Good riddance -Jyoti Basu died. A Nice Tribute to Basu by Gupta
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Posted on: 19-01-10 06:20:01
Worshipping the wrong Gods is a hallmark of India and Indian history is full of the same. And will likely remain that way for a long time to come.
Quote:
Originally posted by BAsh
Worshipping the wrong Gods is a hallmark of India and Indian history is full of the same. And will likely remain that way for a long time to come.
Can you elaborate on this statement? It is offensive to 1 billions Indians (residents or non-residents), including me and you (if you happen to be one).
Quote:
Originally posted by ILOVENA
It may not be the greatest thing to wish that our 80 and 90 something politicians leave this planet. That said, politics and especially the 70-80-90 something politicians, the personality cult around them, their goons, corruption and the lack of principles is what keeps India illiterate, poor, and sick.
You do not have to take the state of health, education and prosperity literally. There is no health-care worth it's name, education is a birthright for the rich, and there is a steep divide between those who can spend a thousand rupees on a meal, and those who can not afford two slices of bread. We sit on a AIDS time bomb waiting to explode (and pretend that no such thing exists). We have over 2 million child prostitutes, and 2,00,000 children go blind in India, every year, due to malnutrition.
Just in case what co-relation we can find between these issues - just sit back and think of the virtual divide between the real problems and the efforts to eulogize a politician like Jyoti Basu, who contributed nothing to India, thanks to his bloated ego, arrogance, and lack of principles. The Hindu with a avowed communist in its editor N. Ram carried a zozen articles praising Jyoti Basu, on the day he passed away. Agreed we can not ignore the passing of someone who vehemently opposed Mrs Indira Gandhi and her coterie, when she declared emergency in 1975 (this was conveniently ignored by the Hindu). But a dozen news items? That is the height (o should I say \"lows\" to which we in India can travel, to worship our rulers.
Kanchan gupta is right when she says that there is nothing to eulogize Jyoti basu. He and his band of communists converted the once prosperous West Bengal, into a waste land. The average investor has lost the confidence and faith in both West Bengal, and Kerala, where successive communist governments have played havoc with the common man, under the guise of \"socialism\".
What should surprise and shame an average Indian is this - while the last vestiges of firebrand communism or \"socialism\" as we know it are almost about t disappear. Russia, the birth place of this political system is looking to embrace capitalism with open arms. Once the Castro era is gone, Cuba will see new-found prosperity from capitalism. Hugo Chavez may be a great hit in Venezuela, but once his time has passed on, no one will remember him. In short, communism or \"socialism\", whatever you call it, is almost gone, but we still venerate our communist leaders who have brought nothing but misery, goondaism, corruption, and personality cult in India............ What is their relevance? why can't these 80 or 90 something communist leaders just retire, leaving the country to prosper?
As for how great a man Jyoti Basu was - hear this. The man who stood and opposed Indira Gandhi for imposing internal emergency, had no qualms about supporting the same party to \"keep communal forces\" from coming to power. So much for his \"principles\"! !
It might sound like wishful thinking, but I hope some day, we have selfless 30 or 40 something leaders who can steer us from imminent disaster, in India. I hope to see a day when we can be proud of our leaders..........
I believe in miracles, as much as they don't happen often!
There are several response wishing for young leaders. While I understand such a desire on part of the most people, it may not always work that way. Just think of Mulayam's goon taking the power or moron Rahul taking over (which is a strong possibility). Vajpayee and Narsimha Rao, though much older than 75, did wonderfully well. India is hero worshipping country (though most times , Hero is really a villain like Lalu, Mulayam, Mayawati, Indira and Nehru) and India is also unlucky country. Lal Bahadur and Sardar died at most inopportune time.
In fact I have never considered india as a democratic country because it lacks certain fundamental characteristics intrinsic to democracy. Take ,for example equality before law. Certain section of Indian people are given huge and unjustified preference in education and job by way of reservation based on discrimination practised by past generations. If we really study passionately, it is not difficult to come to conclusion that atrocities committed against black in USA was much more harsh. But U.S. supreme court and parliament have never approved reservation , though a system of preference is in place in Govt organization. Instead , sustained efforts and campaign has erased much prejudice. Take another example of free judiciary. Though India has formal justice system, it has been rendered useless by design. Court cases take decades to get resolved and hence for all practical purposes judicial system is dysfunctional. Zamindari was abolished (which was good) but not evenly implemented . Progressive states implemented it but BIMARU states never did. Also there was injustice and bias built in abolition of Zamindari abolishion. Gold and estate holding were untouched. I can give many more example.
Meghal,
May be I should have phrased it as 'false gods' instead of wrong gods. I dont' know if that's where I erred. I am of Indian origin for your information and am proud of it.
And by saying this what I mean is that we have not been valuing real patriots but somehow make sure that people like Basu, VP singh, Deve Gowda, Lalu, Mulayam, Mayavati etc dont get in the dustbin of history. Once these people are dead (in Mayavati's case, even when she's alive) I am sure you will find their statues installed and good things written about them in our history books. Where as the 'real Gods' like Subash Chandra Bose and Lal Bahadur Shastri to name a few get only courtesy attention at best.
I am not trying to offend you or any other Indian here.
There is an interesting turn to the venerated communist leader.
According to THE HINDU, whose editor is a worshiper of all things considered communist, NIMHANS, the premier research institute that researches mental health, wants to research Jyoti Basu's brain.
According to this story, Impressed by his mental agility even at an advanced age, the premier National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences wants to study late CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu’s brain to find out whether there was any special reason for his alertness.
Link:
http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article83041.ece?homepage=true
How "low" can we stoop, when it comes to worshiping our rulers? (I prefer the term "rulers" to "leaders"
. How low can one go, when it comes to servility? Politicians vie with each other to indulge in boot-licking, and to be the first to name a street, airport or a public hall after a favorite leader. They fall upon each other, when it comes to installing statues of their political masters. Then when they are in power, they re-write history, with all misdeeds about their political masters erased, from the schoolbooks, and praises showered upon them for their "great deeds".
Does anyone here believe that we will change, in India? Or will we go back to the 17th and 18th century, when lives were at the mercy of rulers?
Aren't we already heading towards (I mean going back) to the 17th or 18th century, courtesy Telangana, Bundelkhand, etc? That was the time when so many chota mota rulers were ruling their own kingdoms.
KM
Quote:
Originally posted by BAsh
Meghal,
May be I should have phrased it as 'false gods' instead of wrong gods. I dont' know if that's where I erred. I am of Indian origin for your information and am proud of it.
And by saying this what I mean is that we have not been valuing real patriots but somehow make sure that people like Basu, VP singh, Deve Gowda, Lalu, Mulayam, Mayavati etc dont get in the dustbin of history. Once these people are dead (in Mayavati's case, even when she's alive) I am sure you will find their statues installed and good things written about them in our history books. Where as the 'real Gods' like Subash Chandra Bose and Lal Bahadur Shastri to name a few get only courtesy attention at best.
I am not trying to offend you or any other Indian here.
I agree with you BAsh. Just that your previous statement kind of generalised the entire population.
Somehow it all ties back to overpopulation/poverty/illiteracy. Take examples of state like UP/Bihar/Tamilnadu, which tends to be overpopulated and at same time dominate the central politics. These are the states which tend to idol worship their politicians and make them larger than life characters.
Even Gujarat has history of electing Deepika to Loksabha .
