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June 25, 1998
SPECIALS
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How Readers responded to Varsha Bhosle's recent columns
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 06:18:33 -0400 I have written about Ms Varsha Bhosle's flights of fancy in an earlier letter which for some reason has not shown up yet in the readers's feedback column. Anyway, just a few more comments on her Monopoly Game. The capitalist class of India is a venal, corrupt and criminal class. Its rule over the Indian masses for the past five decades can be called as the rule of bureaucrat and comprador capital. Its political representatives have been the Congress and today the BJP (basically two faces of the same coin). I will not get into details about this matter but would like to ask if Ms Bhosle has taken a look at the Third World countries (eg Mexico, Indonesia) and the ex-Eastern Bloc and USSR where this MNC-inspired development has been sought. The result has been complete catastrophe and has resulted in the collapse of the living and health standards of the people, dependent development and de-industrialisation, immiserisation and the rule of Mafia-type criminals. For example, in the ex-USSR from 1990 (when "free-market reforms" started being implemented) there have been gigantic disasters -- huge percentage of people (60%) below poverty line, dissolution of public health infrastructure, Mafia rule, selling of public property to the private looters (local and foreign), depletion and export of natural resources and capital to the rich West, prostitution, depopulation (more that 3 million young Russian men between the ages of 23 to -40 have died since 1990), etc. In comparison to the "free-market" present (actually slave market), the Soviet times were a godsend. In short, the transformation of a powerful industrial country which challenged the West into a bankrupt, lackey, dependent Third World country. As regards India, there exist damning statistics from 1990-1995 about the actual impact of the economic "reforms" which I may present in a future post. These reforms and the consuming sprees of the upper classes have led to a national debt of over $ 100 billion (whose interest and capital) will have to be paid by the blood, sweat and tears of Indian masses. In a country where the majority of people do not have access to clean water, sanitation, education, why should imperialist foreign monopolies be allowed to enslave the majority of the people so that people like Ms Bhosle can satisfy temporarily their insatiable appetitite for foreign consumer goods? Should the Indian masses have a say in this free sale of India to imperialism? What would they think about it if they were explained as to what was really going on? Would Ms Bhosle be writing this column if it were not for the brave revolutionaries and countless peasants and working people who laid down their lives to rid India of British colonialism? From beyond the grave, would they call people like Ms Bhosle traitors like Mir Jafar of old? I bet they would. Instead of declaiming and proclaiming on all sorts of matters without the slightest bit of knowledge, Ms Bhosle should do some serious research into the topics she writes about. For example, she could find out that the same West that is today singing the swansong of the free market, subsidies and protects its own industries MASSIVELY. In the US, the Pentagon budget of $ 300 billion per year is a public subsidy to high-tech industry. Look at Japan. All of the developed countries today have achieved their development through the exploitation of other countries (colonialism, neocolonialism) and through the protection and state subsidy of their own industry. NO OTHER ROUTE OF DEVELOPMENT is possible. In fact, no counter examples exist and I challenge Ms Bhosle to come up with one. S Chatterjee
Date sent: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 11:31:07 -0400 Ah, You are back again! It is always nice to hear the passion in your voice. One of the main reasons I visit Rediff is to see you take on current events. Hope they never let you go. What happened to Jethmalani's grand design for a cleaner Bombay? Would like to hear your take on that...
Mani
Date sent: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 15:36:05 PDT Varsha Bhosle has opposed the VHP on shakti peeth (recently, she has become an opposent of the VHP on all matters). The question is: will she next start opposing the VHP on Ayodhya too (as she feels she will be denied the right of her favourite beef eating)? If any Muslim or Christian organisation had thought of building a memorial it could have got a word of appreciation from all quarters of media for nationalism. What is Varsha's problem if the VHP thinks of building a peeth with its own money (she wrote this in her article and forgets it afterwards)? She tries to create the impression that religious people have no right to involve themselves in the defence matters of India, not even in celebration. Don't the religious people want to defend themselves, to see a strong country? If this logic is to be extended, then people who did not participated in the freedom movement cannot celebrate Independence day! Then, she asks what does Hinduism have to do with bomb? I remember she was the one who wrote an article with the heading Hindutva Bomb. Then she starts calling Mr Ashok Chowgule names ("nitwit"). And Chowgule is a person who has been working full time amongst tribals along with his wife for decades, even after being attacked by Communists! It has become a fashion to ask whenever something is done by the Hindu organisation as to why the money wasn't utilised for the poor. The people who write this do nothing for the poor except pen out such garbage. Does Ms Bhosle know that one of affiliates of the VHP, the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, has adopted around 27 thousand tribal villages for all round development? She seems to be also upset with Mr Chowgule getting a chance to write a article in the Sunday Times. Does she feel that only she has the right to express herself? Sunil
Date sent: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 00:17:53 +0530 The writings of Varsha are simply fantastic. I feel she's one of the best columnists on the Net. She's so fearless in her writings. Varsha, keep it up. MANAS
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 19:16:38 -0400 Go after them for it, Varsha. Next they'll be doing Shiv tandawa and nuking the Americans... EPG
Date sent: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 08:19:33 -0400 It is BOLD, CLEAR, forthright and meaningful analysis. Keep up your honest critical approach.
Date sent: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 10:41:10 EDT Varsha Bhosle considers India's H-bomb is "not as path-breaking as... er... Viagra". Hence, she argues that that does not merit the VHP building a shakti peeth. Since Varsha considers Viagra as path breaking why does not she build a Viagra peeth? India, after all, is a free country, and so long as it does not use public funds, the VHP is free to commemorate what it considers path-breaking. Similarly, the likes of Varsha, Dilip D'Souza and Saisuresh Sivaswamy are free to worship Viagra, which after all they may find more useful :-) than the H-Bomb. Incidentally, many Rediff columnists seem to be so fascinated with the idea of Viagra that they are referring to it at every remote chance. Varsha Bhosle and the likes should not lecture the VHP on how a school can be built with the proposed expenditure for shakti peeth because the VHP ALREADY RUNS HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS. These commentators themselves should think about the advice they dish out when they guzzle down Vodka or Nepali hooch that VB mentions. Would that money, instead, not be paid for the education of a poor Indian boy from villages? Pallabh Mitra
Date sent: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 01:42:58 -0500 An interesting peek at your life :-) For a change try getting up one morning at 5:30 am listening to subrabatham and, maybe, take a walk down the beach. Believe me it can be a very nice feeling. I have tried it once in a while to break out of my nocturnal routine. BTW, the man who sold HotMail to Microsoft is still heading HotMail. So he is not enjoying what you are enjoying day in and day out. And this one was very apt... "The most harmful babes are those who block medical college seats, and then retire into obscurity the minute they get a marital opening". Valli
Date sent: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 07:51:47 PDT Dear Varsha, I have been your fan since day 1. Enjoy your style a lot. However, I disagree the views expressed in this article. Shakti peeth is a good idea. Every peeth is a source of inspiration. Inspiration gives us the strength to cope with the events in our life. Let me give you an example. Lord Ram was supposed to be a mighty god. Okay, what was he doing when Babar destroyed his temple? Why could he not show his strength against the demon? Why does he need kar sevaks to destroy the Babri Masjid? After all this, why do we pray to him? Same goes with Bhavani Mata. If she, who gave a sword to Shivaji personally, was that powerful, why could not she help Baji Prabhu? Did she save his life? The answer is simple. Shivaji is one of the peeth. He offers us inspiration. Same as what Jesus Christ and Mao are to their followers. The BJP is a political party and I see no problem if anyone writes against them, as long as the concerns are legitimate. The VHP is NOT a political party. They run several thousand schools, all manned by volunteers. So what is wrong in their idea of creating a shakti peeth? True, lots of people in India sleep hungry. So do several in America, England and Germany. Does that prevent them from building new churches? If you are really concerned about money being wasted, let me ask you one thing: Have you or your family ever contributed a rupee to the VHP? Better yet, has your family ever contributed even a pawli for a social cause? If not, shut up. No need to worry about the VHP's finance if you have never donated a paisa to them. Your attacks on Ashok Chowgule and Pritish Nandy were personal in nature and have nothing to do with the philosophy you preach. It is good for India not to have a member of Rajya Sabha who is not mature enough to understand how to take a loss gracefully. With friends like you, Hindutva does not need any enemies. Satish Ghatge Patil
Date sent: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 09:00:11 -0700 If I try to analyse the gist of this article, it forgives a person for not being ambitious or really striving for something. I guess it also suggests that those who do should not have a derogatory outlook on those who don't. In a sense I do agree. I have encountered many who have chided me for not working 'enough', and there are those extremists who consider watching a sports event or a movie a waste of time. Since in the long run "we all are dead" this does make sense in one way. I also feel that some people really enjoy working rather than staying at home. (Even if they have already made it big moneywise, they do feel like working). The question is how hard. I would like to add another point: work is essential whether at home or not, for it defines what leisure is and helps you enjoy it. But though many of us don't like the work we do and always promise to retire if we made millions, I really haven't seen anyone who has done it. I think a healthy mind is developed by some commitment. Ravi Bhaskaran
Date sent: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 08:21:37 -0700 Dear Varsha: Well done. And why not? If you do not have to be a part of this cycle of struggle for a living, then enjoy life, do what you always wanted to, and do it for the love of it and not the rewards. This is exactly what Buddha did and how he attained nirvana. The people who do not like you are just a bunch of losers or high strung over-achievers with a bunch of tablets to keep them going. We all would like to have a life with some leisure and no pressure to get from point A to point B. Hinduism is the only religion that tells you to give up your desires to attain happiness. In your case, you can afford happiness without giving up anything. Keep writing these good articles and we will keep reading it with pleasure.
Date sent: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 17:24:15 -0800 (GMT) Most of the time (make that, almost all of the time) I don't agree at all with what Varsha has to say -- my sympathies being with Dilip D'souza. But once in a while a gem of an article like this comes along and makes me keep on reading Varsha. Bertrand Russel must be smiling in his grave. Keep writing, Varsha. Ravi
Date sent: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 18:54:44 -0400
LOVED IT!! FEEL THE SAME WAY!! AND GREAT JOB ON MADAME TERESA. AT LEAST,
SOMEONE OUT THERE HAS THE GUTS TO TAKE ON THE
GHOST OF THAT OLD REAPER OF SOULS.
All fine, Ms Bhosle, about your lifestyle. But one little thing: you actually have the means to sustain it. See, not everybody is that lucky. They have a certain set of goals in life like being able to retire at 60 and roam to their heart's content for the rest of their natural lives. But to be able to do that, one needs to WORK. Once one has what one wants (yeah, yeah, I know "wants" is always a few steps ahead of the "has"), theoretically, one could stop working (or not ever work) -- therein lies the premise of your argument. And about your not needing to "prove" anything, well, read your article carefully. THE WHOLE THING IS ABOUT PROVING THAT YOUR LIFESTYLE ACTUALLY HAS A SIGNIFICANCE (even though it is limited to yourself). So, please, do not berate others who are pursuing things, for you too are guilty of the same sin.
Date sent: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 13:48:15 -0700 Ms Bhosle is indeed the Howard Stern of India. Can't Rediff find any other columnists? Her articles are not worthy of being published in Rediff -- a world-class Web site. I know a lot of people who regularly visit the site and most of them share my view. I am sure there is no lack of talent in India. C Wadhawan
Date sent: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 16:39:56 -0700 Sensible column by Varsha! The journalists should stop giving too much credit to mentally archaic organisations like the VHP. They are a bunch of irrational religious fanatics.
Venkat
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