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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a...

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a familiar script where an allegedly unassuming public figure embraces personal sacrifice and a reluctant government buckles under mounting moral pressure. But history does not repeat itself on command. Anna Hazare’s fast in 2011 succeeded not because fasting possesses mystical political powers, but because it rode a tidal wave of public anger against corruption. Millions identified with the cause. That equation is conspicuously absent today. The platform that ought to have belonged to students who suffered from the NEET paper leak, or to parents whose children bore its consequences, instead became crowded with the usual constellation of professional activists, ideological campaigners and political fellow travellers. The faces dominating the stage were not those most directly affected by the scandal. A movement demanding educational accountability gradually came to look like another gathering of Delhi’s permanently aggrieved activist class. Even Wangchuk appeared to sense the contradiction. During the protest he reportedly lamented that while he was observing an indefinite fast, many around him were happily eating meals, urging at least a token one-day fast in solidarity. Successful protest movements depend upon authenticity. Once the public begins suspecting that an individual is being deployed less as a leader than as a moral accessory for someone else’s ideological project, sympathy quickly evaporates. Nor does Wangchuk arrive without controversy. Questions have been raised over the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, the educational organisation associated with him, and over allegations regarding subsequent foreign funding arrangements. Critics have also challenged aspects of the carefully cultivated public mythology surrounding his achievements, from the origins of the ice-stupa concept to the popular belief that he inspired the protagonist of 3 Idiots. These matters deserve scrutiny on their own merits rather than hagiography or character assassination. The greater failure here surely belongs to the protest’s organisers. The CJP has mistaken optics for momentum and symbolism for public sentiment. Instead of allowing the victims of the NEET scandal to speak for themselves, they attempted to manufacture another national conscience by placing a familiar face at the centre of the stage. Political legitimacy cannot be outsourced to celebrity. Nor can mass movements be assembled from social-media influencers and habitual protesters. Anna Hazare became powerful because the public chose him. Attempts to manufacture his successor merely underline how rare such moments really are.

‘Scary to see parts of LA burning from my window’

Updated: Jan 20, 2025

A resident Sai Pethe shares her experiences, recalling the profoundly said feeling of anticipating if her house would be next while watching several parts of the city burning

LA burning

While many lost their homes in the deadly wildfires that swept through California, particularly in Los Angeles, several survivors who lived just close to the most affected region, were not the direct victims of the fire, however they saw the devastation happening with their own eyes. 26-year-old Sai Pethe, an Indian origin US citizen who has been living in Los Angeles for the last two years has a pool of experiences to share when she saw most parts of her city burning from the window of her own house, fearfully speculating if she would lose her house next.


Speaking to ‘The Perfect Voice’, Pethe said, “Last week, there were about five minutes when I believed I had to evacuate due to a false alarm from the fire department. A blaring alert on our phones instructed us to evacuate, but it turned out the warning was only meant for a smaller neighborhood closer to the fires. During those five minutes, I had to evaluate everything in my surroundings to decide what to pack. It was a very scary and profoundly sad feeling—sitting in my home while watching parts of my city burn.”


Pethe, who is a Portfolio Specialist at the University of Southern California lives just outside Santa Monica, and her neighborhood was never in the evacuation zone. Her house is located slightly outside the possible evacuation area and her locality was placed in a “Red Alert” warning zone. This meant there were weather conditions that could potentially ignite a fire in the area. A combination of dry weather and a particularly rainless year created the perfect conditions for a large fire to start and spread.


On Saturday, reports said that The city of Santa Monica announced that all evacuation warnings within its city limits have been lifted, following significant progress in containing the Palisades Fire. Residents in all areas north of San Vicente Boulevard, previously under an evacuation warning, are now cleared to return home. Containment of the Palisades Fire has now reached 43 per cent.


Wildfires sweeping through the Los Angeles region have so far resulted in close to 27 deaths, and have forced thousands of residents to evacuate, and destroyed over 12,000 buildings. The affected area spans more than 160 sq km, an expanse larger than the city of San Francisco. Among the worst-hit areas are the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, and Hurst regions.


While investigation is underway with a lot of theories leading to the cause of fire are being probed, this is believed to be the deadliest fire in the history of America, which seemed impossible to be contained by the richest and the most equipped country like the US.


Pethe pointed out, “This is a life-threatening effect of climate change. Governments worldwide have failed to protect our planet from the irreversible effects of climate change caused by carbon emissions. The Santa Ana winds that fueled the LA wildfires were significantly stronger this year, causing the fires to spread rapidly. At times, the fires seemed almost impossible to contain, even with the resources of a well-funded fire department.”


LA has been battling the crisis for over two weeks now, while several incidents like theft were reported too in the areas, where for example, burning houses were looted, a situation being misused by anti-social elements. However, predominantly a sentiment of helping each other face the situation prevailed in Los Angeles. “Throughout this crisis, the people of LA have come together to show care, support, and compassion for the communities most impacted by the fires. We’ve pooled our resources to donate supplies, food, and shelter to the best of our abilities,” said Pethe.


Lauding the fearless effort of the firefighters who worked day in and day out amid harsh weather conditions to bring the blaze under control, Pethe also highlighted the gesture of the international neighbours to provide help. “It was heartwarming to see our international neighbors to the north and south send helicopters, fire jets, and firefighters to assist in the effort,” said Pethe.

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