Rifts, Fissures, Cracks, Gaping Holes The author might be a `commie`, but the problem she raised is real.

Caste discrimination is still real and present in every walk of life. We have made some progress since Independence, but a lot more to be done on this front.

People blame Commies and Socialists for the rot in the country, but these very policies created a means for backward castes to progress. The Public sector and massive Buerocritization in the last 50 years have definitely held back the progress of India, but through the reservations in these Govt. controlled insititutions, generations of backward castes have managed to move up the social/economic ladder.

Now as we move away from Socialist economy to a Capitalist economy with all it`s accompanying features of Meritocracy, Flexible Labour laws etc. , this problem takes on a new dimension and becomes more acute.

How do we continue the make the path easier for Backward castes? We need to have an active policy (I prefer a non mandatory one) to increase the representation of Backward castes, while not endangering the competitiveness of our economy. Let`s not postpone the problem like some of the East Asian countries who ignored the social inequalities till a sufficient level of economic development had been achieved.

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Rifts, Fissures, Cracks, Gaping Holes Hey Revathy,

I am guessing we both come from different angles to this problem. But I agree with your central theme of doing more for `Backward` castes. Inspite of the uneven progress we have achieved so far, we have many more miles to go on this issue.

Casteism is the scourge of Hindu society. In the struggle to purge it, we have to keep a close watch and strive to remove caster barriers from all facets of our life.

Specifically about reservations, I dont like the quota system but the inclusion of Dalits in Private institution and even Private sector companies should be actively encouraged by the government either in form of tax credits or preferential allotment of contracts etc.

Some of the people who criticize you here cannot understand that, the merit based admissions which they advocate is not perfect and is determined a lot by family wealth, the education of elders. We need to level the playing field for backward castes and reservations are one of the best way. Of course, in the same vien, I also support removal of Creamy layers in each generation

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Images and Symbols -- Deconstructing the Iraq War I dont know, this theory looks too stretched...

Sanitising the Supremo hmm..

Who is more inmical to Hindu interests:

RSS or Commies??

Somehow the answer is very clear..

- Avkrishna

Rethinking Foreign Policy -- Can Pakistan and India Agree? Re: # 296

Good post nhk. If only guys like you are the majority in Pakistan, we would love to do the things you just said.

Sadly the wide-spread perception in India is that the Pakistani establishment is not to be trusted. Kargil was a huge factor which contributed to this.

IMO, we should only do so much to keep the status quo in the borders.

The way I see it, because of 9/11, you guys are in the midst of a battle between Islamic fundamentalism and West. India should not take sides to the extent possible (ofcourse if the push comes to shove, we should support the west), watch how the situation develops and deal with the eventual winners.

I dont mean any ill will towards your country. Whatever has happened in the past has happened. But I also dont believe in any magnanimous gestures.

Thanks,

Rethinking Foreign Policy -- Can Pakistan and India Agree? DM,

Your proposal does not solve the problems: Kashmir or otherwise. It will only delay it. Sadly, we should have learnt by now that we can only trust Pakistan`s establishment at our own peril.

Moreover, why should we humour Musharraf if his unpopularity is due to US forcing him to hunt Al Qaeda? Let the West and Al Qaeda fight and let`s deal with the winner

Another proposal. Why dont we abolish Article 360 and make J&K open to all Indians? Internal migration would take care of any Terrorism problem, IMO.

Thanks,

The “GupShup” Culture Pedestrian...

Varanasi Explodes It is ridiculous to be lectured by some of the Muslims here that the proper media response to Varanasi bomb blasts is to write stories about how a Muslim is selected to Indian cricket team and how the entire town is celebrating that.

Equally ridiculous is being lectured by Pakistanis about how we are not implementing the
`Secular` part of the constitution.

While the countless Hindus die, in their land !!

The words `Secular` and `Socialist` are the worst components of our preamble.

To all Hindus here, if you want to make a real difference, please take a resolution.

Never to vote by Caste.
Never to vote by Region.
Never to vote by Language.

Always support the parties which keep the interest of Hinduism over everything else.
It is what makes us what we are.

If we lose it, we lose all the other things we hold dear
(We only need to look at our neighbours for the proof!)

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Varanasi Explodes Well after 150+ posts, what do we see?

The same mix of Commies and Minority apologists (save a few) preaching Hindus to be moderate and telling them that it is VHP/RSS who are behind these blasts!!

With so many enemies within us, who needs Jihadis?

How many more temples and holy places needs to be desecrated, How many more Hindu lives have to be lost before we wake up?

Varanasi Explodes Are we living in a Hindu minority country or what?

How many more times do we have to bear this blatant attack on Hindus?

Time for these Commie and Congress bast$rds to go..

- Avkrishna

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder Re: # 108

Fuzair,

An excellent post. You have not only put most of my thoughts very clearly and succinctly, but there was also a great deal of information..

Thanks for this post,
Avkrishna

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder Re: # 89

masadi,

For some of my points, your response looks like a repetition. There is no point in continuing it further..

But you made your philosophy clear about whether lenders deserve a `fair` return or any return. Glad to know that, though I completely disagree with it,

I shall end this discussion with my final impression that whatever system you are espousing is dangerously close to communism (in terms of economic/financial system) and as with communism, it is bound to fail..

Thanks,

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder Re: # 67

```` It`s topic was the Quran, interest and modern banking, that is all. It does deal with the time value of money; you simply haven`t read it closely enough. Compensation for that is just and allowed. ````

You did address the time value of money. Thanks for providing that.

````Uncertainty, we dealt with that also, it flourishes and is perpetuated in a capitalist system, you cannot isolate one part of a system from the whole. I am against the whole damn setup.````

As long as there is no viable alternative, the existing system to evaluate uncertainty stands..

````
Further interest or a higher rate of interest is no guarantee against default whatsoever. Like I said, taking the example of credit cards, the people paying the higher rates of interest, default more often. ````

You are flipping the logic here. Certain groups of people have to pay higher interest rates because they have a high risk of default not vice versa. Now one can argue whether interest itself is a contributing factor for default. There is a merit to the argument and certain regulation needs to be in place to prevent loan sharking or excessive compounding of interest. And the consumer activist groups, Fed and the Congress in USA, at least, do a reasonable job for US consumers.

```` And in any case it is up to the lender whether he wishes to lend or not. He or she however in a moral society does not have the authority to fleece people who have genuine needs just because their ``credit rating`` is bad.````

This is again a reverse argument. Lender should have the freedom to set rates within a reasonable limit. It is up to the borrower whether he wants to enter into that agreement. As long as free markets do the job they are supposed to do, every borrower gets a rate which he `deserves`.

Also framing the argument in terms of `certain groups having authority to fleece people` is a rhetorical one. Why this focus only on the `genuine` needs of borrower? What about the security for the lender? How do they get a `fair` return?

I appreciate your empathy towards the poor and disenfranchised. However, in your zeal towards protecting the borrower at any cost, you are taking away the incentive for the lenders to enter the market. Unless they do so, whether it is Communism or Islamic financial system, it will be a sub-optimal economic system and is bound to fail.


Thanks,
Avkrishna

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder # 70 by Zeemax,

Thanks for throwing more light and your opinion on Islamic Finance system. From what I read, it seems to me Islamic Financial system is perilously close to Communism. You will argue that Labour and Entrepreneurship are encouraged in Islam.

Firstly Entrepreneurship is not a form of production. It is a creative idea of combining the basic elements of production i.e Land, Labour, Capital etc.

Secondly freedom in one element of production cannot survive without freedom in other elements.

And as you pointed out, the author had not provided an alternative to traditional financial system. Current economic/financial system is extraordinarily complex and we have come a long way from 14th century Arabia. Unless a completely viable alternative is proposed, it makes no sense in moving away from a proven one.

Of course, we cannot blame the author completely, he is no expert in Finance. But do you know of any authoritative study on this?

````Thus, Islam is an interesting mix of communist, capitalist and socialistic welfare state
principals. ````


Also going back to my earlier point on this system being dangerously close to Communism, it is infact more lethal. Because it combines Religion with Finance and in doing so esp. with a religion like Islam (wedded to one book), it creates dangerous consequences to common/ poor people. Because as hamidm mentioned, with all this pseudo compliance to Islamic system, they get a raw deal while borrowing and do not accrue any benefits with their monetary assets.

``````Whether it is practicable? Best answer to my mind is that it`s never been
tried in it`s complete form... only bits and parts. ``````

You should realize that most of the moderate Muslims fall to this trap. You can never achieve a true Islamic system of Finance because it is impossible to do so. And till that point, the mullahs will always say that the fault is not with the system, but with the adaptation. You guys are in a losing battle if you fall to this line.


````However, since all other systems have been tried, tested, and some discarded, perhaps someone should give this one an honest shot as well. ````

If you are bent on this, I recommend trying this in pure Islamic states like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. I would love to see the Oil sheikhs and Feudal Lords surrendering their primary means of production/wealth in order to create this system.

Thanks,

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder masadi,

I have to say that this article is very superficial with no real alternative to the modern financial system other than the constant repetition of the fact that Interest is evil...

None of the fundamental issues about how islamic system of finance deals with
i) the time value of money,
ii) compensation for base uncertainty,
iii) compensation for incremental uncertainty associated with different borrowers

have been answered,

Can you provide these answers yourself or point to the external links ?

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Ideological Perceptions and Death of Civilisation For the sake of humanity, let`s pray that the `Godless` West wins!

Thanks,