Or Bisheda..or Bishera..or Bisara..
These names, irrespective of their localized/dialectic forms, are symbolic of our politics of the day, and in a way, also convey how the society is responding to the political calls.
These two villages in Greater Noida, in Delhi's neighbourhood, have been in the news for all wrong reasons.
Bhatta Parsaul first came in headlines in May 2011 after violent clashes between police and villagers leaving some police officials and villagers dead. Villagers were protesting against acquisition of their land by the state government.
Back then, as is the trend, the issue got heavily politicised soon - aggravated by the fact that the state assembly elections were due in the early months of next year, in 2012. Bhatta Parsaul became the rallying point for all political outfits including the Congress party - then ruling India with its Delhi government led by Manmohan Singh. Uttar Pradesh had then BSP's government and Mayawati was the chief minister.
We are well over four years past that incident. And Bhatta Parsual still rings the bell for same reason.
The other major symbolism that goes to Bhatta Parsaul is as political as the 'issue of forced land acquisition' in India.
Rahul Gandhi tries to create symbolic entities during the course of his political journey and Bhatta Parsaul came to symbolize his 'appeal' for 'pro farmer land policies'.
The world remembers the way Rahul Gandhi had dodged the state security apparatus to reach the village. But in spite of Rahul's desperate efforts to reap political mileage, Congress was badly humiliated again, in the UP assembly polls - including Jewar - the assembly constituency seat Bhatta Parsaul comes under. Rahul's experiment had given ticket to a person who had helped Rahul reach Bhatta Parsaul on his bike. But he could earn voters’ trust.
The important message from this outcome was - people had started reading signs – and needed more than political rhetoric and associated acts. Land acquisition is a socially burning issue no doubt but BSP's win and Congress' loss, even at Jewar seat, told us the issue could not sway the electorate.
Or people saw political designs of every political outfit and decided to go with the BSP MLA in spite of BSP being in the power.
Rahul Gandhi had tried to use 'Bhatta Parsaul symbolism' again in the last year's parliamentary elections but the defeat this time was deafening - in India, in Uttar Pradesh, and in most states in India.
In that sense, we can say Bhatta Parsaul refused to become the political bogey around the sensitive issue of land acquisition in a country where agriculture still supports the major section of the population.
It is a different thing that voters were running short of options.
Bisada – a Greater Noida village - has begun the rallying point for vested political interests – with another round of important assembly polls beginning just in a week in Bihar and with Uttar Pradesh assembly elections just 18 months away.
On Monday night, a mob killed a Muslim Indian citizen for allegedly slaughtering a cow and consuming beef.
While land is sensitive issue affecting common Indians of every religion and people have started acting more informed on related policy matters, religion is still the opium of the masses.
The Western Uttar Pradesh Hindu-Muslim riots before the Lok Sabha elections last year were the worst India saw in its recent history – and the trigger was rumour mongering that, left unchecked, led to violent chest thumping and subsequently to full scale religious violence.
Humanity is still reeling in its aftermath. Bisada must not instigate another round. The culprits must be dealt with ruthlessly. And the state machinery, and humanity, must ensure that rumour mongers and ‘the people spewing hate venom’ must not be seen around. Just some routine ‘financial and job compensation’ stuff won’t do.
Bisada of Greater Noida must not be allowed to become Kawal of Muzaffarnagar. Kawal lynching had spread like wildfire resulting in the riots. #DadriLynching or lynching in Bisada must be addressed strictly to avoid any repeat.
©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/
