War Room - Letter to Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra

Hi Mahua,

Your maiden speech in the Parliament made me sit up, as it did so many globally. It was profound, bold, and pinned the issue you were speaking on, the rise of fascism and the 7 signs that signal its growing presence.

Today, I am not talking about this. Much has been deliberated, tweeted, and shouted on all forums ground, air, and digital.

I want to congratulate you on your strategy – You planned it well as the link given states. It is a wonderful case study of what media, old and new, is all about and how to garner its power to our advantage. Today, it is all about Personal Branding, using digital media, where the War Room is digital and the last elections you won was actually fought on WhatsApp. 

Given the background of just after this resounding victory, BJP has had the 2^nd time around, the gossip, slandering and accusations going on from West Bengal and BJP, where media could have hourly discourses on who is right and who is wrong, your the speech brought a sudden shut-down of all such hitherto stone-hurling and shifted the world’s vision to a new platform, that being your powerful speech in the parliament. 

And you! As you yourself quoted in your interview that politics consists of the 3 'M's - Method, Myth - the hype around the person, so that everyone is talking about you, and Magic 

Internet channels went berserk and all platforms, including Social Media, Whatsapp were chockablock with that speech going viral.

So what was it that struck me most? That the old and forever relevant truth – you have only 30 seconds to make your impression, and then, either the audience is with you or they are switched out.  So, your speech managed to do just that. 

Second, a powerful voice, eloquent and clear, forceful even, you commanded attention, trust, and resounding applause on digital platforms. If it did not come at the parliament, where Lok Sabha TV captured the entire speech and the world saw it there and then, then, social media would not have gone berserk either, post the speech.

Suddenly, the whole world became engaged with who is Mahua Moitra? 

Imagine, using what the PM himself uses so efficiently, being adopted by MPs too to win elections! 

Hats off to the strategy – the first time is the do or die, 30 seconds to make your best impression! 

The rest falls into place automatically, doesn't it?







Note: Views expressed here are the author's only.  

Dear Shri Suresh Prabhu, Honourable Railway Minister

Shri Suresh Prabhu

Honarable Railway Minister

Rail Bhavan

256-A, Raisina Road,

Rajpath Area, Central Secretariat,

New Delhi, Delhi 110001

Subject: Complaint against Ticket Collector (TC) on duty in First Class Compartment of August Kranti from Mumbai Central to H. Nizamuddin, Delhi on 1st December, 2018

Dear Sri Suresh Prabhu,

I travelled from Mumbai Central, Mumbai to H.Nizamuddin on a 1st Class PNR no: 8433992200 on 1st December, 2018 arriving Delhi 2^nd December, 2018.

There were four berths in my 1^st Class coupe, of which I occupied berth number 21, Compartment H, Coupe H 1. After Surat, I found that the TC, named Mohan M. Sakelu, CIT/BET, Mobile number: 09422668524, 09004497554. had permitted 4 (four) drunken men into the compartment and into my coupe who had no tickets. 

I am a single woman travelling alone in that coupe. I was startled when the four inebriated men in their twenties began to address me.

-          We are like your children.

-          We are Agarwal boys

-          We are Brahman boys

-          We will do seva to you

-          May we press your feet?

My alarm bells rang at their intrusion and the vulgar speech to an unknown woman. I raised alarm and demanded to see the TC. When he came in, I, in no uncertain terms I told him that it is absolutely unacceptable that he should have allowed these drunken men inside the 1^st Class Compartment and also that at that time of their entry into my coupe, I was the only woman there. I ordered him to give me his details and also to throw these men out of the coupe.

He requested them to leave the coupe after they had had their dinner and go to the 2^nd Class AC Compartment, but in the morning I noticed that the men were still in the same class but in a different coupe.

My question to you, Shri Suresh Prabhu is: (a) How as the railway minister, are you monitoring the obvious corruption among Ticket Collectors. (b) And most importantly, what are you doing for the safety of women travelling on trains in India?

I would like to inform you that this letter to you will be widely circulated in Social Media for general awareness and warning.

Do please take this matter up seriously and respond.

Best regards,

Julia Dutta
Delhi

Ticket Transaction ID: 100001512601967

PNR no: 8433992200

Train no/Name: 12953/August Kranti Rajdhani Express

Date of Journey: 01-Dec-2018 From Mumbai Central to H Nizamuddin, Delhi