Aman

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that India is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and govt. buildings in numbers this nation and our state has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, leftist and rightist Bengalis who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red and green people: we are, and always will be, Proud Indian and Bengalis. I still remember the day back at school when a chapter on West Bengal was taught and I was the most proud Bengali in the class of Punjabis. Today once again that pride is back and when no

Somewhere around 7.15 am a local train chugs out of Kalyani Simanta station in the district of Nadia. By the time train reaches Naihati the largest town between Kalyani and Kolkata. There is hardly any space left to stand properly. At Shayamnagar the rush increases several folds and at Barrackpore there is equal number of people standing inside the train as outside. As stations passes the pressure inside increases several folds. At Belgaria people somehow try to cling to train to reach Dumdum rather than some other hell outside the world. Dumdum comes as a relief for those who will continue the journey to Sealdah. But what about those who got down at Dumdum? Well they still have some more punishment to go through, first at ticketing, then at entry points. And finally at the suffocating boxes which will take these cattle herds to their respective farms in the Central Business district. And Fnow the herd which left for Sealdah. A big part will get down at Bidhannagar. The rest will go to