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Saturday 25 April 2009

Of a political idea...

There is a reason I rarely write about politics, even though I'm hyper- aware of a lot of things that happen in that field- there are too many people on my link list who write so much better about it, and know so much more than me.

I also don't know too much about Sri Lankan politics, but this is a very powerful article written by one of those people I have mentioned above, and an even more powerful stream of thought... PseudoRandom mentioned in the comments section of said blog post about spoiling the vote. That's a new and interesting concept to me, since in India we're just trying to get people to go and vote... the new concept for the state legislative body election was to go to the election booth, and opt not to vote, in which case we could take a form and give our reasons as to why we were refraining from voting- exercise our power to not vote... it's always been there, but most people did not know about it.

The general elections are coming up in India, and this is a crucial time for our country- food is getting more and more expensive, terrorists are making a regular living off us, and the economy is sliding out of control... not to mention the ever present Pakistan, and now the even greater threat of the Taliban in our backyard. The Americans are sleeping, and why should it bother them anyway? It's the regular Indian that's getting battered, after all. We need a strong, decisive government that can steer us out of this mess, counter the threat of Taliban, and that of internal insurgency, and put the bread and milk back on our tables.

What the campaign suggests, however, is a horrible nightmare- a fractured polity, where alliances are being made based more on the petty rules of give- and- take, rather than national unity and integrity.

This article began as a comment to the article I have linked to above, but the thought presented there excited me enough to write a post on it. Spoiling a vote... what I take it to mean is that as voters we make sure there is no absolute majority, keeping store by the adage that tells us that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Such an experiment is not possible in India at the moment, where there are no guarantees about who will win, since unlike the current Sri Lankan government, ours has really not achieved anything that has put the entire nation in a mood of joyous celebration. Of course, uptil now, what I understood about spoiling the vote was to just put an ugly slash across the ballot sheet, but this will also not be possible in India anymore since we now use electronic voting machines.

In Sri Lanka, however, this interesting concept can be put to good effect, if enough people participate. This is how it goes- everyone there is quite enamoured by the Mahinda Rajapakse- lead government, due to their success in the prolonged civil war, and will most probably go ahead and vote for them, so my friend here has asked his fellow Sri Lankans to either not vote at all, or vote for an opposition party, so that a democratic system of checks and balances is maintained, and the current ruling party does not get an overwhelming majority, which he says has lead to much abuse of power in the past.

It’s a situation that has occurred previously in India- in 1971, Mrs. Indira Gandhi won the elections with a tremendous mandate, and became the Prime Minister. Four years later, the Allahabad High Court declared her election to the Lok Sabha void on grounds of electoral malpractice. The Lok Sabha is the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and a prime minister must be either a member of this, or the upper house to continue to remain in office. Since it banned her from competing in elections for six years, this decision effectively removed her from office. However, Mrs. Gandhi had then refused to vacate her office, leading to mass protests all over the country, and a state of civil disobedience. In 1975, to hang on to power, she declared a state of emergency due to internal disorder, and within a few months the entire country was under direct central control.

Well, you can imagine what followed- Mrs. Gandhi used the emergency provisions to grant herself extraordinary powers, and even replaced chief ministers from her party who had an independent power base with those who were personally loyal to her, most of the opposition was jailed, crippled the system at so many levels that she was able to rule by decree, and even initiated the clearing of slums around Delhi's Jama Masjid area, which allegedly left thousands of people homeless and hundreds killed, and led to communal embitterment in those parts of the nation's capital; Oh, yeah- the family planning program which forcibly imposed vasectomy on thousands of fathers and was often poorly administered. Of course, the press was also heavily censored. My parents tell me that the all the major national dailies had started printing newspapers with the editorial section left blank as a mark of protest, but the government couldn’t stomach this either, so the press was heavily bashed up as well.

After twice extending the emergency, she went back to the people, hoping for vindication, however, the public chose democracy over dictatorship.

Well, her story continued, and she came back once again to rule the country, but there, Dear All, is an example of how completely power can corrupt. I wonder what it would have been like if this whole spoiling- the- vote thing had been practised when she was originally elected...

There is also this other point about the on going general election in my country that I find quite amusing... well, the situation itself is not amusing, it’s just that elections time can truly change a politician’s nature... the Sri Lankan civil war has always been a touchy topic in the land of Tamil Nadu, but now that the band of terrorists are facing an ouster from the Island Nation it is even more emotive. People who were earlier clearly calling Mr. Prabhakaran a terrorist, are now a little more careful with what they say, and the focus has, of course, shifted to the Tamil origin civilians caught in the war.

Another interesting aspect to this is that the current central government is run by the Indian National Congress, whose boy wonder Rajiv Gandhi (very competent prime minister) was assassinated by the LTTE for openly supporting the Sri Lankan government over the so called ‘Indian brothers’. His son, and current poster boy Rahul Gandhi has clearly stated that he has no sympathies with the LTTE, and that he will never forgive them. The government has asked for Mr. Prabhakaran to be tried in India if he’s found alive. God forbid- I can just imagine the drama.

In fact, I hope the bastard is found with a bullet lodged in his brain. Life will be so much simpler.
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In other news, I wrote a Financial Management exam yesterday, and I don’t believe I’ve ever written a worse paper. Thankfully, the look of shock was visible on every face after leaving the examination hall. There were even some tears shed.

Please, God, please- I must pass.

Dear Reader, I ask you, please pray for me.

33 comments:

  1. If the LTTE chief is ever up for a trial in India, its equivalent to awarding him another decade to sit back and sip Sri Lankan tea while the Indian High courts and the Supreme Court, in the process of establishing justice, will turn it into a media glam.

    well written. and and excellent home page layout.

    Cheers

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  2. heh..well, um looking forward to the LTTE Factor which will be debated over NDTV today at Chennai...um sure Tamil Nadu politicians and their bagaining power in providing the BJP or the Congress a majority will clearly come into play during the elections...

    And for Prabhakaran..as much as people in India wants him tried, imagine how much ppl in SRi Lanka would want him for what he has done?

    I guess the next few days would be quite interesting....

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  3. and..oh..May You Pass With Flying Colors in your Financial Management paper...:)

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  4. In defense of the US: You're a big enough country that you should be able to fend for yourself. Yes, your lower classes are dirt poor and need help. We do have charitable organizations dedicated to helping India. However, I do not see why our government should get involved. We have enough of our own problems.

    I'm kind of isolationist that way.

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  5. I'll be praying for you!!

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  6. @ Varun: Welcome to my blog :) and thank you very much! i completely agree, by the way. It would be so much simpler if he was just found dead- for though it would ensure that he could not be questioned or tried, it would also make certain that there would be not much drama, and that there is nothing for the remaining terorists to rally around- you know, no captured leader in jail, or whatever.

    @ Rsz: Huh... I didn't know NDTV broadcasted to SL as well... and you sure pay close attention to those debates, I see. I will, however, like to tell you that NDTV is not the best place to gain an insight into indian politics- it's almost a mouthpiece for a certain political front here in India. Times Now, if you get that, is a pretty even one- gives the view from both sides, and does not try to colour your opinion.

    @ Eärwen: Thank you!

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  7. @ Q: A separate answer for your comment, and I'm sorry for the delay: Blogger has been malfunctioning.

    For many years now, India has battled the problem of terrorism, and for all those years, Western countries, especially the US and the UK, have looked the other way- even though India did not ask for much. All we asked was that the money that was being sent to and by these terrorist organisations to fund their activities against India through banks in the US and UK be checked, and we be given access to the names of the people who held these accounts, so we could stop the violence swallowing our cities and towns. However, we were told that these were private accounts, and of course they (the govt.s of US and UK) could not do anything about it.

    Today, terrorism is a major issue for both these countries, and suddenly, they see no problems in strong- arming countries that are less powerful than themselves into giving up information... no need for protecting privacy now that Americans and Britishers are the victims... so I guess your lives and homes are naturally more important than that of any Indian.

    You say you do not see why your government should get involved- but, you see, your government is already involved, just that they're sleeping on it. The Taliban is just a few miles away from the capital of Pakistan, and therefore only a few miles away from India, and it was the various wars on terror initiated by the US and it's allies that that have made them get even more aggressive. I'm not saying that such organisations should be tolerated, but I do believe that it's a responsibility of the US, that it should help in managing what it has kick started. India can fight and win the war, but did you know that India and Pakistan are both nuclear states? I'm sure you will realise the implications of what I've said in this very long comment when you think that soon, the Taliban will not just be controlling Pakistan from outside their legislature, but will be sitting inside their senate. Then they will control the nuclear button. And sleeping they were- after two weeks of reports of the Taliban slowly taking over Pakistan, the US administration suddenly woke up to the threat it posed- no comments, not one statement for all that time, and suddenly, one statement that has the Taliban backing up... really, what do you want me to say to this? There have been no attacks on American soil, I think since after 2001, but that may have lots to do with being blessed by decent neighbours- India is part of the 2nd toughest neighbourhood, and our people are poached upon on a regular basis. Arm chairs are nice, but we do not have such comforts.

    For years, we have been trying to convince your government, and those of other Western Powers to not trust Pakistan, and just by checking the flow of funds help us in putting a stop to the war on our streets, and in our cities, but they didn't.

    Then on September 11th, 2001, the demon they had created rose again, and this time it wanted not just our blood, but also that of the people who lived in what were earlier grounds too Holy to touch. When they were attacking us, these countries had all turned a blind eye, and now they all want to cooperate and share information. Did you know that all the 9/11 people had been trained not in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan? Oh, yes- Osama Bin Laden was once a trusted and treasured US ally.

    The kind of bloodshed that was therefore indirectly financed by these countries still echoes in the by lanes of my country. It is not something most of us will ever forget, and I have absolutely no qualms in saying that the current brand of terrorism has been created as much by the terrorists themselves, as by the policies adopted by the US and UK.

    Please don't take this as an offence, I can see the difference between you and your government- one is not the other, but you see, many of the problems the world is facing today, India has already battled for many years more, and without any help.

    Secondly, you also mentioned the poverty in India. Yes, it definitely exists, but the poverty in India is much more complex than just a lack of funds, and I do not know how to explain this to a foreigner who has not lived in India for at least 10 years.

    The problem of poverty in India is quite chronic in itself, but it has not got a lot to do with the economics as much as it does with the centuries worth of exploitation, and of course, the more complex conundrum of Indian society as a machinery, and therefore no charitable organisation- whether in India or the US, or anywhere else will really be able to help them.

    India is a very ancient place, and it has developed some very complex problems along the way. In all of our history, money has rarely been our problem, until recently, and that is because of the British Raj- centuries in which our very friendly British friends raped India (and all other colonialised countries) to within an inch of her life, where they allowed massive epidemics, famines, and other human crises to destroy our people, and took as much as they could squeeze out from our land. They also did not allow our people to be educated- a human disaster, as you can imagine.

    After all this, it has taken us a while to recover, but who can blame us? We had nothing, absolutely nothing when we started- we were the poorest, but perhaps the most idealistic of all beggars.

    Now it is not so any more.

    We can now stand on our own feet, and even though everything is not perfect, we are still trying to make it so... the poverty will not go away at once, of course, but India truly is the land of opportunities, and since the problem is not about the money, but about it’s disbursement, it will take some time to fix, but it will be fixed.

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  8. When I was in India, a LOT of people around me were going out to vote, even with it being the day after a wedding.

    I come back here in time for the general elections and I didn't notice a single person going out to exercise his ballot.

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  9. Hey :)

    Welcome back :D

    Yes, like I mentioned, these elections are crucial... ppl will go and vote + in the South there is the whole LTTE- Lankan- Tamil issue going on, so yeah, ppl are going out to vote this time, not to mention the heavy promotions on voting...

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  10. fodder for thought!!!
    valid points...wish we really had that option of making our vote inadmissible.
    ohh u 'll pass Insha allah:)

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  11. Ah, thank you! I really need the prayers and the blessings this time 'round!

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  12. well I feel they should have the option of registering yourself and not voting for anyone at all in India. This way you get registered and your vote is not misused and you represent your feelings about the candidates. I am having huge trouble deciding whom to vote for.
    First time on your blog.
    Will definitely come back.

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  13. Hi :)

    Yeah, actually, we are allowed to do that- just go to your booth, and ask for the form that allows you to register as a non- voter... as in, you don't think anyone's worth the vote, so just fill that form up, and say so! It happened a lot in the Delhi assembly pools recently.

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  14. Good luck for passing the FM exam. I need it too! :| Btw, which B School is still having exams?

    And I don't write about politics for the exact same reasons as you mentioned in the first para. Nice article though.

    I'm following this now. :)

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  15. Ah, thank you, and thank you!

    I'm currently doing an undergrad business degree from DU.. so the DU exams happen now :P

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  16. what has been happening with Kasab in Indian custody? he gets to just sit around, not bothered about the mess he helped create. Our Judiciary which goes unchecked, unaccountable to anyone, better answer to the public why in our country, a soft stand is taken towards those who should be shot in their eyes.
    why are those officers who go for encounters prosecuted? remember the movie 'Ab tak 56'?
    awesome movie showing how some officers clean the scum of this country.
    I don't think I will vote this time. What use is the right that cripples the nation? When I had got my voters ID, i was pretty happy that I would get a chance to vote. Then I read the ridiculous manifestos the these ridiculous parties. No matter how much I pray, no matter how much I try to convince others, we will get a government which will try to ruin our lives one way or the other.
    And to your question of why Americans are sleeping? well they need to, after the chaos they have created throughout the world, they need to rest. don't forget why the Taliban were first given the weapons. don't forget that Americans manufacture the maximum number of weapon. their economy primarily runs on weapons...

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  17. Hi, AT, welcome to my space :)

    Haha- did you know that Varun Gandhi did not even get a matress in jail, while Kasab is being royally buffed up with tax payers money? Yeah...

    Yeah, I saw that film, it was good... but I also don't think anyone should have that much power... however, encounter specialists are, and should be treated like the elite that they truly are..

    I still think everyone should vote... idealism is not something any of us can afford to run out of... personally, this is my country, and therefore my responsibility- which just means that I cannot give up on it.

    Lol @ the Americans... though it is the American govt., and not so much it's citizens..

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  18. hi mixedblessing,
    tell me something(forgive me if i am in anyway offending you), but what use is the vote when a majority of the people get swayed by cheap promises that all these filthy parties promise?
    in this economic slowdown, we cannot afford to hand out Rs2/Kg of rice and wheat...our political parties are going around promising that...either these parties would drain our resources, or would fall short of their promises...
    why is reservation of seats still so powerful in our country? why do people who do half the work that i do, get through reputed universities? why does vote bank politics work in our country? why do majority of the people just look at short term goals? the problem is not with me, but with the people who vote these filthy politicians
    do one thing, visit my blog and you will realize how strongly i feel about the political scenario of our nation...once again forgive me in case i have offended anyone

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  19. Nah, not offended at all, I hear it all the time.

    Yeah, I get all the problems you've pointed out- in fact, being a business student, I am aware of some of the problems the country faces, that are not really spoken about generally.

    No, we cannot afford that kind of price, and we cannot afford to release all the loans, and we cannot afford vote bank politics...

    Oh, wtf! Aayush, is that you? I just realised why 'AT' sounded so familiar! I did visit your blog, idiot, but you've changed your layout.

    Achha, anyway... yes, I know how strongly you feel about these issues, but the thing is, you have to deal with them whether you like it or not- all of us do. It's not fair, but no one said building a nation was ever going to be easy. Yet it must be done, or there will be a time when our children will face the same issues we do now... not cool, as you can imagine.

    Majority of the ppl look at ST goals, because that's how they live their lives- most of us are not yet past the roti- kapda- makan stage, and the fact remains that few things inspire within any human being the kind of passion that family does. In India, the definition of family extends to cover the social community one belongs to, while in many foreign countries it's based on colour, ethnicity, etc. You already know all of this.

    You mentioned the slowdown- well, in the slowdown more than ever we should all strive to use only Indian made products... do you realise that all the money ppl spend on Colgate, Dove or BATA is going out of the country? It's one reason for the slowing down of the Rupee against the Dollar, even though the crisis hasn't come to Indian shores. Yet we don't do it, because, quite frankly, we are not yet prepared to- we don't have a satisfactory replacement for Colgate or Dove or BATA. Not that we don't make toiletaries and shoes here, but that better quality is available, and if we can afford it, we will not go in for an inferior product. It's a basic law of human nature, and economics.

    Similarly, ppl right now have no better option than the politicians and the politics we currently have, so we make do with it. Tell me, if the ppl don't voe for them, do they have a cleaner option? I don't think so. I read somewhere that in Sri Lanka corruption is such a common factor, that voters just don't take that into account any more- likewise, India.

    I don't know if you have read the previous comments, but there is a very lobg one in which I explain to Q why America was mentioned in this post at all... there I say that poverty in India is a social, not economic, problem.

    This is true in almost all spheres of our lives today. Just as poverty cannot be wiped out by hand outs, similarly we need to go into the roots of this political problem that we are now faced with. There was a time not so long ago when are politicians were actually leaders and thinkers and statesmen/ women. This time is now past us, but we can try and bring it back.

    Idealism is often laughed upon, but the thing is, you cannot build a nation, and a nationhood without it. Who will take India forward if you and I give up on it now, in the time of here greatest need?

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  20. Aah, doesn't seem that u don't write much abt politics...u're much into it with this post...

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  21. Again, I'm just isolationist and don't really think that my government should have gotten involved in anything that didn't directly concern us, no matter that we are the most powerful country in the world in so many ways. I can see where fund-checking would work, but I can also see the perspective of the banks: They want to protect the privacy of their customers. Not that I condone terrorist actions, of course. Are the banks fund-checking now?

    Call me cynical, but I don't think that we can solve terrorism. Its roots penetrate too deep. I also think that Pakistan is dangerously close to becoming a failed state, and I fear for the fate of its people and yours if it does fail. I was aware that you are both nuclear, and that scares me. I hope and pray with all my heart that no one pushes the button first, because the outcome is too terrible to contemplate.

    On poverty: I absolutely understand that I cannot understand. I've heard Americans speak about poverty in other countries like throwing money at the problem will make it better when it won't, without realizing that we cannot fully understand the extent and complexity of the problem without living it. What do you know/think about microcredit programs? I'd love to get your opinion on those. And what exactly do you mean by saying poverty is a social problem? And stupid colonizers. I'd revile them more except my ancestors were the same kind of invaders that so destroyed your country.

    Also: I am not depressed, so don't worry. I'm so over that phase in my life. Yesterday was just a long, trying day and I wanted to write it out. :)

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  22. @ Rachit: Hi :) and thank you :) Yeah, I follow politics, but don't often write, or give out my opinion, about it.

    @ Q: Well, first of all... GREAT that you're not depressed. I was worried. Phew!

    Alright...

    1. I completely agree that ppl and countries should mind their own business... unfortunately, and this is especially true for the American government, they cannot ever seem to do so. Being wealthy and powerful is a priviledge, but that's hardly a good reason to think of themselves as the Messiah. Americans... well your government at least, is very much disliked in most parts of the world for messing things up after unwarranted interference. I'm sorry... but that's just the thing.

    2. Yes, of course they would want to protect the privacy... but I ask you, is somebody's privacy more important than thousands of lives? If by protecting someone’s privacy, you are protecting criminals, isn't it better to just take a look? Yes, now that our government is much more powerful, the banks are taking notice.

    3. Nah, I agree we cannot uproot terrorism completely- there's always something or the other- India is living proof of that.

    4. Pakistan... well, what can I say? I have not lived there, or ever been to the place, but I have lived with the problem called 'Pakistan' all my life. Most Pakistanis would not really care about the Talibanisation as long as it hurt India. Their government is obviously not concerned- they're just busy cutting deals with them. It's very tough to explain this to you, since I don't completely understand it myself... there are other Islamic states that are functioning successfully, but I cannot understand the Pakistani brand of hypocrisy.
    A few years ago, for some reason there was a huge cloud over north- west India, and The South- east region of Pakistan, it was an environmental thing, but strategists and thinkers all over the world were panicking, thinking that one of us had let a nuclear weapon off... when it was determined that nothing of the sort had happened, they were frantic- they thought it would be a big enough threat, if the one of the countries noticed the cloud, that they might launch the nuclear armoury. The only way to describe our political reaction was: WTF? Seriously, shut up. *bemused*

    India is not as fragile as Pakistan- we have never been so.

    5. In my experience, which is not much, as you can imagine, throwing money at any problem only intensifies and complicates it. It's kind of like giving the kids' all the money they ask for and more... it doesn't solve the problem, just adds to it.

    6. Micro- credit programs are very cool, and they have been very successful in India for a very long time. It's a very old concept here, actually. Also, there are cooperative societies, which are a lot like micro- credit, except that they don't hand out small amounts of money... for example, there is this company called AMUL, which is a pre- independence organisation, buys milk from all villagers, and pays them according to a quality- scale... so the money goes directly to the villagers, and they can do what they like with it.

    This is one example of a cooperative, but there are several running in India. In my family, we make it a point to consume stuff made by such companies, over private or foreign goods.

    6. On poverty in India being a social problem... well that's tough to explain here.. I'll do a post on it in a couple of days, and then tell me if I could clear it up for you. It's not an easy concept, especially for a foreigner.

    7. Colonisers... well... what can I say, I feel that almost all problems our world faces today can be traced back to that era. I can sort of understand your problem, because I have met and/ or admired ppl who come from such countries, but, for me, it's really tough to get over what they made of my country- the everyday cruelty, the lust for money and power that forever scarred an entire nation. Think about it- most of the countries that are today labelled as 'Third World' are ex- colonials.

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  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  24. mixedblessing,
    i just figured who you are!!!a bit late of course, but did, and the whole thing appeared pretty funny.....
    when are your exams getting over?

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  25. Have the last written tomorrow, and then the prac the day after.

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  26. I know people don't like it when we interfere. That's why we should just STOP!

    I think it's a good thing you're not as unstable as Pakistan After all, if you're not already the most populous nation in the world, you soon will be, and goodness knows we don't need over a billion people living in a fragile country.

    I'm glad that microcrediting works as it is purported to. I think it's good because while it does use money to try to help, the programs who run it are all about loaning, which means that the people enrolled have to pay the money back. I think that because they pay it back it helps them be more successful and productive. Again, I haven't lived there, so I don't know for sure, but I'm glad the signs are promising.

    So cooperative societies resell what they buy from villagers elsewhere? Do they profit any, or are they selling at a loss? I'd love to hear more about these in your social problem post. :)

    I think that all of the Third World is post-colonial, and that most of their problems stem from that past. It's a serious problem, and I don't think anyone really knows what to do about it. But I also think that simple human nature is to blame--the natural compulsion to control, to take and possess, to follow those who say they should be followed. It's a sad situation.

    Hope your exams go well!

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  27. You have exactly 1000 profile views.

    !


    erm... the word verification thingy reads "doomf"

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  28. guess what, we need to go to work on Thursday 7th may, the day of the polling

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  29. Hello MB,

    I would like to start from where you concluded. Not just because I completely agree with you, but that’s exactly what I had wanted to say.

    “In fact, I hope the bastard is found with a bullet lodged in his brain. Life will be so much simpler.”

    You are right. 100%.

    Ever since the war on terror intensified in Sri Lanka, politicians from Tamil Nadu were responding with a reckless insensitivity. First it was Vaiko who warned of a bloodbath in Tamil Nadu if anything happened to Prabhakaran. Then CM Karunanidhi referred him as a friend. (I’ve already commented about all these in another blog titled ‘Advertisingh’ in response to a post in it “ Kasab the bastard”.) Now the question is who is Prabhakaran? The LTTE is a terrorist organization and Mr. Prabhakaran is the first accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. These politicians, including a CM is supporting a terrorist who killed one of the country’s Prime Ministers. They are just trying to gain political mileage out of these and I don’t think that they have any concern for the civilians who bear the brunt of the conflict. Even those like Daya Master, who had been with LTTE for so many years now accuse the outfit of inhuman treatment of the very tamils on whose behalf the LTTE wages the war. What a paradox.

    Now just imagine: (let us hope it will never happen) Prabhakaran has been captured alive. More than the delay caused by judicial procedure, it will actually open a Pandora’s Box for the government of India. Our chauvinistic politicians will sure oppose rewarding Prabhakaran with what he actually deserves and it will create more bloodbath and problems in the country which is already reeling under a thousand and one problems at the moment. Yes, “Life will be so much simpler” if he will “be found with a bullet lodged in his brain.”

    Now, three cheers to the Sri Lankan government, especially to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite being a small nation, despite being ravaged by the conflict, they have shown tremendous political will to eliminate LTTE forever. And in the process they have promptly shown the place to the Eunuch UN, Norway, Japan, U.S and the so-called international community by refusing to accept the demand for a ceasefire. The people of Sri Lanka have been living in absolute terror for decades, now they want to put an end to it. (Living in fear of death is worst than death) What these countries that are eager to mediate now had been doing when ordinary people to top rung leaders and officials of the government were blown away in Sri Lanka in countless bomb blasts on a regular basis? Now our impotent leaders have to learn a thing or two from Mahinda Rajapaksa and his colleagues. What did India do after our financial capital was ravaged and hundreds of people were killed by Pak trained Militants? In fact, the other day The Hindu carried on its editorial page an article by Brahma Chellany refuting the claim buy those who went gaga over the nuclear deal pointing out that it could be the beginning of a new chapter in the Indo-US strategic relationship. In fact Ms. Clinton revealed in the US Assembly how she managed to persuade India not responding to the terror attack even with imposing mild sanctions on Pakistan. Isn’t it clear that the US is not at all bothered about India and their sole concern is their own security?

    It’s such a wonderful and well-written piece. And I also found your reply to Q quite informative. In fact you belong to the rare species of youth who are well-informed about politics and the dark annals of our democratic history; read emergency. Have you read ‘The Judgement’, an account of emergency by Kuldip Nayar?

    You can still see a lot of people who praise Indira Gandhi for imposing emergency. And the reason they often cite is trains which ran on time during the period. The Message: Blatant human right violations are ignorable if trains run on time.

    Another breed is those who lament that the British had to leave. Reason: The introduction of railways, building bridges and above all uniting or creating a nation called India out of thousands of scattered, warring princely states. Ask them about the plunder, they will just keep their mouth shut.

    Now your Financial Management exam. You’ll pass. I think you’ll definitely pass. I know a couple of my cousins (do I need to say girls), studious and bespectacled you know, who always worry about an exam once it’s over while the lesser mortal, yours truly go overboard about it; that is the bloody silly exams being over at last. And once the results are announced? Just guess. These girls…Oh My God!!!


    Quite late to comment, I know that. In fact, I had a glance of this post when it got posted. But I had wanted to read it in peace which I did now.

    So I sometimes frighten you huh? Not intentional, that’s all I can say.

    And the second tag…oom let me see.

    Yeah, now a big THANK YOU. I’m all going mushy mushy for no one had given me an award so far. So at last me too have been conferred with an award. I’ll soon display it on my blog though I don’t know how. I’ll figure it out.

    Hope everything is fine including the exams. Take care.

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  30. Hi :)

    Thanks :)

    I haven't read much about the emergency, whatever I know about it, I know through my parents and some basic knowledge of history. My parents too praised the trains bit, and sometimes if everything is running late, they lament about how good stuff was during the emergency, but they do tell me the bad stuff, so yeah.

    Yes, I do have an interest in politics- I like knowing stuff, it can be any subject, I like to be able to talk about it, and make sense.

    You're welcome!

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  31. Re: The state of emergency, we've been living in one for the past few years. Ever since Minister Kadirgamar was assassinated, actually. The war's nearly up, we're told, but I doubt the army roadblocks, house searches and sudden arrests are going to be pulled over.

    The trains still don't always come on time though.

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  32. hey there... replied ur Tag a few posts back! didnt forget... stopped blogging for a while....

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