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ELECTION 99
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'A respected man as Bishop should be wiser'
E-mail from readers the world over
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Tue, 24 Aug 1999 12:38:30 -0700 Ananth Kumar says "nobody is coming up to me to say, but you never did this or that". Well Ananth, I am a NRI belonging to the very constituency that has become your stronghold. I would love to ask you what have you done for Basavanagudi constituency? Have you heard of a place called Thyagarajnagar, within Basavanagudi? There are no playgrounds for kids, with open drains, parthenium, mosquitoes and clogged drains. Buses do not run frequently from this area and a few 'Pushpaks' that do run and are supposed to be a luxury, are jam-packed and a nightmare to ride in. There are no libraries and of late law and order does not seem to have any foothold in this place. Burglaries happen quite often and people have resorted to barricading their doors with steel meshes. Housewives wake up at 2 am to fill drinking water once in a couple of days and have trouble throwing garbage into non-existent bins or bins that overflow and cover three-fourths of the road. What have you done for Basavanagudi, Ananth Kumar? Other than mess around with the Bangalore "International" Airport for all these years between you and Ibrahim? Srinivas Murthy
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Tue, 24 Aug 1999 16:31:12 -0400 The campaign trail feature is very interesting and entertaining. Riti has excellent narrative and descriptive abilities. Her dispatches are delicious. Her ability to capture the personalities and the mood of the campaigns rival that of Michael Lewis during the 1996 US presidential elections. After reading "On the poll trail with Ananth Kumar", I have already decided, if and when Riti publishes an anthology of her campaign trail stories in the form of a book, I will certainly buy it!
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 11:17:52 EDT If we have an enemy within, we do not need chasing one around around the bush! Mr G may be right, but his statement can be classified as politically incorrect! Ramesh Kapoor
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 10:44:13 -0600 I am very apprehensive about sending this message, I am not sure if this message will see the light of the day. My apprehension arises from: 1. I have learned from reliable sources that you people are Nehruvian Socialists. I have no idea what it means and I do hope it does not mean the perpetration of the Nehru dynasty in India. 2. I sent a part of this message to two people connected with Rediff (Dilip and Saisuresh) and so far no reply. Undeterred, I follow my Guru Don Quixote. I am attaching my message to the readers. To publish or not to publish is your prerogative Dear Friends, I read Sushma's interview. Personally, I do not care who becomes the PM of India. I am not an Indian citizen now and have not much interest in Indian politicians. However, I do have some technical or rather legal questions. I have been going from pillar to post with my doubts. I never realised that the mailboxes of Indian organisations (one example being the Election Commission) are kept in the washrooms and the messages are flushed down on their arrival. I am desperately looking for an exception. I like to dramatise things so there are preambles and what not. Hope you will bear with me. Let me assure you that you will not get bored. Our daughter is a born Brazilian and she is a Canadian now. Both countries allow dual nationality and she has dual nationality. According to Brazilian law a Brazilian born person loses his or her nationality if and only if he or she does military service for another country. Some time back a Brazilian-born American became the US ambassador to Brazil. At that time the question came up. Can a Brazilian become an ambassador to Brazil? The matter was settled when it was shown that he did some military service for the US (??). The situation in Brazil is somewhat like the one in the famous Girish Karnad movie Samskara. A born Brahmin who broke all Vedic laws dies and nobody knows how to cremate him. Pranesacharya the villages priest and a great scholar comes up with the solution that even though the man left Brahmanism, Brahmanism did not leave him. Once born Brahmin (for that matter any other caste) he remains the same. I do have many Italian friends and I am told that the Italian law is similar to that of Brazil. Even a fourth generation Italian born anywhere is an Italian according to Italian law. It will be very difficult or impossible to forsake Italian nationality. To quote an example, when I was in Brazil I contracted a carpenter Sr Paschoal to do some work for my home and for my office (Brazilian Atomic Energy Commission). The funds did not come from the same source. Sr Pachoal was born in Italy and came to Brazil with his mother and eight brothers and sisters. They all travelled with a single passport (it was in the 30s), where there was a group photo of the mother and the kids. I did see the passport. With that passport Sr Paschoal obtained a fresh Italian passport and visited Italy. I am not an expert in citizenship rules of Italy and India and would like to know if Ms Sonia Gandhi renounced her Italian citizenship and whether the Italian government accepted it. I cannot find out from here and the Italian government will not even let me go near their consulate. I think people should look in to Italian law also. None of this does disqualify Sonia Gandhi. If 930 million people want her who am I to object? My interest is purely selfish. When a NRI applies for the renewal of his/her passport a no record certificate from the country of residence has to be produced (you cannot trust these coloured Indian's mate). Does the same rule apply to naturalised Indians? My impression is that either the law or the enforcement is discriminatory in nature. If any of this is true can I and many like me not move the highest court to get back our nationality and vote at least in the next election?
Sankar Iyer
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 14:17:40 -0400 So true. That is India and our dear (hated) politicians. Bellary will change only if Bellary wants to change. Why don't the people of Bellary choose one of their own sons or daughters? They do not need the glamour of big politicians. Like so many others all across India, we do not think for our own well being but someone else does for us like Ms Sonia or Ms Sushma. When will it change? Only if we want to. Good luck to Bellary.
Samal
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 13:34:21 -0400 The CPI-M has no right to talk about patriotism or secularism. This CPI-M is the party that refused to condemn the Chinese invasion of India and which still supports Chinese views. This is also the party that conveniently allows Bangladeshi Muslims to enter West Bengal and Tripura freely in order to swell their vote bank although it is not in the interest of the country. This is also the party that has time and again formed coalitions with communal Muslim parties and allowed the formation of the Muslim dominant Malappuram district in Kerala. How can they talk about secularism? Ven Hari
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Mon, 23 Aug 1999 18:28:34 -0700 1. India's nuke tests did not make Pak develop a nuke capability. Readers are not dumb -- Pak HAD a nuke capability which we exposed and it helps us plan ahead to defend ourselves better instead of being surprised. 2. If humans are to be respected, their freedom to express their views must also be respected. Since communism is the antithesis of anything to do with democracy, it's your party and its ideology that are medieval. It is bad enough if you still need to rely on leaders that Russians spit at for your ideological backbone. Perhaps you need to learn from what Russia has undergone thanks to that ideology that you readily preach. 3. Communal violence was lowest during the past 13 months. Face facts please. We are not your "cadre" to be nodding when you spout lies. 4. Instead of a meaningless slogan, how about telling what you have done to make West Bengal technologically and socially superior to other states? Do not tell me that you have allowed Bangladeshis to infiltrate in the name of secularism. In summary, your ideology needs revisiting. If you cannot come up with an indigenous ideology at least copy something that works. Arun
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 01:03:10 -0700 First we had all the maulvis in India telling Muslims how to vote, now we have this Bishop. I think people in India -- Christians, Muslims or Hindus -- are intelligent enough to vote without the help of their religious leaders. Also why have year 2000 as the year of Christ, why not as the year of Allah, why not year of Guru Nanak, or why not year of Vishnu or Shiva or Krishna or Rama etc? What does the Bishop mean when he says the Christian community has worked hard for India? I am sure it must have worked hard. But does that mean year 2000 should be the year of Christ? Why? If hard work is the reason then Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims apart from Christian have all worked hard. It is stupid to name a year after a god in a country which is so diverse in religions. If 2000 is named after Christ 2 per cent of the population will be happy and many will be resentful. And if it is named after a Hindu god then 85 per cent will be happy and others will resent it. If it is named after Allah then 13 per cent will be happy and others will not. A respected man as bishop should be wiser. Samit
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 09:38:29 -0700 "The guideline includes a call to the voters to support parties and candidates who would "treat the Christian dalits in the same way as they treat dalits of other religions, so that there is no discrimination based on religious grounds." The emphasis is that Christian dalits be treated the "same" way as "other" dalits. The archbishop does not have the leverage in his scheme of things to say that they should be treated on par with everybody else. Only on par with other dalits. Anyone that says that casteism is the bane of Hinduism will be very disappointed.
Pradeep
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 20:01:13 +0100 This is so disgusting. Is every religious leader going to pronounce diktats on how his religious community should vote? I can't imagine a Hindu priest having the gall to tell me what I should do with my vote -- a man of religion has no business in politics. The archbishop should not bring corruption and politics of the Vatican to India. He is doing so much damage by trying to tell the Catholics how to vote -- doesn't he believe that they have the brains to think for themselves? No wonder people look with suspicion at minorities -- they don't want to be part of the Indian mainstream -- all they are looking for is sops like reservations. This seems to be the beginning of the end of the Christian community as being Indian before being Catholic/Syrian whatever. In fact, the EC should take exception to religious leaders poking their noses into politics. If this archbishop is so interested in politics, why doesn't he go and win an election, instead of trying to mislead his flock and divide them from the mainstream.
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 19:29:15 -0700 What does the Election Commission have to say? Is it not an advice to vote against the BJP? India should withdraw the recognition it gives to the Vatican and the Pope should get the same attention as any religious preacher.
Desai Krishnakumar
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 13:03:03 -0700 Sonia Gandhi and the Congress would be hard pressed to get even 3 per cent of the votes in Tamil Nadu. They need the help of Jayalalitha to get some decent results there. So it is only right that the Congress party should keep its mouthpieces in check and not let them run riot with their comments on Jayalalitha and the AIADMK. About the Villupuram episode, the press in Tamil Nadu would have made a big deal out of it as most of them are biased. Agreed, Jayalalitha has been involved in some of the worst corruption issues in the past, but to turn around and paint the other politicians white is not on. For example, TMC, the offshoot of the Congress in Tamil Nadu is being led by Moopanar, who has amassed lot of wealth by ducking the Land Ceiling Act. He talks about working for the good of the state, I am surprised why he and his cronies who were part of the Congress ministry all these years have not been able to deliver the goods for the state. He should be the No 1 politician to be rejected by the people of Tamil Nadu. He has failed to identify himself as a Tamilian all along, now suddenly he is Mr Clean out to rid the state of evil forces. Karunanidhi is as good or as bad as Jayalalitha in that there is not much to choose between the two. As far as BJP winning more seats in Tamil Nadu, I got this to say... dream on.
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 09:13:52 -0700 Classic communist interview. Blames others for ones own problems. Let me ask him a few questions? 1. Do you want our country to be like North Korea? 2. Do you think China would have prospered without "capitalist" money and MFN status from US? 3. Which country in the modern and post modern times has prospered without being a friend of the USA? 4. On what basis is he saying that unemployment is rising in US? 5. I am an Indian. If I borrow money from a US venture capitalist and start a company in Kerala will I become an imperialist and a hated multinational? Obviously he does not understand anything about money, capital and economics. If you can send him these questions and answer them it would be great. Subash Warrier
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 14:25:52 -0700 How ignorant is the Kerala chief minister! His interview with Shobha Warrier clearly shows the man has no clue about economics or capitalism or anything else for that matter. God have mercy on Kerala, with chief ministers like Nayanar who needs enemies is all I am saying.
Mohan Marette
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 16:39:32 PDT Long live the Communists! With the EKNs of the world, we will soon be where China, Cambodia (Kampuchea per EKN) and the other communist countries of the world are. Let us also add to the list: North Korea and Cuba. Watch EKN and Co teach those imperialists (wherever one can find them) a lesson. And oh, long live the Indian capitalist too! He never had it so good under the communists.
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Fri, 27 Aug 1999 18:28:30 -0700 (PDT) Another classic interview which clearly shows how single tracked our leaders are. I couldn't believe a CM can give comments like those. He didn't even answer the question on why they invite private investors if they don't believe in a capitalist economy. Just blindly saying "You don't know anything, but I know everything and what I say is right." Why have some much of confidence in the road not taken and assume that may be that would have been better. JPK
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