the appeal on March 26.
At the time of their
arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were investigating a massacre of Rohingya men
and boys by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state. Their reporting was
subsequently published by Reuters in February 2018 and led to seven soldiers
being sentenced to prison for their involvement in the killings.
Wa
Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo got Pulitzer Award 2019 for their report.
They
are still in jail and probably will be there for a long time.
May read more about them here:
https://edition.cnn.com/…/myanmar-journalists-pu…/index.html
https://edition.cnn.com/…/myanmar-journalists-pu…/index.html
The #Trashtag Challenge
You are probably aware of the hashtag (#) used on social media, which generally represent funny or iconic moments in pop culture. But, a new viral movement has taken off. It's goal is not to entertain but to help save the planet- by cleaning it of trash, which is clogging water bodies and drainage system and is a huge health hazard.
How
important is this? Consider this. Across the world, more than 1.3
billion tonnes of household waste is generated per year, and only 258-368
million tons of it ends up in the 50 largest dumpsite. Meanwhile, million tons of it ends up in the ocean, 80% of
which comes from mainland waste.
The new hashtag #trashtag, wants everyone to
chip in to chip away at this trash problem.
In this new movement, people are urged to take a before photo of an area that is in need of intense trash clean-up followed by an after photo, after the trash has been cleaned.
Take up this challenge today. Tomorrow it might be too late.
In this new movement, people are urged to take a before photo of an area that is in need of intense trash clean-up followed by an after photo, after the trash has been cleaned.
Take up this challenge today. Tomorrow it might be too late.
Political Cartoons
Cartoons
liven up. Energizes. It makes people sit up and notice-with a smile or may be a
smirk. It lampoons and thereby elicits humour. Through lampooning it shows the
follies and foibles of the high and mighty and also of the system. Cartoons may
range from benign humour to biting satire.
Political cartooning in India is a British export and it has taken strong roots in the politically fertile soil of India. In India there is no dearth of subject matter and persons to be lampooned. Therefore cartoonists are having a field day. Elections come with all the colours of emotions that body politics and vote politicking can bring about. India with its 80 million voter and 2300 plus political parties and countless number of candidates seeking votes is a mahakumbh of elections. The political leaders, the idiosyncrasies of the political parties, the mad race of getting tickets from established political parties, the intrigue that goes with it, the culture of begging for votes by offering sops and the colourful campaigning- all are fodders for the cartoonists.
Political cartooning in India is a British export and it has taken strong roots in the politically fertile soil of India. In India there is no dearth of subject matter and persons to be lampooned. Therefore cartoonists are having a field day. Elections come with all the colours of emotions that body politics and vote politicking can bring about. India with its 80 million voter and 2300 plus political parties and countless number of candidates seeking votes is a mahakumbh of elections. The political leaders, the idiosyncrasies of the political parties, the mad race of getting tickets from established political parties, the intrigue that goes with it, the culture of begging for votes by offering sops and the colourful campaigning- all are fodders for the cartoonists.
 |
| Cartoon by Utkal Gaurav |
Different political parties have often engaged cartoonists and caricaturists to make fun of, lampoon even denigrate the rival political parties and its leaders. We have seen this in graffiti and wall writings and in party publications and propaganda materials.
But this election sees a massive scale up. With digital media making drawing cartoons and memes easier and faster and social media making dissemination of ant material real time and at global scale- cartoons and memes have flooded the digital space. Political parties have hired young cartoonists and caricaturists who are familiar with social media to draw cartoons and memes lampooning the other parties and its leaders.
Any which way, there is humour around. And that
is good. Probably.
Tailpiece: Don’t Blame
Caller: Hello, Are you Murali?
You: Yes...
Caller: Govt is planning to sell Jet Airways. Are you interested
in buying Jet Airways ?
Murali: Me ?... I am a middle class fellow. I can't
afford.
Caller : That's why we asked You First....So Please Keep Your Mouth Shut
! Later don't say, Govt. sold Jet Airways to Ambani, Adani, etc
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
This column is published every Sunday in Sikkim Express and www.orissadiary.com
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