Book Review : The Lady Killer

"It was a land of seven kingdoms. Seven kingdoms, and seven thoroughly unpredictable kings."   

Middluns, Murgon, Estill, Sunder, Monsea, Lienid and Nander; the seven Kingdoms. 

An imaginative world with primitive lifestyle and Kings as supreme rulers reside in between the pages of this novel. We all love a place different yet similar to ours with the same yet entirely different faculties. Here, the adventure that the female lead traverses is a reminder of physical and mental fortitude.

   'The Lady Killer'. 'The Royal Thug'.  These were the whispered names that accompanied Katsa since her barely eight year old self killed a cousin from touching her. The Gracelings, identified by their two distinct eye colour from the others, have a gift or a curse in a particular activity. Graced as she is with killing, Katsa being the king's niece is forced to carry out her Uncle's whims of killing or maiming petty and foolish men who had dared to oppose him. The only rebellion that she raised against her Uncle is the Council, more like a Robin hood and his band of Merry men, whose main objective is to help those who face injustice from tyrannical and power hungry Kings. The first time she met Prince Po, she had no idea that her life is going to change dramatically. Po, with his silver and gold eyes, cheerful laughter and graced combat skills melted away the walls around her heart. Po and Katsa undertake a journey to reveal a dangerous truth about themselves and a powerful foe, with their strength and cunning, they must fight. Katsa is a growing and powerful character, she begins with baby steps to find herself and those around her. Po is the nice contrast to her in more ways than one. A charming and thoughtful companion with no issues in being defeated by a woman.

This novel by Kristin Cashore, in itself is simply written; the landscape, seasons and the food is so properly described that it leaves no question or confusion. The character of Bitterblue is admirable and I personally cannot wait to read her book which is, unfortunately, the third in the series, Graceling Realm  followed by the second book, Fire. If you have read or are aware of something like Poison Study, Uprooted, Throne of Glass or even Vampire Academy  then this is a book to try. I really like reading a good Fantasy novel once in a while. Besides the trend (I highly approve of this trend) of a strong female character, who needs no man's protection but accepts his company and just that, had risen and claimed the spot of the "damsel in distress" characters in many novels. So celebrate an independent woman in her decision to lead her life however she wants with a powerful Grace.

Read it. You won't regret.

Reviewed by :- Saisaa Ray.

Saffronisation of Education

Is it a step towards integrity or textbook politics?

Did you know that Madhavacharya discovered Newton's power series, or that the Qutub Minar was built by Emperor Samudragupta and its real name was Vishnu Stambha, or that 1000 years before Copernicus – In the 5th century, Aryabhatta stated that the Earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun, and is suspended in space, or that the Vedas are the reservoir of all wisdom of the universe, they contain the knowledge of Art, Music, Linguistics, Economics, Religion, Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Medicine, Architecture, and so much more?
These are few of the “facts” about the world and national history that lacs of students are learning as a part of their curriculum under RSS-run schools all over India.



The Rashtriya Swamayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has set up a consultative body to ensure that the Narendra Modi government moves ahead with the saffronisation of the country’s education system – a move that seems to digress underlying impact and the erroneous details and portrayals regarding minorities and different ideologies other than Hinduism.
Partisans of the decision claims that the project is an attempt to address the 'past glory of India' and the curriculum is believed to be widely influenced by 'Vedas' and 'Upanishads' that the Sangh Parivar deem to be the intuition of ancient 'Bharat' and will thrust the sense of patriotism(hopefully) into students. Very well! To be fair, ancient India has also produced books like the 'Kamasutra', a super comprehensive volume on the several ways of enjoying carnal pleasure, and the highly caste-ist Manusmriti. But don’t worry, your kids probably won’t learn them because they do not advance the ‘pure’ and ‘perfect’ picture of India’s past that the Government wants them to learn.



Critics believe that saffronising education is an attempt to communalise history, to promote the Aryans, ‘predecessors of modern Hinduism’, and reduce Muslims and the other ‘dreadful minorities’ to invaders or converts. Muslim rulers like the Mughals will either be eliminated from textbooks or painted as barbaric philistines who plundered ‘the land of Hindus’ and destroyed its sanctity. The idea clearly is to influence the direction of funding and scholarship towards the Sangh Parivar’s communal agenda and to ensure appointments for RSS sympathizers in the field of education in a manner that had been done in the media institutions in the post-emergency period by Mr. Advani.



The moral of the story is thus clear. It is time to re-examine the unnecessary politicization of the question of value education through the fundamentals of all religions, including Hinduism, in India.
This kind of thinking is against humanity and anti-progressive. It is a clear shadow of the prejudice and dogmatic approach of the RSS. The very fact that children are the bearer of the future of this great nation cannot be taken lightly and they deserve an education which is unbiased and profound about its historical culture and antiquity.

- SHREYAN MUKHERJI

The Kolkata Monsoon Affair

As July slowly approaches and the page of the calendar waits for a flip, Kolkata awaits the monsoons with excitement. The rains bring relief from the sultry and scorching tropical summer and the "bheja maatir gondho" cannot be forgotten,if not craved for.

Unlike other cities, the City of Joy doesn't come to a standstill when there is a torrential downpour. Instead, the joy is doubled, because nothing beats the gastronomic delight of "gorom gorom khichudi and begun bhaja". The rains can bring out the footballer in anyone and wet and muddy football matches suddenly become the order of the day as the sun loses its unequal battle with the clouds. Children set their paper boats a-sail on the waterlogged alleys and engage in euphoric  splashes at each other from the puddles on the streets.The waves created by the moving vehicles on a flooded street make them gape in open-mouthed wonder and admiration. If a vehicle breaks down, they volunteer to help and hope for some money in return-generous tokens of monsoon!

Buses and taxis often go into a refusal spree when there is a lot of water to wade through. In such a situation which renders you helpless to a degree, you can definitely count on the Japanese rickshaw-walas. These are probably only found in Kolkata, and their demand increases during waterlogged days. Even though they might charge a lot, they will ensure that you reach your destination, swiftly galloping you through the chaotic traffic and of course,the gushing torrents.

If you are however reluctant to go out during the rains, I don't blame you. The weather is bound to make you lethargic, because "lyadh khawa" is directly proportional to the intensity of downpour. Being at home and watching your favorite movie, or listening to Coldplay and Tagore... ahh, nothing like it! Or maybe, inviting your friends for an adda over tea, dancing like crazy souls on the terrace-sounds promising,eh?

As one sits by the window,drowned in nostalgia and thinks about those long walks and sweet stolen kisses in the corners of the streets,lost love... the rain provides solace.

The divergent hues of Kolkata become more beautiful during the monsoons, and the joy of the city rains is infectious and touches everybody,whether you're sixteen or sixty.

Author : Jayita Chakraborty

5 times the Western Media has failed to identify the 'Terrorists'

In the wake of the assassination of the British Member of Parliament, Jo Cox, at the hands of Thomas Mair, both the conservative and liberal press have once again followed the same old trend of using different labels and language to describe attackers based on their race, religion and ethnicity.

To quote an example, The Guardian— often  a favorite daily among the so-called "progressives" — published a story a day after the attack on June 17 with the headline: ”Suspect in Jo Cox's killing described as quiet, polite and reserved.”

The article goes on to list how Mair’s family and friends spoke of a gentle and quiet man whom they least expected to commit such a hideous crime.
“The picture that emerged of the man known as Tom or Tommy from those who knew him best was of a quiet and caring loner,” The Guardian wrote. “His half brother, who is mixed race, claimed he had been volunteering at a school for children with disabilities for several years and had never expressed any racist views.”

This sort of language is rarely, if ever, used by mainstream media in the West to describe non-White attackers, who are quickly labelled as terrorists. And if the words of families and friends are used, they're usually taken out of context and twisted to serve a particular narrative and agenda. It has been a common occurrence for years fanned by mass media in the United States and Europe.

We look at five examples of when the same biased coverage was resorted to by the western media :-

1. 2015 Charleston Shooting by Dylann Roof

On June 17, 2015, during a prayer service at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dylann Roof entered the church, locked its doors and started shooting at the people in it, mostly Black folk.
Roof killed nine African Americans, including Senior Pastor and State Senator, Clementa C. Pinckney, and injured one other person. He was later arrested after reports emerged that he was motivated by a longstanding hatred of Black people and had told friends that he favoured segregation. Later confessing he committed the shooting in the hope of igniting a race war, the media failed to focus on Roof’s history of bigotry and hate. Instead mental illness and inadequate mental health resources were the primary go-to explanations behind his horrifying actions.


Activist Deray McKesson noted in a tweet days after the incident that while discussing Roof’s motivations, an MSNBC anchor said: "'We don’t know his mental condition."
"That is the power of whiteness in America," McKesson commented.

Dylann Roof

The Guardian also published a story describing how Roof had a history of drug abuse, further individualizing the narrative as one of subjective misfortune and poor decisions.

2. 2011 Norway Attacks by Anders Behring Breivik

On July 22, 2011, Norwegian national Anders Behring Breivik carried out two lone-wolf attacks, a bomb attack against the Regjeringskvartalet Government Complex in Oslo and later a shooting of 69 people at the Workers' Youth League-run summer camp. The attacks claimed a total of 77 lives.
Several articles emerged following the incident demanding that he not be called a terrorist and that he was insane and mentally ill. “Anders Behring Breivik's not a terrorist, he's a mass-murderer,” one headline on The Guardian newspaper read in 2011.

The British Telegraph published an article with the headline: “Don't call Anders Breivik a terrorist – he is a sad fantacist leading an army of one." Despite a Norwegian court charging Breivik with carrying out a “terrorist act”, the author argued that to "call Breivik ‘a terrorist’ is to give him exactly what he wants. The most appropriate response to this psychopathic narcissist is ridicule, as the author claimed.

Forensic psychiatrists examined Breivik before his trial and and he was eventually diagnosed as a having narcissistic personality disorder.

But denying the political — and therefore terroristic — nature of the crime was really quite extraordinary, especially considering Breivik himself wrote a 1,518 page political manifesto titled "2083: A European Declaration of Independence" which called for a civilizational war against Muslims and migrants.

3. 2012 Aurora Shooting by James Eagan Holmes


On July 20, 2012 James Eagan Holmes carried out an attack on moviegoers at Century movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.

As is the case for most other White attackers, the media was quick to brand Holmes as a mentally ill individual who snapped and decided to kill people due to his condition. The Associated Press ran a news story with the headline: ”Doctor who found James Holmes sane says mental illness caused him to attack Colorado theater.”

Major media organizations ran stories on the attack and Holmes with comments from the FBI saying he had no significant criminal record, while local police said he had a speeding ticket from 2011, and no links to terrorism. Medical professionals in fact testified in court that Holmes was sane.

While we now know that the attack had no political motive, the media's collective response in immediately designating the White Holmes psychologically ill is a trope we have all become accustomed to.

4. 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting by Adam Peter Lanza

The victims of the attack

On December 14, 2012, 20-year old Adam Peter Lanza stormed into the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where he shot 20 children aged between 6 and 7 years old, as well as six adult staff members. As police and emergency services arrived at the scene, Lanza committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Shortly after the incident, news outlets in the U.S. went on to portray Lanza as a “troubled and disturbed kid from a rich family” who was a “ticking bomb." There was no mention of terrorism or him carrying out one of the most disturbing terror attacks in U.S. history.

A day after the attack, The New York Daily News published a story with the headline: “Sandy Hook mass murderer Adam Lanza, 20, 'deeply disturbed kid,'” in which the newspaper went on to push for a mentally ill and unstable man who was pushed over the edge and committed a troubled yet almost understandable crime against innocent children.

Fox News also digged into Lanza’s past, pushing the mentally ill narrative as it revealed that the attacker had been diagnosed with psychiatric conditions which could explain his actions. Again no mention of terror or terrorism! While many have argued the shooter did not commit terrorism because he lacked a political motive, the argument has long since been debunked. In fact Lanza, like other shooters, posted a political screed to a website shortly before the incident.

“It goes without saying that an AK-47 and enough ammunition could do more good than a thousand ‘teachers,’ if one is truly interested in reforming the system. In short time the children will be brainwashed, pumped full of Xanax and told to conform, until they have been turned into the oppressors,” Lanza had written ahead of his attack according to MSNBC.


5. The 2010 Austin Suicide Attack


When Andrew Joseph Stack III desliberately crashed his plane into Building I of the Echelon Complex in Austin, Texas, killing both himself and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Manager,Vernon Hunter, and injuring 13 others, the United States Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying the incident did not appear to be linked to international terrorist groups.

But the targeting of the IRS and the political nature of the incident soon emerged as Stack's suicide note condemned the "greed" and "insanity" of the central government, the bailing out of banks and financial institutions, corporations, unions and the Catholic Church.

"I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well," he wrote in the letter.

The terrorist attack — widely reported as a suicide by local and nationalmedia — eventually resulted in the media and government closely scrutinizing the Tea Party, as it was  believed Stack was linked to the group. But following the attack, the New York Times published an article saying that "Mr. Stack" was not driven by "terrorist ideology" but was rather "described as generally easygoing" and a "talented amateur musician with marital troubles."


What essentially comes out of the picture is a deliberate toning down of terrorist attacks and dressing them up as cases of psychiatric disruptions or subjective misfortune for that matter. This not only tosses out the possibility of a political probe into the happenings with sheer convenience, but also manages to secure public sympathy through victimization of the terrorist and puts a permanent seal on such cases as it were. We wish the Western media was a bit empathetic in yellowing up the massacres of non-White terrorists too, instead of belching out a thoroughly racist stance in this regard.Or better, it realizes that it's high time to see terrorism for what it is and not to doll it up for what it is not.


Article by :- Igor Gorbachev

IMMEDIATE ABOLITION OF THE SEDITION LAW IN INDIA

It was August, 1909. Lord Minto, Viceroy of India, decided it was necessary now for “ measures to be taken for the suppression of sedition”. The archived Records of the Government of India says he sent out letters to the Princely states to suppress the “disaffected people” who dared criticize the British government in India. 

Over a hundred years later, the word ‘sedition’ is still doing the rounds in an elected democracy where people form the political sovereign. The British in 1870, the colonial rulers as they were, felt the need to criminalize the disaffection towards a government by force. But its continuance in an elected democracy is absurd because the people without resorting to any sort of violence can remove a government in the next elections. Thus the term sedition and Section 124A stand in direct contrast to the right to free expression and speech enshrined in the preamble and article 19 of the Indian Constitution.

As the Delhi police commissioner said and we all agree, "There is an urgent need to expand the scope of the law on sedition. It needs to be rewritten to remove all scope of ambiguity so that citizens have no doubt about what constitutes an anti-national act”.

But I say neither expansion nor clarification is required, rather the law itself should simply be abolished like it has been in most modern democracies around the world. The law of sedition was abolished in the UK in 2009. Former colony New Zealand got rid of the law earlier in 2007. In the US, the courts constantly criticize the “chilling effect” of the sedition law on free speech.

Let us now take a look at this little statute which divided and united a country at the same time. Section 124A of the 156-year-old Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC), that defines who is a seditionist or “anti-national”:

“ Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visual representation, or otherwise brings or  attempts to bring into hatred or contempt or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India, shall be punished.”

Sedition can even condemn one to a lifetime behind bars. So we conclude that the law states any individual who stands against any government policy or questions any action of the state he or she is punishable by law. So if that be the idea that the state must never be questioned, what then is the idea of democracy? What kind of a democracy doesn’t allow the freedom to question the State? This is the largest democracy of the world yet successive governments have used this law with impunity.

On February 9, a group of students from Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University had allegedly raised “anti-India” slogans to mark the anniversary of the controversial hanging of Afzal Guru. On February 13, Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNUSU president was accused of sedition and arrested, soon followed by the arrest of seven others. What began as a minor clash between two student groups in one of India's premier educational institutions has now morphed into a debate of what is and what isn't national and who decides that. So here we are, in the age of Make in India, Digital India and Skill India, debating how ‘Indian’ we are, who is really  ‘Indian’ and what makes us un-Indian. Amidst all the terror attacks and constant threats from alien sources, the economic and social dilemmas that the country faces, and all the larger games afoot,  do we really need another war to tear us apart? And that too over all things, ironically,  patriotism?

Author : Utsa Ghosh 

Black Hermoine: Stupefying Racistic Barriers

Harry Potter arguably overwhelms the largest fandom in Hollywood and it's latest upcoming west-end play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' has cast it's wizardry upon the fans around the globe already. Interestingly, in December 2015 it was announced that Noma Dumezweni had been cast to play Hermione Granger in the play. She is a Laurence Olivier Award winner, presented for excellence in professional theater in London. Although, Rowling has previously said herself multiple times that the books never indicated what skin complexion many of the characters are having, and so this incarnation of Hermione is just as accurate as Emma Watson or any other imagining of her, the casting of Noma Dumezweni as Hermione in the theatre adaptation, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, has delighted many fans and infuriated others.

                                                'So why a black Hermoine?'

Well, why not? In the Harry Potter books, the brilliant Hermione Granger is described as having frizzy, untamable dark hair, brown eyes, and protruding teeth, but more often is defined by her intellect and devotion to her friends. So even though she was played by the wonderful Emma Watson in eight massively popular Harry Potter movies, why shouldn’t Hermione be depicted as black?
Rowling’s books were always clearly aware of the magic world’s version of racism, and even eugenics, where wizards of “pure” blood were seen by some to be superior, and “mud bloods” like Hermione had to fight against prejudice. So making Hermione a woman of color isn’t just O.K. based on the book’s description; it makes even more sense given what her character goes through. Let’s face it, on Broadway eventually—it will be a chance to see a whole new side of a character they thought they already knew. How often does something that magical happen?

Ronald Weasley, Hermoine Granger, and Rose Granger from
the sets of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"

The writer of this series. J.K.Rowling was apparently overjoyed with the new casting of Hermoine Granger. She tweeted :- "Canon: Brown eyes, frizzy hair, and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermoine. :* "

The very fact that, actors like, Sir Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Danny Glover, Morgan Freeman, Eddie Murphy, Whoopie Goldberg, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett and so on have given added colour in their own way to this affluent industry we all crave for, (and they are all black!) shows that it's not a situation out of place but it's your minds which are. Such racistic approach and prejudice have impaired the people in general from the fascination that's hidden in the world. In simple terms, people who are obstinate about the change are missing out to discern the diversity in the play. So, you either realize the meaning that the character brings out or sulk in your bigotry!

All the best Noma! Cast your like no wizard ever could! 

All you need to know about the "BREXIT"

What is Brexit?Have you heard about the term 'Bremain' or 'Lexit'?

No? Not to worry.The following article will help you get the basic understanding,even if you are a dummy.

WHY IS BRITAIN EVEN HAVING A EU REFERENDUM?

Back in the last general elections that was apparently projecting a Conservative defeat,the then Prime Minister David Cameron assured his countrymen that he would hold a referendum whether his country will stay within the EU or not,in case he became the Prime Minister for a second term.

Why did he do so? Apparently,the British counterpart of Donald Trump, minus a billion dollar empire and the lunacy, Nigel Farage (leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party,dubbed as UKIP) was leading a campaign of xenophobia and hate politics. In order to tackle Farage and his co.,Cameron promised holding a EU referendum. More than three years after Cameron unveiled his strategy to reform Europe and put it to a referendum, Britain has voted to leave and the Prime Minister has resigned.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THE TERMS 'BREXIT' AND 'LEXIT'?

Decoding the terms used during the referendum doesn't utilize more than a couple of brain cells.

    'BREXIT' stands for Britain's EXIT from the European Union and talks about a broader mass. It puts forward the argument of closing the borders, not allowing the illegal migration of thousands. It also opposes the terms and conditions put forward by the EU. Britain sends the EU 350 million pounds a week. They believe that money can be utilized for reforming the services in their own country.

    'BREMAIN' stands for Britain's REMAIN in the European Union. It puts forward the argument that for every one pound sent to the EU,Britain gets back 10 in the form of investments and jobs.They believe that a better,reformed Europe is possible and the change needs to be brought from within.

    'LEXIT' stands for the Left Wing's idea of an EXIT from the European Union. It puts forward the argument that the policies of the EU are extremely right wing and neo-liberal. Almost zero job security and myopic workers' rights are the main reasons cited by this camp. Basically,the camp wants to build a socialist nation from within, outside the jurisdiction of a right wing force.

Now that we have a basic idea of the referendum, let us see who led the three campaigns.

    BREXIT: Although many Conservative and right wing politicans have led a case for Britain's Exit from the European Union, the main credits go to MP Boris Johnson of the Conservative Party and Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party.

    BREMAIN: This campaign was led by various fronts, but not as an united front. The Prime Minister  David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne, of the Conservative party were leading the campaign on one hand. On the other hand,Jeremy Corbyn (Leader of the Labour Party), John McDonell (Shadow Chancellor), Gordon Brown (ex Labour Prime Minister) and the infamous Tony Blair (responsible for starting the Iraq War) were leading it on the other hand. Interesting to note is, Jeremy Corbyn never shared a stage with any Conservative politican or his Blairite colleagues, thus reaffirming his character.

Jeremy Corbynn

    LEXIT: Many socialists and communists, along with hard left Labour MPs, were leading the Lexit campaign. This campaign was mostly managed by MP Alex Gordon and MP George Galloway. It also had the backbone support of MP Dennis Skinner (The classiest 85 year old man to live on Planet Earth).


BRITAIN HAS CHOSEN 'BREXIT'/'LEXIT',WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT.BUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW?


It is the greatest disaster to befall the block in its 59-year history. The road ahead is unclear. No state has left the European Union before, and the rules for exit  – contained in Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon – are brief. Mr Cameron resigned as Prime Minister shortly after 8am, announcing that he thinks Britain should have a new Prime Minister in his place by the start of the Conservative conference in October.  He will leave the task of triggering Article 50 to his successor. The EU's leadership has demanded Britain activate Article 50 exit talks "as soon as possible" as they attempt to end the uncertainty over the bloc, "however painful that process may be".

President Tusk, President Schulz and Prime Minister Rutte met this morning in Brussels upon the invitation of European Commission President Juncker.

"Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty. We have rules to deal with this in an orderly way. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union sets out the procedure to be followed if a Member State decides to leave the European Union," the official statement said."We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the United Kingdom regarding the terms and conditions of its withdrawal from the European Union."

Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, has said it is ready to intervene to steady the markets. Central bankers from Japan to Switzerland have also offered to step in to provide additional liquidity - a measure not seen since the financial crisis.

On Saturday, the foreign ministers of the founding six member states – France, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy and Belgium – will meet to discuss the implications of the British vote.

• David Cameron will next see his counterparts at a European Council summit on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

• The deal, struck after months of negotiation last summer, has evaporated under a ‘self-destruct’ clause.

• He will be under intense pressure to activate Article 50 and commence exit negotiations. Leaders do not want to be drawn into months and years of haggling over Britain’s status: “Out is out,” Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday.

• Article 50 – and a new deal

• Triggering Article 50, formally notifying the intention to withdraw, starts a two-year clock running. After that, the Treaties that govern membership no longer apply to Britain.  The terms of exit will be negotiated between Britain’s 27 counterparts, and each will have a veto over the conditions.

• It will also be subject to ratification in national parliaments, meaning, for example, that Belgian MPs could stymie the entire process.

• Two vast negotiating teams will be created, far larger than those seen in the British renegotiation. The EU side is likely to be headed by one of the current Commissioners.

• Untying Britain from the old membership is the easy bit. Harder would be agreeing to a new trading relationship, establishing what tariffs and other barriers to entry are permitted, and agreeing on obligations such as free movement. Such a process, EU leaders claim, could take another five years.

British Prime Minister David Cameron resigned after
Brexit results.

HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO LEAVE THE EU?

It would take a minimum of two years for the UK to leave the EU. During that time Britain would continue to abide by EU treaties and laws - however it would not take part in any decision making.


WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING THAT TIME?

The UK would have to thrash out the terms of its departure. Issues would include what financial regulations would still apply to the City of London, trade tariffs and movement rights of EU citizens and UK nationals. The agreement would have to be ratified both by the European council and the parliament in Strasbourg.


HOW WOULD BREXIT IMPACT THE EU?

Some people in the EU community believe that Britain quitting its membership could encourage other nations to follow suit with referendums of their own - or demand tailor-made deals of their own.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED ALREADY?

Britain has already lost 172 billion pounds over a single night,the pound has reached a new low since 1984,magnanimous job cuts are expected and trade investments are likely to fall sharply.

The real effects of Brexit will be visible after a couple of years.Whether it will be for a better Britain or a worse one,will be the question of the hour .For all we know,2016 is going to be a marked date in our sons' and daughters' history books.


Article by :- Saptarshi Majumder.

Top 10 Places in Kolkata

With the torture of the sun reducing with every passing day, people coming down to this city of joy who are looking for a place to hangout, well here I am with my suggestions. Unlike the other articles showing the cultural side and the rich heritage of itellectuals hub, I am here with some off beat places to 'chill'.

1. Dhakuria Lake
One of the cleanest and freshest places in the city, this place is perfect for a romantic evening. No matter how sunny the day this, entering the gates of Dhakuria Lake, you would just be welcoming a sack of oxygen and eyeful of greenery. What is even better, is that this place is actually well maintained by the govt .and is also easily accessible. So the next time you are looking for a natural retreat, Dhakuria lake is the place you'd want to be in.



2. Jadavpur University Worldview
Now, amidst all the revolutionary minds, the budding engineers, the artsy stoners and the arguing intellectuals, Worldview is a place for ultimate chill, or as the city calls it, 'lyadh'. Unlike the crazy side produced on media, JU ambience is overly welcoming. The place where sharey teen (a three legged dog) and don (the dogfather) greets you with their constant tail wagging and puppy face. The ranges of topic discussed varies from political scenario, literature discussion, sports, music scenes and topping it all, jamming sessions.



3. Ahiritola Ghat
Now, the last two places named were somewhat modern, but here is Ahiritola Ghat. With other ghats being beautified with blue and white paints, new artworks etc, this place was left ignored. That, that is the plus point. The old world charm is enough to give you the chills. Indian Renaissance paintings on walls, Babas and localities busy smoking grass. This place is the apt place for jotting down new poems and songs. Also, number of boats and ferries cross the ganga and drop you off at Howrah, and
that ride is something no one should miss.



4. Tibetian Delight
Looking for a homely surrounding with decent fooding? Tibetian Delight in Rabinda Sadan is your answer. Aunty makes amazing momos and if you're lucky, you might just get to hear stories from her about her childhood and struggles. Keeping our in-city cuisine aside, a Calcuttan enjoys street Chinese the most. Now add good vibes to it, Tibetian Delight is the place to be.



5. Paramount Cafe
Boasting about holding revolutionary minds and being the oldest juice joint in the city, Paramount Cafe was one of its kind when it opened doors amidst the caffe and tea cebtered adda minds. Sherbet will never taste the same after a drink at Paramount. Visited by college students mostly, this is a must on a street foodie's list.



6. Lawn on Sudder Street
Now, all these places were all amazing. All beautiful and good vibes. But now, this place, this place is my favourite in the city. A hipster place holding jams, freestyle rap sessions and of course, lyadh. The most essential thing, lyadh is at it's ultimate. Oh and, to all the save floating minds, yes this place is all chill about lighting up the doobie and having a good time.



7. Momo I Am
Well, here I am dealing with extremities. This Chinese joint near Lords' is  a place buzzing with youngsters of all kinds. Especially those looking for a rather less expensive date with good music and amazing street vibe. With the owner being one of the biggest intiators of the Kolkata graffiti scene, the walls are nothing less than a New York street side. And the food, this is one of those places where quality is given top priority. Also, for the selfieholics out there, it is a pretty sick place for urban backgrounds.



8. Lake Gardens Warehouse
Right under the flyover, this worn out warehouse is the budding place for the young skaters, graffiti artist, dancers and cyclists. With the whole warehouse and surrounding walls painted with colourful and contrasting graffiti, this place is the closest that you can get to European subways. An amazing place for hanging around, getting good pictures clicked, working on your hobbies, this place is all about chill and stability. Mainly visited by youngsters this place is also great for an evening walk.

9. Princep Ghat
Yes, I had to name this place. Let's face, atleast once you have wanted to visit this place Be it just out of curiosity or even for a new profile picture clicked by pseudo photographer friend zoned guy. Princep Ghat is one of the most romantic places you'll ever be in Calcutta. With the Ganges showing off her beauty and lush green grass, this place is the more urban and adaptive version of grounds Tagore and Ray used to write about. And here is a tip, if you land up there ever with your girl, don't forget to take a walk till Esplanade. One of the best walks in the city



10. Esplanade to College Street tram ride
Now now, calm down. I know what you're thinking, this is it. The best of the best. It is like one of those things which you have to do when you're in Kolkata. A tram ride is necessity. And why the Esplanade to College Street ride? Because I prefer the transition you get to see, the modern to the old Calcutta. As eye candy as it is,  no matter which route you choose, a Kolkata tram ride will always be hearted.



So yes, this is the list of top 10 places to chill in Kolkata. To better addas and modern youth gatherings, this is for all the lost teenagers looking for a place to chill. Or, with the current weather, lying down at your place with good music and good people around you is also acceptable. Cheers!


AUTHOR-
Jyotishika Paul

MOVIE REVIEW: RAMAN RAGHAV 2.0

Straight from Cannes Film Festival  2016 :- 

Raman Raghav 2.0 is a love story. Now, you might think, the guy is out of his mind because that is hardly a conclusion one would draw after the trailer and in-your-face-it's-terribly-violent-film promotions. But Anurag Kashyap isn't a man known for subtleties, so he made things obvious in the film title itself  'Raman Raghav', like you know, 'Romeo Juliet', only this is not your ideal daily dose of romance.


'This film is NOT about him', says the title card at the beginning of the film, after giving you a brief biography about the notorious serial killer from 60's Bombay, indicating the Auteur is here to have some fun. And immediately, 10 mins into the film you are right into the atypical world, intricately crafted by Kashyap's kitsch and the gritty premise of an electrifying, nerve-bending night-club sequence, where the predator(read one of our lovers) lures his prey(the newcomer Sobhita Dhulipala) into his vicious circle of nose-powder and viagra. Well, he is Vicky Kaushal, the cop aka Raghav, who you think is your Hero but he isn't.


He is pretty much the mirror image of the notorious mass murderer, Raman a.k.a Nawazuddin Siddiqui. With a footlong scar in his forehead and piercing sinister eyes he is 'God's own CCTV camera', or so he calls himself. From killing his own sister and wearing her earrings and then treating himself to a chicken dinner in the very apartment he murdered the whole family, to non-chalantly discussing his murdering prowess with random strangers from the street, Raman is absolutely menacing as the scarily delusional, yet enticing psychotic killer on the spree! But then, he is also a hopeless romantic and hence he wishes to pass on his philosophy of killing (just for the purity of it, without any cause-effect relation) to Raghav, who he sees as his fellow comrade or simply as the other side of the same coin. So, it is the journey of Raman making sense to Raghav's inner conscience and thus propelling Raghav to take it forward which looks like a great premise for a sequel.

And that is basically the plot or maybe the lack of it. In spite of being predictable, extremely genre-specific, and almost sans any detailing of female characters (no variations, often mistreated which again might be intentional going by his previous works), Raman Raghav works mainly because of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's unmatched performance that fetched him a standing ovation at Cannes and Anurag Kashyap's handling of the grotesque and the innate ambiguity of human characters. From Black Friday-esque chase sequences and uncannily funny interrogation scenes, to charred heroes, multi-location narrative, to bombastic use of music, Raman Raghav is Kashyap's familiar territory, a place he had made his own over the years. Though Vicky Kaushal looks alright for the confused lawman, he is the weak link when it comes to his turn of mirror-imaging of what Nawaz is doing at complete ease: The Gratuitous Violence.



So there might be two possible audience outcomes from the film. One, the maddening Kashyap fanatics who would absolutely thrive on it, (especially after Bombay Velvet) and the other kind, who'd feel this is a 'safe' Anurag Kashyap film where he hasn't done anything revolutionary or out of the ordinary. I am however, stuck somewhere in between.





About Abhiroop Basu  :-





Abhiroop Basu is a independent filmmaker, and a graduate from St.Xavier's college Kolkata. His film "Afternoon with Julia" had an official selection at the Cannes short film corner this year. Another film of his "The Day after Tomorrow" has won multiple awards throughout the country.

Is India truly ours?

                     

                                 

Isn’t it notable that, when we are small, our surroundings seem so big to us? Perhaps due to our short stature, our eyes imagine that our world- and the people making up our world- are big. But, with age and the series of experiences that enrich our minds, that once huge, magnificent world becomes ridiculously small, almost trivial. And the people we encounter- save those who unconditionally love us- appear to be meaner and narrow-minded in aspect.

The same can be said about the attitude towards the State. As children, we are given the Impression that we live in a country that is “ours”, that is ruled by “us” by the “free will” of the people, and “we” bear the ultimate sovereign power. Little by little, by (un)conscious indoctrination and propaganda both in the society and in our educational syllabuses, we are led to believe that India is a great country for which people shed the very last drop of their blood; but ultimately, all credit goes to Gandhi and Nehru. No mention is made of the Revolutionaries (who were active in the 1920s and early 30s); nor of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukh Dev- and, by extension, the entire Hindustan Socialist Republican Association; little mention is made of the Swarajists and their brief but significant contributions; and the Royal Indian Naval Mutiny of 1946 hardly makes an appearance. Even Bose, whose heroic struggle demands attention, is left out. And we have to deal with the (almost) pro-Congress line that Gandhi, and Gandhi alone, was able to lead the Congress to win India’s independence!

Some, and that is to say, most of us don’t really care about the discrepancies in the histo-graphical narrative regarding India’s independence. As it is, education in India is for the sake of getting your hands on a high-salaried job either in a multi-national corporation or in the government. As long as we have our easy-going lives, no one would care about what we are taught or what happens to the people around you hereafter. Rarely and very rarely, comes a person or a group who delve deep and ponder on issues that others may deem it as unnecessary. Time would tell that whether I belong to those fortunate few. But in the twenty years of my life that I have lived, I think I have earned the right to ask just a single question:

Is India truly ours?

The answer is simply a string of complications, like some titanic ball of yarn. Like frogs in a well, most of us would only look on to the entangled lines that make up our world, our very lives and most of us would be happy with that, even contented. And then, who would even take the trouble to realize that what one knows holds dear, is nothing more than a big lie, in Orwellian proportions? Orwell spoke of an orthodoxy, and such an orthodoxy can be best described in the terms of the Matrix Trilogy. Our lives, our ideals, our rights are nothing more than a simulation, a make-believe ingrained into your head since childhood, almost hammered into place. And most of us would be happy with a wooden placard hammered into our minds, making us believe that India is “ours”, “we” rule India.

So I ask again:


Is India truly ours?

When the simulation ends, when the veil lifts, you will be in denial at first. Most would reject this realization as another lie, probably made for selfish political ends. Some would come to terms with the truth, some won’t. And those who reconcile to the truth, will echo my question:

Is India truly ours?

We find ourselves alienated, almost pushed out of the psychological state of blindly believing that India is ours. We are strangers, so to speak. Now a new question takes root in our minds:
If we do not rule India, then who does?

India belongs, first, to those who actually believe “India” and “Hindu” are synonymously interchangeable. They equate national life with the spiritual life within Hinduism. They believe that only Hindus are permitted to the land because their holy-sites are in the Subcontinent. India primarily belongs to those folks who think Hindus are some kind of Nazi Herrenvolk and others are the Untermensch (inferior).

Next, India belongs to the rich, upper classes, the tycoons of finance capital and industry. Their real and sole motive is profit and monetary gain, and they ruthlessly exploit the large masses of workers- especially in the private sector. Whether you sit in front of a computer or an ordinary cement-mixer, they (the corporate) won’t care about you. Like tissue paper, they will use you and then throw you away. Any kind of philanthropy or social obligatory work that they do is a mere public-relations stunt. And these rich blokes often offer support to the people, described above.

And these two, whether inside or outside the government, are successful in creating the third type of people to whom India belongs to- the people who think that India “belongs” to them.

 Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you India, their India.


Article by :- Anush Ghosh.





Disclaimer : The views presented in the article is that of the author's. The organisation's viewpoint shouldn't be confused with the same.

Orlando: A Night of Terror

Forty-nine people died dancing. Well, they did not exactly dance to their last breath. There was terror, panic, pain in the end. But minutes before, they had danced, kissed, engaged in amorous activities, sexual activities.



By now everyone knows about the gunman who opened fire upon forty nine people at a gay nightclub. It is easy to speculate a kind of backstory to the attacker. We can assume he was a radical, a mad fanatic. His crime was directed against people of the LGBT community. He was enraged at the sight of two men kissing. Yet, he availed gay dating apps, is suspected to have been gay himself. What was his terror directed against, then? People who could own up to their sexuality which he himself could not? People satisfactorily in love? People who accepted themselves? People he could not be, and hence whom he hated? It can be speculated that Omar Mateen's act of terror was actually terror that spilled out from within himself- terror, the bite of which his own heart felt.

Because the worst of human beings cannot escape this affliction- the presence of this pulsating thing called the heart.

The people who died at the nightclub died moments after dancing. They were happy in that moment. One of them had been Snapchatting. Omar Mateen, on the other hand, died after he had spilled blood, consumed perhaps by his own hatred.



The world lost happy lovers. Their death was wrong, undeserved, untimely. Their loved ones lost loved ones and there can be no pain greater than that. But right now, I can think of one- just the one.

And that is the pain of being Omar Mateen. The pain of being the perpetrator of crime as grave as this. It is the pain of every terrorist, every murderer. It is the pain of the people who disrupt lives, sever bonds, stop hearts, spill crimson across dancefloors. It is also their own blood they spill. They are always on a suicide mission. It is their own souls that they destroy in the process. While thousands mourn the loss of innocent lives, let us also mourn the presence of the outstanding burden of blind hatred that looms over our society. This hatred has no cause, no reason, no logic- just a deep, ancient root. Let us mourn the spurring of Omar Mateens by our society.



Again, like everything, it starts with the individual. It starts with one simple "You faggot!"

I've had friends in this very city that have been called names, teased, bullied. It's the same story, nothing you haven't heard before. It is commonplace, so that the harrowing details may only bore the average reader. I won't look for novel ways to express that oppression. If the recent incident has not already shocked you, my words will not manage to do the job.

I have one question to ask the readers. If you are homophobic, or "weirded out" by gay people, or scared that one of them of the same gender as you might flirt with you (oh, the horror of being flirted with), I have one thing to tell you: there is one thing in common between phobia, hatred, condemnation. They are all like a two-way pistol, one end of which invariably points towards the perpetrator's heart.

With condemning Omar Mateen, we ourselves burn for the kind of violence we have all made possible. I have made it possible. You have made it possible.

While our Prime Minister sheds tears over the kind of violence that his own country reinforces under his own rule, I have one question to ask my fellow inhabitants of Kolkata. Are YOU gay in the City of Joy?




- SHAONI S.

Lights. Camera. Cannes

                 
               "There are two kinds of people, one who drink Espresso, and the rest!"

His movie is a homage to the long gone era of Parisian Utopia. A symphonic ode to the state of existence, romantics, cinephiles, and lovers want to be in. For the cinephiles specifically, the French New Wave Era of directors has been romanticised by many, while many have drawn inspiration from it. Abhiroop Basu falls into that list. A movie abundant in Truffaut's, Godard's and other French directors' references is the product of it. As a topic, it's neither preachy, nor a very introspective one. But a simple regular conversation between two lovers, Anthony played by Samadarshi Dutta, and Julia, played by Neha Panda, where they share their respective illusions about life, and their deepest fantasies. Ample references from Jules et Jim, Band of Outsiders and the Red Baloon have ornamented this movie, and one cannot skip the reference to  Woody Allen's classic "Midnight in Paris" when Julia talks about that crazy night where she stood in front of Trinca's waiting for her Uttam Kumar to take her out for a romantic ride, but was mistaken for a whore by two hippies, and asked to accompany them. Much like the movie where the French innovation, the fourth wall, has been conveniently broken, at the end of the movie its quite hard to distinguish yourself from reality of the characters portrayed in the movie, and the neat jump cuts, have been more than just successful in this case.

The essence of a short film is felt much after the film has actually ended. That's the harmony the camera wishes to strike, and Abhiroop Basu's film "Afternoon with Julia" will leave you at your wit's end gasping for an emotion to react with. The director's love for cinema, has intertwined with his love for Paris quite subtly because you know,


      "What's Paris without cinema, and cinema without Paris?"

Neha Panda and Samadarshi Dutta from the sets of
"Afternoon with Julia"

Q: Who is your favourite director among the New Wave lot?

I love Truffaut, and Resnais. But then it has to be Godard. If you look at the person, his stylistic changes, and the daring attempts he made, was path breaking. Every film of his has something different to offer us cinematically. Has to be Godard, any day.



Q: Some critics say that Godard's influence is going down by the day, he is losing his appeal. What would be your take on that?

Although, I do not personally feel any levity in such arguments, I do happen to know certain critics and cinephiles who feel Godard's implementations are a tad bit unnecessary to a certain level. I believe someone has to do that constant experimentation. Someone has to innovate, and change things continuously so that we get something new every time we go for a movie. Godard is that director. In a world full of filmmakers who're contented with their safe zones, we always need a Godard.


Q: Why does French New Wave appeal to you so much?

One word. The audacity.
Francois Truffaut made "Jules Et Jim" in 1962. That says it all.



Q: Where did you draw this concept about "Afternoon with Julia"?

Samadarshi Dutta, and Abhiroop Basu (right) from the sets of
"Afternoon with Julia"

Everyone is so fast these days, even when it comes to love. You go out with a person for a few days, it doesn't appeal to you and you start dating someone else. People are so judgemental these days. If one listens to Honey Singh, he/she is crass, and if one wears a kurta and flaunts a cigarette while talking about Camus and Sartre, he/she becomes a pseudo-intellectual. My point was to go back to that age where the characters were free. In a world, where people weren't so judgemental about every action you take. A film about two people, lovers or acquaintances, we don't know, just two people who are fond of each other, two cinephiles who'd just talk..talk about Paris, Godard, life and illusions! And that's how the film should begin and end, just a conversation.

              .  "We are a part of this dream, as a part of this grand illusion that is life."



Q: Tell us about your trip to Cannes?

Cannes was... oh! (GASPS), An experience of a lifetime, yes! I never thought I would be able to reach this point, even while I was making this film. I was in awe of Cannes,! It's an Utopian dream. Cannes is THE place for fashion. Everyone looks like a Hollywood star, dressed in their best. And as a matter of fact, everyone is dressed in their best, always! Day and Night! The best thing about Cannes is probably their hospitality. Everywhere you go, anywhere you go.. be it a cafe or just random streets, people will always greet you and help you if you need anything! They are very approachable people, who love the fact that you are there. That's the vibe I got in Cannes.

Q: The most breathtaking moment?

There was this movie "Cinema Travellers", which was selected for the "Cine Classic" section, a documentary, by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya which went on to win the Special Jury Cannes Award. You do realise how big a thing this is, I hope? So after the screening they were invited to speak, and in front of the audience Shirley broke down into tears. I still have goosebumps whenever I think about it, and you know, I could relate to every emotion she went through while making this film. I started crying myself. I could feel the efforts that she had put into this movie, and this is why we make films, to be there in that platform. I have barely seen such good movies, and this is the only movie after "Cinema Paradiso" which moved me so much. Although it's pretty disappointing to see such paltry media coverage about it.


Q: So how was being in Paris finally like?

Well I think my illusion about Paris was a better one than what it is in reality. The very first day I landed there, someone robbed me off 200 Euros. But yes, I loved the place. The city has an essence of its own.

Q: You met Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap and Q over there? How did the interaction go?

Nawaz Sir is a very calm and composed character. I didn't talk to him much. Anurag Sir,on the other hand,is one of the coolest and sweetest person I have ever come across. He's really funny and witty.
The very first thing he told me was, "Now that Cannes has happened. Forget it and start afresh."
 His insights into the film business was a revelation for me. Q is again one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. Honestly, you can't locate this person with the eminent filmmaker that he is.

Anurag Kashyap and Abhiroop Basu, as a part of the panel meet

Abhiroop Basu with Nawazuddin Siddiqui at Cannes.

Q: How did you approach Neha Panda and Samadarshi Dutta for the movie?


Neha was quite impressed with my movie "The Day after Tomorrow" (click on the text to watch the movie), and when I approached her with the script, she became interested in the project. When I read it out, the interest was only confirmed. I happen to be friends with someone who knows Samadarshi da. Ironically, he had never been in a short movie prior to this, and I doubt he'll ever be so in the future.  Both of them were very cooperative as soon as they heard the script.

Neha Panda and Samadarshi Dutta from the sets of
"Afternoon with Julia".