The Dour Ascetic

Re:Beejay#13

You wrote:``This whole concept of blind reverence based on age alone makes me very sick, since I am convinced it is at the root of many ills that the Indian subcontinent faces today (my personal view, of course)!``

That is very well put and absolutely true. We have this notion that age equals wisdom, which is not true in a lot of cases. This makes us resistant to new ideas and concepts as we cling on to the past.

A classic example is our fascination for austerity. Before independence, it made sense for Gandhi to promote austerity and self-discipline in order to fight against the British. But after we had our own country and controlled our destiny, what sense did it make to create a virtue out of poverty? While other countries like Taiwan or South Korea focused on economic growth, we got mired in socialism. Even our rightist leaders were not very materialistic and obsessed with religious stuff while the leftist ones made a complete fetish of poverty. Even today, the quality of a leader is measured by how spartan a life that person leads, the shabby car he travels in and whether he has sex or not. What correlation does that have to performance or good governance? I would pick someone dynamic who has a zest for life and who wants to deliver solutions to the people rather than a monk to lead my country.

The fact is that at individual level, we are as motivated to succeed and prosper as any other people. That is why since the 90s, we have seen such economic growth. If our leadership had not wasted 50 years, today we would be a developed nation. I think finally we are getting it - we need total free market economy based on merit, democracy and complete secularism and we can become a major power.

Ref amit aka India`s Terry Schiavo #17

[....Even today, the quality of a leader is measured by how spartan a life that person leads, the shabby car he travels in...]

We have Manmohan Singh the Neutered riding in an Ambassador rather than the Mercedes limousines that the BJP government had imported!

[The fact is that at individual level, we are as motivated to succeed and prosper as any other people. That is why since the 90s, we have seen such economic growth. If our leadership had not wasted 50 years, today we would be a developed nation.]

Out of those 50 wasted years, Morarji Desai was in power for only 18 months. The rest of the time we were ruled by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. You might want to draw some conclusions from that. On the other hand, you might not and just decide to read books from Jawaharlal Nehru University or the English newspapers.

[I think finally we are getting it - we need total free market economy based on merit, democracy and complete secularism and we can become a major power.]

Merit means no reservations/quota system. Secularism means Common Civil Code and no subsidy for Haj pilgrimages.

The rest of India is getting it. You obviously aren`t.

Brain death is forever!

Ref amit aka India`s Terry Schiavo #8

[Morarji Desai was basically a fruitcake, a whacko..... It is people like him who gave Indians a guilt complex for wanting to be rich and successful - this obsession with austerity and self-denial was a key cultural stumbling block against developing a successful economy. Our socialist system and hindu levels of growth were due to this culture of looking down on material success and consumerism.

Thank god, we have tossed out this type of garbage. Finally we are living like normal people with a booming free market economy, democracy and secularism with everyone pursuing their ambitions to be rich, successful and happy without feeling guilty about it.]

It is just that Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Lalloo Prasad Yadav, Doctor Artist Leader the Fund of Compassion, ``Drumbeat`` Maran, PV Narasimha Rao, Mayawati were pursuing ``secularism`` by pandering to caste-basedand religious vote banks while simultaneously earning world-class fortunes while you and I were left behind.

But then, it is easier to blame a man who personally did not benefit from his office for the general poverty than to bring to justice who enriched themselves at the public`s expense.

You REALLY must have been part of the quota system: you got one of those special seats reserved for the brain dead.

Re:harimau

Hey madraasi, wake up and smell the coffee. Both left and right parties in India are responsible for our situation. The left parties messed up the economy till the 90s. If you have a booming economy, who cares about reservations for a few government jobs? Anyway the only people who complain about reservations are people like you, who do not have the brains to compete and succeed on your own, so you want to blame others. It is like the white trash in the US that keeps attacking affirmative action for their problems.

The right parties are obsessed with breaking masjids and building temples, while leading an occasional pogrom or two. If the BJP had focused 100% on economy instead of temples and mosques, it would still be in power today.

What you really want are low profile, smart leaders who unleash the economy, leave religious stuff alone for the next 50 years and let the ordinary people of India chart the destiny of the country. It is a libertarian philosophy, but I doubt someone with your pea sized brain will get it.

The only somewhat nagging issue about Morarji is mentioned by soysauce.

Even in 1971, as Mrs Gandhi weighed various options facing the nation, someone was keeping N-K, the Depraved Duo in the White House constantly informed.

This one person did more, and more lasting, damage to the nation than can be ever put in words.

On the other hand, trusting anything K` said or wrote would suggest a real desperation to blame someone. Nor do we have any real evidence, IMO, against him. So Morarji remains unscathed in my eyes. We will prefer to believe that he became the `symbol of Pakistan` for the goodness of his heart.

---

I am going to drink my piss, eat some monkey`s ass, and a chew on a horse`s scrotum. Jo karna hai kar lo.

Re: # 22

``Anyway the only people who complain about reservations are people like you, who do not have the brains to compete and succeed on your own, so you want to blame others. It is like the white trash in the US that keeps attacking affirmative action for their problems. ``

You are wrong. People complain because undeserving/unqualified students get admissions/jobs. In south the situation is very bad, upto 60% reservation. Also, I wonder whether affirmative action means 40-60 % reservation.

``If the BJP had focused 100% on economy instead of temples and mosques, it would still be in power today.``

As far as I remember, BJP didn`t gave lip service to Temple issue in last years elections. You may accuse them of exaggerating the feel good factor but not about non-development. Congress motto was ``aam aadmi`` and you should know what it means. Its back to ``garibi hatao``. Also, hte left parties ended up winning the most number of seats. Do you think they better suited to bring in the economic miracle?

``What you really want are low profile, smart leaders who unleash the economy, leave religious stuff alone for the next 50 years and let the ordinary people of India chart the destiny of the country. ``

You don`t mention about leaving caste-based politics, reservation in private sector behind. Is it deliberate?

Ref amit aka India`s Terry Schiavo #20

[Hey madraasi, wake up and smell the coffee.]

Of course you have selective amnesia or forgotten that the socialist crap was peddled by UP-wallahs like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, etc., in addition to Kripalani, Ram Manohar Lodhi & Co. It is the madrassi Rajaji who even started a conservative party called the Swatantra Party to combat socialism in India. We madrassis have been drinking coffee exclusively while you guys have been drinking tea all your life so don`t tell us to smell the coffee. We even know the difference between coffee and ``mellow yellow``.

Other than the fact that you people breed like pigs (thus giving UP and the Hindi belt a massive population), have you guys come up with one useful thing in life? Exactly how many Nobel Prizes have your porcine cousins won? Even for (Hindi) literature? Have you noticed that despite all the factories located at NOIDA, the industrial output of Hindiwallahs is minuscule?

Do tell us, what exactly are you Hindi-wallahs good for, except reproducing exponentially like viruses and thus making a good subject for the study of unhealthy organisms?

I know what you are going to do when you read this: resolve to convert India to a laboratory for population studies by adding to it.

Amit,

Each time someone points out the flaws and illogic in your statements, you get
angry and become abusive.
Calm down, Amit, it is never to late to learn. You are a smart fella, you can take
it when facts puncture your fantasies.

Amit,
It would be better if you convey your point without being abusive. Also, you seem to suffer from the notion of northern superiority. For all your claims of being liberal, you sound as bigoted as the right wing you are accusing of bigotory.

Nice article.
Monomita(remember me?)

...a ferzana versey article and not a single personal attack on her so far... you guys must be losing it...atleast tell her to go to kabul or karachi or where ever you wish to send traitors...;)

Ref amit aka India`s Terry Schiavo #20

The working population of the world has been divided into two categories: manual laborers and knowledge workers. North India has the unique distinction of producing a third category: dickworkers.

I wonder what made Ms. Versey pick this Indian PM out of the blue. Is it to celebrate his birthday or...
Here was a strange man who worked all his life following in Gandhi ji footstep and in the end just outshone Gandhi Ji by pioneering something so much in tune with Indian culture that beat Gandhi’s ahnsa or non violence philosophy hands down.. Gandhi talked about something that wasn’t part of the Indian culture. He borrowed it from Christian teachings and here we have this pioneer who practiced something that gels so well with Indian...
He was India’s PM but he never defended India’s Foreign Policy, Economic policy or any political philosophy yet he so eloquently defended what he thought was something amazing! I mean, just read this:
“In my country, mothers have given urine as a drink to newborns for ages!” (Thanks BeeJay for the quote).

I doubt he ever defended any Indian policy with such candor and conviction.
He was a pioneer no doubt about it. Now the whole generation of Indian is following in his footsteps. We have Aftershave lotions, Attaar and perfumes made of the sacred product. People are wearing them every day, washing their faces with it too.

I am happy that I don’t live in New York City any more. I mean first thing in the morning in the Metro…guy standing next to you, seems so happy … wearing the aftershave, doused in cologne and what not…Just think about it…UGH!

But why did FV single out this guy…Just to celebrate his birthday… I guess!

Re:harimau

Just grow up, will you? You lack the finesse or the intellect to insult anyone. You started all this by calling me names without any provocation, but I will let it slide.

Before you attack North Indians, look at your own individual situation. You are a Iyer. That means you are basically as good as an outcaste in Tamil Nadu. If it were not for us North Indians and the IITs, you Iyers would be starving to death in Tamil Nadu. You know why? Because Tamil Brahmins are bitterly hated by every other Tamilian, so much so that you cannot even get seats in your own colleges or get jobs in your own state. This is mainly because of your extreme casteist, clannish attitudes in the past and the humiliation that you heaped upon others in Tamil Nadu. Today you are paying the price for that.

I understand your utter frustration about reservations and I feel pity for you. But you reap as you sow.

#26 by khamkhwa

She`s is not going anywhere. We gonna see a revolution and Ferzana chasing these traitors to the Arabian Sea ;)

Re:satyamvada

Look, I am all for a robust exchange of ideas without personal attacks. However, if someone attacks me, I will respond to it. I understand your politics and your point of view, which is different from mine. That is good, because if we all think alike, the world would be a very boring place :-).

As far as politics go, I am actually a staunch nationalist, not a leftist by any means since I despise socialist economics. My disagreement with the right wing in India is that their focus is on the wrong issue i.e. religion. I believe that their focus should be on economics and free markets, while leaving religion and caste issues aside for the foreseeable future. Let that be a personal matter. A focus on divisive issues leads to a dissipation of the national energy on destructive issues and prevents us from realizing our real potential. The same goes for relations with Pakistan. A focus on petty squabbling distracts us from the long-term objective of becoming a regional economic powerhouse.