INDIA SPEAKS

13May

After 25 years of conducting polls, I finally voted

 D Venkatesan, 52, government servant, Pune

Government servant

What India has just witnessed is the largest electoral exercise seeking change. I could feel the tectonic plates shifting beneath my feet! I am a common man; middle-class, mid-50s, who goes to office at 8 in the morning and returns home by 6pm. I always wanted to be part of the system by at least casting a vote. It was finally possible after 25 years on April 17, 2014, when I voted for the first time.

I am a central government employee and work for a water research station in Pune. Every time during elections, the expected routine for those few days would be to complete election duty. I have most of the time been assigned to far-off constituencies. And by the time our duty is over, it is too late to even think of casting our vote. There is something called the postal ballot form that get issued; but technical glitches were such that my vote never reached on time. However, this year, fortunately, I was not assigned any duty! The day I came to know that, I heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, I could vote, that too in the most important election, when my country faces a revolutionary road.

Since the past few months, more than politics, government or even office, media has overpowered our lives. I began to feel that there was a whole new side to choosing the right candidate. I began to feel as though the news channels were indirectly telling me every night at prime time whom to vote for!

The anxiety of being a first-time voter after 25 years was there in me. We have seen corruption, unemployment, and a lot of other issues. Change is something that our country needs. That was a definitive ground for me, to understand and cast my vote to the rightful candidate. There may be politicians who use social media to attract the masses, and there may be others who play the blame-game and expose others. I didn’t let any of the ‘limelight’ influence my vote. My vote was a choice made taking into account each and every one’s work.

When I went up to the polling booth early that morning, I noticed a lot of chaos just a few yards away. There was a huge crowd of people, frantically flipping pages of books, trying to browse through. This was the condition in many other booths, because a lot of people were disappointed to not find their names in the list. There had been discrepancies in the way the EC officials had pooled in papers and the list lacked information about a lot of potential voters. They promised to make the changes before the next elections.

Fortunately, my name was there. I had been given a chance after 25 years to be part of the system and feel responsible for it. That is why, my vote mattered. It will, I am sure, make the due difference!

As told to Deepa Venkatesan. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

Photo: D Venkatesan in Jammu & Kashmir, during an unrelated event.

This story was also published on WoNoBo.com, our media partner.

5May

‘Of all parties, only the BJP is assured of the contempt of the 190 million Muslims of India. Yet it’s expected to win’

Manu Joseph, journalist, author

Manu Joseph, journalist, author

For me, elections assume different forms. At one level they are the revenge of the poor. Everybody talks about corruption; the branding of corruption is very strong. But the real voter is different from what political observers and the middle class perceive. He has issues more important than corruption. He is willing to condone corruption if he is impressed with the politician. Some even see it [corruption] as smartness, maybe as a sign of the ability to get things done.

I strongly feel that the AAP [the Aam Aadmi Party, which came into being in November 2012 as an anti-corruption party] has changed the political scenario more than the media realises and sometimes even more than they [the members of the AAP] themselves realise. They were exactly what people wanted, but the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] has managed to control most of the mainstream media very efficiently. Recently, a survey stated that Arvind Kejriwal [the founder of the AAP] has more media coverage [than Narendra Modi, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate]. This is just media spin. Kejriwal has got a lot of bad publicity, which is not exactly the same as publicity. So if one is trying to spin media statistics, saying that Kejriwal has been favoured by the media, it is absolute rubbish. What Kejriwal has done is pressurise political parties to transform. For the first time, members of political parties who are corrupt and thug-like are being perceived as probable liabilities. This in itself is revolutionary.

The reason why all this is happening, in my opinion, is because the lure of emigrating abroad has died down. Culturally, a lot of Indians are happier living here than in the First World. By culturally, I mean India’s social pyramid, in which the middle class has a protected and cushy life. This has made ‘home’ very important. The middle class has a great power to disseminate information. Everything from cricket to culture to information has percolated the social pyramid mainly from this class. The need for meaningful politics is a middle class requirement. That is where this revolution began.

The ‘Modi wave’ as Narendra Modi’s popularity has been tagged, was first an exaggeration. But the media has succeeded in creating a wave. If one says there is no wave surrounding a person, it means that there is one. The ‘wave’ is an ‘investment’ in media. Not all media, but yes, a bit of it. And I am given to understand that Rahul Gandhi [the vice-president of the Congress party] had a strategy of governance that included alienating opportunists and cleaning up the system to some extent. This ensured that many businessmen went directly to Modi, instead of playing both cards.

Which brings us to the role of the regional parties. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, more than 350 parties contested. To some, this may seem a nuisance since it creates a lot of confusion for a national-level government, but the regional parties actually represent various factions and sections of society and serve as a pressure valve. There are no major uprisings in India because every group feels that it is politically represented — except for women. This is strange, because women constitute 50 per cent of society. All the other groups have a fair representation. But these ‘divisions’ lead to coalition politics.

Because Uttar Pradesh and Bihar form a large chunk of north India, the whole concept of what constitutes national interest is a bit skewed. I am from the southern part of India, and when I hear people talk about national politics, they largely talk about these two big states. This misconception has singlehandedly destroyed the concept of national politics. [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee [the former Prime Minister of India] once said, you cannot become a prime minister if you don’t pass UP. But this false perception has to change.

I think people vote because they strongly believe that it is important to do so. I also know that a section of society feels that voting is not all that important. Take Mumbai as an example. Most residents of Mumbai are migrants and the middle class, who live on rent and so have no ‘stake’ in the city. So they do not turn up to vote. It is all about individual personal gain. But this election has seen a considerably large voter turnout than the last one. Not because people have become more intelligent in the last five years, but simply because more people think it is important to vote. There is greater political consciousness this time around.

However, while the middle class and social media users have created a lot of noise that one might perceive as growing political interest, the majority of Indians are poor. We do not hear their voices and they are ones who NEED the government. So for the common man and woman, the most important aspect of an election is being able to pick the person who serves his or her interest better.

You and I can say, “Yeah, yeah, we need the government too,” but the poor man’s whole livelihood and quality of life depends on the government, from hospitals to schools to everything. The poor cannot live without the government, so their stakes are very high. They want quick improvement to their lives or at least a promise to that effect. This factor has always existed, though it is fulfilled very rarely. Yes, voting also involves communal factors, caste factors and so on, but increasingly, the caste factor is making less and less sense to the Indian voter.

What amuses me in this election is that the Muslim population of India is a state secret. It is presumed to be around 190 million, and that of all the political parties in the country, only the [Hindu nationalist] BJP is assured of the contempt of this huge chunk of the population. Yet it is also the BJP which is expected to win, though I am not entirely sure about that. I want to just wait and watch.

On a positive note, I think that everything is falling into place for India. We are more politically mature, and I think that in the next 10 years, there will be a place for a political party that focuses on women and women’s issues. I do not expect this to happen, but surely there is place. I am also expecting the AAP to be more and more influential in the coming years. They have some very capable and honest leaders, and they have the power to bring about positive changes.

Also, we will know this time how influential social media can be. The good part is that politics now matters to every section of society, from Mumbai socialites to the poor. So let us wait and see how this election unfolds.

As told to Vignesh Jeyaraman. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

Manu Joseph, a columnist for the New York Times and a former editor of OPEN magazine, is the author of Serious Men and The Illicit Happiness of Other People.

This story was also published on Rediff.com, our media partner.

1May

‘We need a responsible government, a responsible opposition, a responsible media’

Dr S Varalakshmi, professor, Mumbai

Dr S Varalakshmi. Photo: Jehan Lalkaka

Nobody can escape the relevance of political science today. It’s not just about elections. Political science touches our lives in so many innocuous ways.

I’m Dr S Varalakshmi, and I have enjoyed every bit of life’s journey. With the turn of the century, after my stints as a freelance journalist and then a senior manager for corporate communications with Tata, I dabbled with teaching as a visiting faculty and liked it very much. I quit working with Tata and have since been a full time teacher as the head of the Mass Media Department at Jai Hind College, Mumbai.

I did my PhD in the literary and political writings of Nayantara Sahgal. For me, politics is a fascinating journey. It’s so interesting to see how laws are being upheld, subdued, abused and even amended to keep up with changing socio-cultural times.

I have voted in every election that has taken place since I turned 18. Moreover, I remember every candidate I have voted for. Elections for me represent empowerment. When a citizen decides himself who he thinks is the right person for a post — that’s an empowering moment.

As citizens, we express our angst against the ineptitude of our leaders and want positive change to happen. An arm-chair critic cannot bring about change unless she or he participates in the electoral process. Thus, it is the duty of every citizen to exercise her or his franchise.

Think about this: Concerns over the security of women in the country led to mass candle-light marches. Corruption within the government sparked off a wave of anger that resulted in mass movements across the country. However, on election day, do the same people who spill out on the streets to voice their opinion cast their vote?

Very often, this public outrage doesn’t translate into people exercising their right to vote.

The Election Commission has taken the right steps to promote a higher voter turnout by declaring a public holiday on the day of voting but this year, interestingly, they have come out with a number of ads encouraging people to vote.

However, public responsibility is paramount. Do people perceive this holiday as an opportunity to socialise with friends? Or as an opportunity to celebrate social responsibility?

As a professor teaching political science, I believe that political awareness amongst my students has decreased. Students 8-10 years ago had the pulse of what was happening. Note that this is my perception and does not apply to the entire country.

I constantly strive to make my students be aware of and be interested in political science. What needs to be done is to relate daily socio-political events to the theory. Only then can they connect with current-day political processes. In addition, local communities must reach out to their community members and encourage them to cast their vote. Older people who have a history of good voting patterns must explain the importance of election day to the youth.

All of the above will build a sense of awareness, and in turn, make students part of a positive change.

As a professor teaching media studies, it is interesting to see the role the media has played. Ideally, the media is supposed to provide all parties with an equal bandwidth to express themselves. They must provide an informed perspective with regard to any political ideology.

While it isn’t wrong for a media house to have an allegiance, I would look forward to them being overt about it, as seen in the USA. The reason for this is – in the Indian context – that media houses position themselves as unbiased, but covertly align themselves to a political party. This is dangerous as it misleads public opinion.

In the past few weeks, candidates have used the media as a platform to say anything and everything that comes to their minds. It has been more theatrics than anything else. This time around, the elections are personality driven, i.e., a face has been put to every party, like in the presidential form of elections. This has, as a matter of fact, increased TV viewership!

Social media played a big role during these elections, and its importance will only increase during the next elections. This is a platform that must be targeted more effectively in the years to follow.

I would like to tell our political class a few things. First, to see themselves as individuals who are serving the nation, not leaders as the word ‘neta’ suggests. And second, even after 67 years of independence, tickets are still given based on caste and religion. Don’t do that.

At the end of the day, whatever the outcome of these elections, a responsible government is what is needed. More important, a responsible opposition that won’t let the executive run away with policy making. They must play their vital role in the functioning of a democracy. But most important, we need a vigilant and responsible media that will hold the government accountable at every step of the way.

As told to Jehan Lalkaka. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. 

28Apr

‘Next elections will throw up brilliant candidates. The surge of energy today will crystallise by tomorrow’

Maheep Dhillon, 42, Film-maker, Mumbai

Maheep Dhillon, Film-maker, Mumbai

Where is Shillong anyway? In Mumbai, I’ve often had to answer that question. My father was in the air force and since he was posted in places all over the country, I know about Shillong. But every time I mention Shillong, I’m asked, where is it?

As far away and as small it may seem to people in big cities, Shillong is a thriving town, the capital of Meghalaya in the North-East. People there are fully aware of the issues that confront them and know what they want from the government and local administrators. The level of commitment among voters in Shillong is very high. I know this because I went there to shoot a movie for the Election Commission of Meghalaya and the two questions I asked, “Will you vote and why will you vote?” crushed the stereotypes about a place too far away to matter.

I want people to watch this movie not just for its message, but also to realise and acknowledge that this beautiful land is part of their country, since it’s clear that many people have no idea at all about India’s North East.

India has two strengths – our youth and our secular diversity. We may complain about our education system, but it churns out very smart people with average IQ levels much higher than anywhere else in the world. My 16-year-old daughter is much smarter than I could even imagine being when I was 20. Today, I can never say that anyone is too young to know anything. And as a country, India has managed to achieve much social and economic development. You will be amazed by the number of subcultures that exist in one small city. But despite this diversity, we manage to hold together as a nation and that’s a strength we can never undermine.

We are an amazing country, but we lack good governance and good leadership. Everyone I speak to is fed up. They are fed up of the Congress and the BJP, the two biggest national political parties, and are going the AAP way. Though they are unsure of the AAP because of its lack of a political foundation since the party came into being just recently, the shift in their thinking is primarily because AAP is projecting a new India – a corruption-free India that wants intelligent leadership.

I am a Sardarni. I was in school during the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 when Congress workers wreaked revenge on the Sikh community after Indira Gandhi [then Prime Minister of India and Congress leader] was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. I remember witnessing a surge of hatred among all of us – Sikh and non-Sikh towards the Congress. The same thing happened in Gujarat under Narendra Modi. It might be a late awakening, but people have had enough of that.

When you don’t want someone with a history of sexual molestation to be your representative, would you want someone tainted with even the idea of communal hatred to occupy the Prime Minister’s office? I don’t say this because I experienced communal violence. Thankfully, nobody I know was affected during the 1984 riots. But even had it happened to Parsis, Muslims or Hindus, I would have felt the same magnitude of hatred. Your community makes no difference to me.

I have complete antipathy towards any party with a communal past. A 55-year-old gentleman says Modi is his God.  I ask him, from what point of view are you saying this? From the point of view of economic reforms, progress or development, or because someone close to you wasn’t murdered by Modi’s supporters? When you see an accident on the road, you are saddened, but you move on. However, you have to realise that it could have happened to you.

We bleed to pay our taxes, but what do we get in return? As people, not just as women, we need personal security. If you in government don’t utilise public money well, don’t pay police forces, don’t give the public better health facilities and better education instead of plumping up your own bank accounts, we will continue to have security issues. If you don’t take quick decisions, you don’t set a good example. Your leadership cannot say things like ‘boys will make mistakes’.

I want complete accountability and infrastructural facilities from my elected government. If my road is pothole-ridden when I need to get my grandmother to the hospital, I need to know who I can catch hold of.

Our infrastructure is abysmal. The electoral ward office in my neighbourhood is a hole in the wall, manned by people with very basic levels of literacy, who are rude and unorganised. You enter and are rendered clueless. The state government website, almost predictably, keeps hanging.

I am aware that the Election Commission is a fair, autonomous body and all the gunda-gardi (thuggery) that happens, happens at the political party level. But I have no idea why there is such a dearth of organisation. If you want people to vote, shouldn’t you make the process easier?

At the electoral ward, I saw an old burqa-clad woman, holding the registration form, trying to make sense of it by asking people around. No one could help, but her persistence didn’t fade. I see this persistence among voters today and it really touches me.

I am 42 and in my adulthood, I have seen a lot of general elections but I have never before experienced this huge wave of awakening that I sense among people today. This will be the first time I vote and blatantly say that our candidates suck; that they reek of jingoism.

But I am sure of one thing: the next elections will throw up brilliant candidates. The surge of energy today will definitely crystallise by tomorrow. I relate to the AAP for its ideologies but established political parties must also give us something like the AAP. We are waiting. We are hungry for change!

As told to Apekshita Varshney. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

21Apr

‘India before Independence was the best. I miss it. I miss the old times’

Boman Kohinoor, 92, restaurateur, Mumbai

Boman Kohinoor loves India before Independence

My father started this restaurant in 1923, the same year I was born. It was the British rule then, and the Municipal Commissioner of Bombay was British. Whenever he saw any business with a British name, he got happy and granted permission to open it. That is why my father named this Britannia & Co.  

I have been running this restaurant [in Fort, Mumbai] for 75 years now. I have seen India before Independence. And Gandhiji. I used to go with my best friend to fight Gandhiji. Why? Because he wanted Partition, and we didn’t want Partition. He said, I want freedom. We used to tell him you will get freedom, but why do you want Partition? He used to say, ‘After I die, you will get freedom. I want freedom in my lifetime.’ 

Gandhiji gave his life for freedom. And we are free now. But every day there is trouble. All our jawaans [soldiers] are being killed. The political system in India is deteriorating.

I never vote. Never, never. For these politicians who are always fighting each other, killing? Never.

The other day Udhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and his cousin, Raj Thackeray’s MNS [Maharashtra Navnirman Sena] party went to file nomination papers. They fought outside. With stones. And they hit a policeman. Seriously injured him. This is hooliganism. We got freedom for all this? We are free to hit each other?

This is a very sorry state of affairs. These people are not fit to rule. They are not statesmen. They are hooligans. A statesman has to govern a country. There was a new fellow, recently, who talked a lot. He got elected as the Chief Minister of Delhi, [Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind] Kejriwal. What happened? Only 49 days.

No one in my family votes. Never. I don’t like politics. Right from childhood, I took a hatred to politics. I used to read that politics is a dirty game. And really it is a dirty game. People tell me to join it. But I don’t want to. I don’t like all this, and I am also too old.

Boman Kohinoor has run this restaurant for 75 years now

India before independence was the best. I miss it. I miss the old times. I sent this note to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. I said I wonder why Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi and thousands of other freedom fighters took the trouble of throwing the British out and declaring India independent. So many lives were lost, so much trauma endured on account of the Partition. Wouldn’t it have been easier and more expedient to simply grant Indian citizenship to the British? After all they lived in India for over 300 years. I am sure British wouldn’t have been averse to this if it had ensured the continuance of the Raj.

It’s still not too late. Let’s recall the Brits. At least they proved themselves able administrators. Let’s show the world how truly tolerant and liberal we are. It is of course unlikely that, given our penchant for xenophobia, the Brits would agree. But I’m sure if we apologise to them nicely for our crass “nationalism”, they — like Sonia [Gandhi, the Congress president] — would ultimately relent.

As told to Rachitaa Gupta. This interview has been edited for clarity.

Main photo: Boman Kohinoor with Project India reporter Rachitaa Gupta

11Apr

‘Why are you not speaking up? Why is asking a candidate about their position on gay rights unheard of?’

The invisible people. A painting

We learn how to introduce ourselves when we’re in primary school. State your name, your age, a little detail about yourself — where you’re from, what you’re studying, where you’re working, something along those lines. I should begin by following those rules. I can tell you I’m 21, I can tell you I’m a university student in Delhi, but the thought of uttering my name, that gives me the shivers.

Seems silly, I know. But only until I tell you I’m gay. Then you see why I’m keeping my identity a mystery. The resigned curve of your mouth stands testament to your tacit approval of my decision to retain anonymity. Do you know what that reinforces? That I’m not recognised most of the time, and that when I am, it’s not in a positive way.

I know that, so I hide. You know that, so you let me stay hidden.

The carpet under Indian society is filled with members of the LGBTQ community, stuffed away like if you leave us swept under long enough, we’ll go away. But here’s the thing. You can pretend we’re not there as much as you want, that doesn’t change the fact that we’re there and we’re getting louder, we’re getting angrier. We’re not going to keep it down much longer. We will break free from these arbitrary prejudices and constraints. We’re not going to stay hidden anymore. The question is, will you still pretend we’re not there? Or will you stand behind us?

We’re voting today. Tens of thousands of people are casting their votes to decide who should be in charge, who will look after their interests best. The poor look for welfare schemes, the tribals look for education and empowerment, women look for safety — and there’s someone out there for everyone. But hi, I’m the LGBTQ Community and you forgot me. No, worse. You see me in the corner, struggling to keep myself afloat, but you have decided I’m not worth looking out for.

Do you have any idea how that feels? Being treated like a second-class citizen? I hope you never do, because it’s awful. Nobody is the ray of hope to offer me a way out of this closet. Nobody has even hinted at the possibility of providing me a safe place when I decide hiding is not for me anymore. Is that fair?

The rant of this member of the LGBTQ Community is against the world. Yes, I’m giving in to the cliché. I hate the world. I am angry, firstly at the political scenario of this country. How can you call yourself a democracy when you’re denying an entire community basic rights? How can you, a nation that has long been hailed a haven for people of all communities – Jews, Buddhists,  Muslims, Hindus — possibly be called diverse and welcoming when all you do is spread hate to this community? It’s hypocritical. And it’s wrong. And one day, far into our future, we’ll look back at this, the way we look at the deplorable treatment of untouchables, and we’ll shudder at the cruelty, the ignorance, of mankind.

But more than the politicians, I am angry at the society. You’re the ones who elect these fools. You’re the ones with the power. Most of you reading this have been educated, learnt of Gandhi and math and human rights. Why are you not speaking up? Why is this not the most important thing? Why is asking a candidate about their position on gay rights unheard of? The government is what you made it. So when I blame the government, I’m also blaming you.

I’m trapped. Society won’t accept me, so I’ve resigned myself to live a lie. I walk around in constant denial of who I am to avoid being persecuted — and trust me, the harassment I face is real. It needs to stop. I need you to fight for me, create a situation where I feel safe and supported enough to fight for myself.

We’re in the midst of history, and I want you to be on the right side. I’m not voting because there isn’t a single candidate who represents my needs, my wants, my basic human rights. And that is something we all forgot to talk about. And what does that say about us? The situation is so bad that I, and a countless number of others in the same position, are planning to escape the nation. Yes, escape it.

Is that really the kind of nation you want to live in? The kind people want to escape?

Ignorance is not bliss. This year, read, learn and talk — let homosexuality be one of the most talked about subjects. Once we’re talking about it, misconceptions will be lifted. Help us.

As told to Saba Sodhi in New Delhi. The interviewee requested anonymity, and the interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

The image used above is a painting by the interviewee, titled ‘Dualist’. 

This story also appeared on Rediff.com, our media partner.

21Mar

‘I have never voted. Maybe this time I will, for the new generation’

Reba: a maid's view of the elections

My name is Reba. I think I am 37.

The village I was born in, a few hours out of Kolkata, is one of those places nobody knows about. You don’t come to know about it even when you walk through the middle of it. And it’s for that reason that I have no voter card, no ration card, pretty much nothing. So I have never voted.

I have four children. Three daughters and a son. Today was a difficult day. While cutting vegetables at one of the nine houses I work in as a maid, I cut my hand. A nasty gash. I poured water on it and pressed it with a damp cloth until it stopped bleeding. But by the time I reached the third house of the day, the strong phenyl and acid combination I used to mop the floor had infected my wound. I blinked back tears and carried on. After 13 hours of work, with on 15  minutes for lunch, I got home. Instead of collapsing on my bed, I repeated my actions of the day – wash, sweep, clean, dust, cook. This time I was working for my home, my four children, my husband.

Yes, I can see how a lot of you will look at me as soon as I say I have not voted. My daughters — I’ve educated them, one of them is even doing her Bachelor of Arts from Delhi University — look at me the same way. But you don’t understand. You don’t understand that I don’t live in the same world you live in.

You sit in your rooms, debating whether India ought to take a stand against the Naxalites, typing furiously into your laptops about whether or not the price of petrol is inflated. What you don’t understand is that my bicycle and I really don’t care.

I care about feeding my children, I care about helping them escape this torture I’m living through. I care about being able to smile on my deathbed and consider my life determined solely by the quality of life my children live. And nobody actually helps with that. Not one party.

It all sounds very fancy. It all sounds as if they have these grand schemes to help us, but that’s all they are: schemes. I don’t vote because even though I now have an Aadhar Card. Even though my daughters are educated and smart and talk of how important it is to vote, I’m jaded. I’ve been sidelined, ignored, forgotten by the entire political scene. So much so that I don’t ever remember being part of it.

My daughters say I cannot complain about my politicians if I don’t vote. That I can’t talk about a broken system if I don’t do anything to change it. But to me, voting for the politicians here is as useful as voting in Bangladesh – inconsequential. They make big promises, these big men, but I’m no longer affected.

Perhaps my attitude is defeatist, but you tell me this: what child is born with that attitude? We’re all born clean slates. Take something from that. Look at why I am this way. It’s because of a lifetime of disappointment.

The new generation is full of hope. The new generation is full of fire. And maybe this time I will vote. Maybe I will, not so my life gets better, I have given up all hope for that ever happening. But for the new generation. I pray the politicians won’t turn them into fragile, cynical things. I don’t know whom, I don’t know how, but I’m praying for somebody, and this time maybe I’ll do it with a ballot in my hand.

As told to Saba Sodhi in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Reba, who requested partial anonymity, spoke in Hindi and Bengali. This interview has been translated, condensed, and edited for clarity.

Photo credit: Vishal Darse

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