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1966 Bihar Famine: The Politics and Diplomacy

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Diplomacy and Politics - Use of Bihar Famine In this article, we discuss the (1966-67) Bihar Famine of India, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson's response to it, PL-480 and more.  1966 Drought in India:  Reflections on the Past Famines are not unfamiliar on the Indian landscape. They have been experienced, feared and like all bad things—forgotten. Be it the two centuries of British occupation or the period before, famines have hit the Indian subcontinent hard and certain regions in particular even harder. While the war on famine picked up pace post-independence, it has been a bumpy ride with plentiful challenges. The latter half of British rule in India saw at least six major famines (1873-74, 1876, 1877, 1896-97, 1899, 1943), with fatalities in the millions. And the one that makes a prominent appearance as perhaps one of the worst famines of the twentieth century came piggybacking the Second Great War (WWII). This was the Bengal Famine of 1943, where imperial policies, inaction and dr
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The Political Circus

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The Circus Begins Crowd gathering-in to hear speech of their politician Democracy or dictatorship, it's always about sustenance Nation's pride is but a false pretense Right wing or Left wing, take a  second  glance Ideologies are  hypocrisies  sugar-coated to finesse They care for you is what they  always  pretend Brainwashing  gullible  minds to meet own ends Rhetoric and clichés  though  meant for the  political  class Insensitivity to the  citizens  brushed  aside  as faux pass But  opinions  are divided, and the  truth  has a cost More like  saying  one  politician  is evil,  other  is not Either way,  whoever  gets the  power  wouldn't want to lose it That's  where  the corruption—then they just  abuse  it Elections then come  along  like a big bang Hyped as a  change  we crave,  though  never  fully  comprehend But once done, it's a  different  game—a  different  day All gets lost in what was yesterday Electoral  promises  soon  become  yesterday's talk Ne
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A Mouse Called Dissent

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"To Say or Not To Say?" A lab rat by profession abused and betrayed Never dared to wrong no one but had to escape For it is human nature to exploit nobody's mistake A heathen creed perhaps only maker to blame As stories bloated and propaganda floated Hearsay a demon factually declared plagued The skeptics had no voice and the mouse had no choice Found a refuge and this is where it stays A lonely mouse in a big house Alas! Honeymoon didn't last they found the outcast Didn't knew its real identity instinctively they dealt with 'it' Hounds by their deed the sheep led the siege And walls impenetrable like sand-castles on the beach The house wasn't a home now but a battled-field With mines to walk on and nothing to eat Starving and scared just one thought in mind Fight or flight gotta stay alive Tough as it may be but this is life Gathered the strength and made it to the front porch Only to find cats guarding the door Willingly or perhaps master's chore
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It's Election Time Again

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The Election Story Before We Get Started Just whom, or on what issues should one really vote this time? Should the choice entirely be based upon the premise of disappointment of the previous pick? If the promises of previous term have all disappeared into thin air, what is it that guarantees any change this time? What is it that makes one so hopeful this time? How exactly does one ascertain if this candidate be different from their predecessor, or one political party be better than the other? Has it finally come down to the point of all this being just one of those chores or responsibilities that one must fulfill? If casting vote and paying taxes—a duty of a good citizen, then what is the basic duty of a politician? More importantly how far along are they? Finally, last but not the least, whether or not there's really any sort of accountability whatsoever? A whole lot of similar thoughts, mostly questions and anxie
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