The #MeToo India Movement

• Once Relationship Sours, Storyline Given a New Twist!

The #MeToo India movement is just getting crazy day by day as more victims are coming forward revealing their sordid ordeal about their predators. The latest one is from a US-based Indian scribe accusing journalist-turned-politician, M J Akbar of outraging her modesty more than two decades ago at a Jaipur hotel. 

After reading several news reports, the question that first comes in to one’s mind is why is the scribe reacting now after 23-long years?! Why did the scribe continue to work under this man for several months even after the incident?! Why didn’t the scribe report the incident and resign right away?! Did the scribe not know that the man had a wife, and a family would be broken?!

During my heydays working in private organisations, I have seen from close quarters that few colleagues with an altogether different body language, fell prey to top executives/CEOs, Editors, MDs and proprietors. What was surprising is that these colleagues with less or average calibre got fast promotions, high salaries, perks and plum postings in metro cities with frequent overseas travel. And

while the  higher-ups always had a ball-of-a time whenever they visited those metros. In the process, many equally or more competent men and women were left behind since they simply could not compete in a similar manner. 

Even though most knew what was actually happening, but these colleagues never complained of being sexually abused as they wanted to climb the social hierarchy by flaunting their positions and close proximity with powers of the organisation. 

While the going is good, there are no complaints, but when the usefulness is over and relationship sours, the storyline is given a twist by the usage of words like ‘exploitation’, ‘rape’, ‘victim’ and ‘predator’, etc. 

All these observations gets reinforced after receiving a shocking and disturbing video! Just three days ago a video of a super bollywood actress has gone viral that shows her happily in an immoral act. Incidently, the actress also happens to be a brand ambassador of tourism for Assam. The video was secretly captured by the man wearing a spy video recorder spectacle.  

It is sad due to the contriving relationship in workplace by two individuals, several competent colleagues missed out their dues. Therefore, there should not be any sympathy for such slimy scumbags to be booted out of their office, publicly named and shamed.

Though the Editors Guild of India appears to have taken a stern action against the various allegations leveled against Akbar, but it is a million dollar question if anything will fructify, since people familiar with the forum claims that it is highly politicised.

Finally, please do not read me wrong. By saying so I am not supporting any kind of abuse to women, rather treat them with utmost respect and equality.

Northeast India in International Maritime Map

• S. K. Acharya's Cherished Dream Heads for Reality!

Representational Image, Courtesy: moneycontrol.com

Ever since this bit of news on a cruise from Kolkata to Guwahati via Bangladesh figured in #moneycontrol including several other media outlets thereafter, it only brought back loads of memories of a visionary who was much ahead of his times!

Link: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/soon-youll-be-able-to-hop-on-a-cruise-from-kolkata-to-guwahati-via-bangladesh-3089261.html  

In the 1950s, under the then B P Chalia-led Assam government, young Salil K Acharya had originally mooted the idea of connecting Brahmaputra with rest of the world via Bangladesh for the economic viability of northeast India by making the inland waters navigable for large vessels and opening up of international trade. 

Accordingly, he had completed an exhaustive study and prepared a blueprint that was endorsed by the state government, which in turn referred it to the central government for approval. However, during that point of time though the central government felt the project superb, but had to be put in cold storage due to an acute financial crisis.

Until his demise in 1994, he was deeply involved in the

S. K. Acharya with 

spouse, Shelley Acharya

establishment of a Centre for Ethno Social Studies (CESS) in Calcutta. His scope of research under the Applied Economics Division of CESS was 'Problems and Prospects of Mutual Economic Cooperation Between Bangladesh and Eastern and North Eastern States of India'.

Infact, phrases like 'Look East', 'Act East', etc which has now become quite a buzz, are actually offshoots of his research works as I had seen such similar words in his numerous manuscripts including the original blueprint as well as his frequent verbal usage of the same. Few MPs of that era and people familiar with his work will vouch for this claim.

Just after his demise, a publication house came forward for his papers/manuscripts which were given, but was never returned. How I regret for not having pursued for the return of all his valuable papers. And the absence of Internet and computers during those days, all his hard works could not be digitized or archived though.

Amongst the several media that reported about his demise, some newspapers mentioned briefly about his work that should stand as a testimony to his contribution. An article in The Assam Tribune, dated, 22 November 1994 mentions among others - "He (Prof Salil Krishna Acharya) spent a lot of his time and intellectual energy in the sixties pursuing his project of a Ganga canal which he thought would be the fulcrum of economic development of the North Eastern region including Bangladesh. The project is still talked about in many circles and might materialise one day."

Another report in The Shillong Times, dated, 18 November 1994 states, - "Mr Acharya, who was an intellectual, writer and innovator, was the first to have mooted the idea of joining Brahmaputra and Ganges for solving the eastern region's water management problems. The idea was seriously considered by the centre but financial constraints came in the way."   

Towards the end of this article quotes  referring to the news clips dating way back to November 1994 has been attached. 

Today (17 November 2018), twenty four years ago, on this date,17th November 1994, Salil K. Acharya alias, my dad, transcended into the spiritual world, but his spirits are still alive. I am sure he is smiling from above as his cherished dreams of seeing Northeast India figure in the international maritime map is just getting closer to reality.

The Shillong Times: 18 November 1994

The Assam Tribune: 22 November 1994

A video created in memory of S. K. Acharya