Nashik Diary

While the MTDC will contribute its share, major financial burden is to be shared by sponsors and contributions. And if a complaint filed by a CPM office-bearer is to be believed officials have been busy collecting contributions’ from the trade and industry with some being forced to comply.

Shridhar Deshpande, general secretary of the district unit of CPM, has complained to the district collector that some officials were forcibly collecting contributions from entrepreneurs in Nashik. What is amusing about Deshpande’s complaint is that the CPM has a chain of trade unions in the industrial belt of Nashik affiliated to its ideology. His complaint, which on the other hand is on behalf of industrialists, indicates that a new “culture” is taking shape.

Shortmemories

While Nashik collector, Manoj Saunik, has taken special interest in hosting the “Nashik Festival” and is telling others that it would be his most memorable gift to Nashikites, a similar attempt in the past was made about 15 years ago.

Govind Swarup, the then collector of Nashik, had established the Nashik District Cultural Association. The cultural body had hosted a series of shows in Nashik for two years. But after Swarup’s transfer, his successor, Ashok Khot, continued the show for another year, after which activities of the NDCA came to a full stop.

Now, the present collector has chosen to initiate fresh efforts, which might just turn out to be as short-lived as his predecessor’s.

Sane Guruji’s followers

Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, better known as Sane Guruji’ is known to be an emotional, sensitive freedom fighter. His literature, aimed at educating children, continues to inspire the young and old.

However, after his death, some of Guruji’s followers have revealed themselvesto be the reverse of what they should be: for instance, ex-superintendent of Nashik prison, D N Davne who had even converted a cell in Nashik jail (in which Guruji had been imprisoned) to a memorial. Davne was finally promoted as a deputy inspector general and transferred. The same Davne has now got the boot, for providing undue facilities to gangsters. Well, was he a true follower of Guruji or was he only using the icon for promoting himself?

Recently, the Uttar Maharashtra University announced that it would provide Sane’s books to all schools in the State, to inculcate moral values among the younger generation. Nothing wrong with that, except that the older generation, comprising people like Davne, too, too need similar counselling.

Boisterous victory

BABANRAO Gholap’s victory at the hustings from Devlali Assembly constituency is being celebrated by his supporters. Cases of corruption filed against Gholap are still pending before the courts, but his supporters have presumed that his victorywill wipe out all charges. Or rather they believe his win has proved his innocence.

One such supporter is Sanjay Patel, who released an advertisement in a local daily congratulating Gholap. The copy said Wah re Nana (Gholap’s family name) tera khel, akhir pila diya na dushmano ko erandika tel, yeh gana ga raha hai Sanjay Patel. (Erandika tel is the oil extracted from the leaves of erand tree which is used as a laxative).

Not so long back, when veteran social worker Anna Hazare was convicted in a defamation case filed by Gholap, another of his supporters, Dashrath Patil, had released an ad saying Doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani indicating that truth had been told. Gholap’s supporters have come a long way from milk to laxative. What next?