In the nineties when Mayawati became the UP chief minister, everyone said, big and small criminals are fleeing from the state. It was awesome that a woman could inspire such panic among the underworld glitterati.
It turns out that the state head demanded a significant portion of every pie being cooked by hook or crook in the state. She believed in equality and in sparing no one.
In 2007 a famous Mumbai based business man who started a chain of fresh vegetable stores had to close shop after stubborn refusal to pay hafta to madame led to protests and demonstrations by farmers across UP.
It was inexplicable why farmers would let go such an opportunity. The business chain would have sooner or later sourced its supply from the state’s farmers. Apparently during a bumper crop season, much of the produce rots or has to be sold off dirt-cheap. It would have been a win-win situation if middle men could have been dispensed with.
The same year Madame M paid 15 crores in advance tax. Source of income was reported as liberal donations from party supporters. It was while extorting money to keep the donations flowing that a government official lost his life at the hands of BSP party workers in 2008. The incident caused many ripples in the tepid Gomti but it all faded with time like the Taj heritage corridor controversy.
It was all muted with the help of money, political leverage and muscle power.
Dalit ki beti fuelled by the power of lower caste vote bank was living up to the maxim-power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Politically she had engineered an unbelievable feat but as a leader she had gone berserk.
If you look at the government-sponsored mutilation of Lucknow in the last three to four years, you will understand why calling her berserk may not be off the mark.
Reportedly many long standing buildings were demolished in the Mall Avenue area in Lucknow last year to make way for Mayawati’s visionary projects.
Madame also unhappy with the gargantuan Ambedkar smarak, decided to raze it down and re build it from scratch in name of Dalit upliftment. The cost of its reconstruction has been thousands of crores of public money and destruction of one of the most beautiful and green belts adjoining the Gomti.
It was a pleasure once to drive down the ring road flanked by the river and the white and serene Taj hotel. Taj gardens adjoining the hotel were one of the best places for morning walks and a breath full of nature.
A part of the garden was severed off to make way for a state guesthouse. Nowadays one has to drive or walk through a grimy, stone littered and broken road to reach the gardens.
The latest turn of Madame’s imagination that led to fresh mutilation was her wish to adorn every prominent nook in the city with her and Kanshiram’s life sized statues. It has become a lore how she ordered her earlier statues to be removed as they projected her meeker and less powerful than Kanshiram.
According to telephone gossip, in the initial installations, her statues had been placed a step or two behind Kanshiram. The gross negligence that pierced Madame’s mega ego was corrected in no time. Her statues now battle the summer heat, bird droppings and passer by jokes shoulder to shoulder with Kanshiram.
This is modernisation and this is Lucknow-symbol of the politically awakened millions of downtrodden.
Every year when I go back, I see another road dug out. While people die through heat and cold waved, road to the Amausi airport is being frilled up with granite. My father says roads have improved. True, but it is akin to plastering a broken leg without setting the bone right.
A fly over being constructed near my home collapsed last year, killing many people who sought shelter from the heat and came to the makeshift bus stand to catch buses to adjoining towns.
It hurts when tragedy makes a close call. My sister used to take a rickshaw home from near that very bridge every day...
Such waiting-to-happen tragedies are minor for well read and educated young men and women who compare Mayawati to Obama with elan. WTF!
The fascination comes from the fact that a woman from the downtrodden ranks rose to rule a state that sends the maximum number of MPs to Lok Sabha. And to add spice her strike man happens to be a Pandit.
It was such admiration and unbridled power that led the UP chief minister to believe she can conquer New Delhi too. That explains why BSP contested 500 out of 543 seats this election.
The outcome has for the time being squashed her dreams to rule from the Race Course.
And I am so glad that those who voted for her earlier chose not to support her this time and all those who never voted chose to vote ensuring that those against Mayawati outnumbered those who supported her.
I have nothing against caste and religion politics. Although divisive, I would rant less if it fulfils its promises of development (they cause damage either ways).
From the days when seniors did their best to instil Hindutva and caste based hysteria into me till today when I watch politicians and activists abusing political power in name of justice, religion, right and wrong, I have heard nothing beyond propaganda. Post public display of outrage, it leads to nothing.
I would not be surprised if the current election verdict proves to be an aberration and Madame is back in business after five years.
To ensure that warring parties never war so far that divided voters rush back bawling to Madame, I pray that let there be no peace in the hearts of ambitious politicians, let none fall weak to behen ji’s charms and may all Laloos find a Nitish to wrestle.
May the middle finger (with the blue ink) prevail!
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