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March 24, 1998
SPECIALS
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How Readers reacted to Seeta aur Geeta
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 10:43:29 PST I totally agree with you on your views. Both the current BJP and the previous Congress governments look alike. The Congress was always corrupt. So was the United Front. Now the BJP too has corrupt elements in its ministry and allies like Sukh Ram, Jayalalitha etc. But let us look at some facts. The Congress pulled the United Front government which resulted in the election, giving BJP + allies over 250 seats and hence the mandate to rule India. India spends millions and millions of dollars for elections brought about only by mood of the Congress. I wouldn't even blame the United Front for it. Only the Congress is responsible for this massive expenditure when India is in debt. After the election, the Congress gets 141 seats. United Front gets 98 seats. Both have fought elections against each other and don't have the mandate. The wise thing for them to do would be to sit in the Opposition and tell the BJP: "You form the government and rule India for 3 years. We will not interfere or try pulling down your government. If you don't perform in in 3 years, we will try to form the government." But do they do this. NO!! They start trying to bring the BJP down even before it is formed. Whether it is on the Speaker issue or anything else. Right from day one the Congress and United Front are attacking the BJP. What should the BJP do in such a situation? We have to remember that BJP is run by humans who have aspirations. I am not trying to support the BJP's action of taking Sukh Ram's and Jayalalitha's support. But if I were in Advani's place or Vajpayee's place, I might have done the same thing. Why is the Congress so greedy for power? Why can't they take a break of say 5 to 10 years after having taken India to the edge? Also let me make one more point, I would prefer a corrupt Vajpayee (who I know is cent per cent Indian), to a non-corrupt Sonia (I live in the USA. My loyalties are for India. So I doubt Sonia's loyalties to India. Hence the US and almost all Western countries have rules where naturalised citizens cannot become Presidents). This does not mean Vajpayee is corrupt. This was an example. Next is the United Front. This Front has been formed by an opportunistic bunch of people who can change sides faster than changing clothes. The CPI-M fights Congress in Kerala and West Bengal and supports the Congress at the Centre. What kind of hypocrisy is this? I feel the Indian voter has voted in a ridiculous manner this time. The fact that the United Front could get around 100 seats proves this point . The two party system works in the US because the Democratic or Republican parties do not depend on people that Congress or BJP depend on. Till this idea dawns on the Indian voter, he is bound to suffer. Durgesh Mantri
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 21:22:53 +1000 A super article, thank you.
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 13:59 -0500 (EST) The column cited above is great and clearly depicts the state of affairs in India. Hats off to Pritish for bringing out such a real commentary on Indian politics. Though it's always good to analyse the things, can the author suggest some means to improve the situation so that we can expect some sort of governance from the government? I understand we, most of the educated lot, will only read articles and share our anguish and desperation with our friends. We hardly vote, and accept corruption as a way of life when a personal thing is involved. Maybe people like us will be well polarised, if we can form some sort of a forum with only one objective: FIGHT CORRUPTION. Secularism, upliftment of the poor, equality... so on and so forth will fall into place if that major evil is killed. Looking for such a ray of hope Kamalakar Divi
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 17:46:36 -0000 I have been reading your articles on Rediff for quite a long time. You always seems to be pessimistic of anything and everything. Your recent article 'Seeta Aur Geeta' further supports my argument. I mostly agree with what you have been saying regarding our recent breed of politicians. But that does not mean you criticise them forever. Could you please try looking at positive aspects? Hopefully you have read 'Mahabharata,' wherein Duryodhana could always see/say bad things about the world and Yudhishthira could see/say only good things. Now, eagerly looking forward an optimistic article about India/Indian politician (anyone) from you soon Venugopal
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 11:13:36 -0700 Nandy's column brings forward the true nature of various politicians. The BJP by far is considered to be the better among the worse lot of today's politicians. However, the latest developments in the past few weeks puts forward the true picture of the BJP. I agree with Nandy that the BJP shamelessly brushed aside all their so called ideologies to get to power. Jaya, Buta and Sukh Ram are some of the epitomes of corruption in present day India. How can BJP even think about providing a clean government to the Indian people? Mungara Saikumar
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 13:34:58 -0800 This article is a shining example of what is wrong with Indian society. Mr Nandy has raised all valid issues. But, he doesn't provide any solution. If you take a cross section of the editorials, read a couple of them, then you have read them all. I think it is high time some articles on 'How to improve the present position' are written, or else the media is going to alienate people. Also, you can carry articles by learned people (professors). Vijay
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 14:10:58 -0800 In his analysis, Pritish Nandy makes one essential mistake: The primary blame goes to the electorate which votes proven criminals and corrupt politicians into Parliament. It is the same electorate which refuses to give any party an unconditional mandate and forces upon the country the curse of unscrupulous and opportunistic coalitions. Even a clean politician like Vajpayee is forced to bow to their decision and make compromises against his choice. What other option does he have? Instead of putting the blame on politicians, we should be concentrating on educating the people, and making a collective choice NOT TO VOTE for a criminal or a corrupt politician, irrespective of which party he represents, and irrespective of the voters own party affiliation. If the political parties find out the hard way that the electorate rejects corrupt and criminal elements, they will stop fielding such elements as their candidates in elections. Hari Krishnan Sunnyvale, California
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 17:26:38 -0600 I pretty much agree with Pritish Nandy's article. Every word of what he says is true. Its time all journalists, broadcast, television (now that is supposed to be autonomous) develop some backbone and expose all the criminal elements in our politics. Ragu
Date sent: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 16:59:42 -0800 I agree with Mr Nandy that the situation has become one of choosing between two evils. Frankly, the Faustian pact that both parties are only too willing to carve out with their "allies" will have very severe repercussions on the nation. However, I do not agree with Mr Nandy that a two party system, such as the one the United States enjoys and suffers from, is necessarily bad. It is probably better than having a zillion different choices (when all the parties and their alliances are so malleable). At least when a two party system exists we can hope for one to do something against the other (not always though, as the campaign finance reform effort shows). In my opinion, a two party system would provide some semblance of stability. After all in India it has never been the politicos who have done things, but rather it has been the people. If only the people had a chance to do what they must, even when our politicians are "playing" musical chairs? Himanshu Singh
Date sent: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 11:36:25 +1000 I read Pritish Nandy's column of today with interest. I agree with what is said there. But unfortunately who elected the parliamentarians? There is no use complaining, if sensible people like Pritish Nandy cannot play necessary roles in electing the right representatives to Parliament and assemblies. We, the educated people are happy in writing few critical articles. We ourselves are responsible for the mess we are in. You get what you deserve. K Rao Ayyalaraju
Date sent: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 10:58:36 -0000 The BJP wooing crooks? Untouchables hardly have an option. When you fight for survival, would you still be choosy about what air you should breathe? Who made them untouchables? A band of politicians and an array of unscrupulous journalists, such people just can't hide their prejudice. The BJP has not made crooks, these crooks are created by the Congress and the UF(Left Front very much included). And making friends with crooks doesn't mean endorsing the crook's way! Would Nandy call M K Gandhi and Nehru crooks for their approach of being friends with the enemies too? As for the BJP's way of governance, isn't it a bit too early to train your guns against something that hasn't even come to proper existence? |
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