Opinion Bengali politicians in Torja theatrics

Bhola Moira began by chastising his opponent. He declared in song that the outsider came to perform only to eat the sumptuous food at this auspicious occasion. Anthony’s reply brought stunned silence: “May you live long Bhola! Who can have talent as great as yours to challenge you in Torja song?” Singing with adulation,Anthony took the winner’s garland and put it over Bhola’s head. Bhola Moira melted. He declared that Anthony was no longer his Firingi rival,that he should henceforth be known as Anthony Kobial,the poet who mastered Torja songs. Among current politicians in Bengal,it’s up to you to imagine who can be Bhola Moira and who Anthony Kobial.

Disfiguring the electronic media code: Watching political debates on the forthcoming Assembly elections on Bengali channels,you don’t understand anything,you just hear the cacophony of 2,3 or 4 people talking simultaneously. The anchor’s capacity of control appears minimal. Television is a western invention with its code of conduct centered on soft skills. Culturally,every country can be different in the way they conduct public discussions,but when adopting the technicalities of a western mass communication medium,you have to respect its viewer code process to be effective. Even in Torja,where the game is criticism,the opponent has to listen. Liberalisation of the electronic media does not mean liberty to adopt Bengali fish market behaviour in public audio-visual channels. In fact,viewers feel so ashamed of such fighting,they heave a sigh of relief when the advertising pause happens. Is such bedlam intentionally created to get higher TRP?

In Torja,winners were garlanded. In today’s tele-Torja,does the channel purposely encourage heated political high jinks so that the TRP Lakshmi Bhandar can rake in the cash? When anchors sometimes invite the audience to phone in with questions,if the tenor of the question does not toe a particular political line the TV channel is obliquely leaning towards,the question will get mired into oblivion. If you view any Bengali news channel,within five minutes of watching you’ll understand its political inclination. Are these channels undecided of their agenda being party propaganda or mass communication? Mocking disregard for editorial balance is quite unfair to the public.

The national media refers to Bengali politicians as bhadralok. It would be interesting to observe when “bhadramahila” will come into usage. Certain insolent,gender-related comments Bengali male politicians make on TV are in poor taste. Even in verandah discussions in our unemployed,young life in the seventies,we were never so impolite. Today’s politicians always talk in angry tones in public meetings and on TV. What could their purpose be? People do not register a message when anger is its baseboard,the purpose not visible. Only dictators like Hitler or Mussolini got away with anger expressions. Their fiery speeches made citizens into aggressive Dobermans who can be commanded to kill dissenters without questioning,purportedly to build the country’s power base.

Intellectual disorder: Normally a writer,singer,poet,scientist or philosopher should leave it open for the public to admire and recognise his/her domain excellence. But in Bengal,certain people declare themselves to be buddhijibi,literally meaning those who earn by selling intelligence. Does any work exist where money is earned without using intelligence? Perhaps they try to distinguish themselves as intellectuals,a class higher than the poor masses? Buddhijibis are often seen on TV. Here they create their brand value. Basic consumers in villages always say that when they see a brand advertised on TV,they think its credibility is very high because it was seen on TV. So the route for buddhijibis is to get branded with trustworthiness by appearing on TV.

Today’s Bengali buddhijibis seem unabashed in their pursuit of political patronage. A painter,for example,may have certain political leanings,but his/her viewers can harbour any opposing ideology. They need not see the paintings from a political angle. Picasso was a known communist,but everyone,irrespective of their political affiliations,loved his paintings. Capitalists,in particular,raised the value of Picasso’s paintings.

When buddhijibis directly manifest affiliation to a political party in a public debate,they immediately abuse their intellectual stature to become party spokespersons indulging in Torja theatrics. Another big gap in Bengal is absence of a politologue,an independent political scientist who analyses without bias towards any party.

Bengal’s young generation find their future uncertain. How long they will be victims of Bengali Torja politics that’s polarising the state’s growth and future?

Shombit Sengupta is an international creative business strategy consultant to top management. Reach him at http://www.shiningconsulting.com,/i>