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October 2, 1998
ELECTIONS '98
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How Readers responded to Rajeev Srinivasan's columns
Date sent: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 21:11:57 -0400 It has been quite sometime since something was written that made sense. I hope the article gets published in the Indian media. I feel until a new generation of truly well informed, gutsy men and women with real world experience reach high positions in political, administrative and educational institutions, we shall not realise full potential. Sreedhar Paknikar
Date sent: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:50:44 -0700 I enjoyed the column. Good job! amit
Date sent: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:50:53 -0400 I was pleasantly surprised to read this column. It is not only pragmatic but more importantly questions assumptions we have held for a long time. I for one have always felt that as a nation, we have much in common with Israel and there are a number of areas in which we can co-operate. Unfortunately, India's foreign policy has been living in the past. I also appreciate the fact that Mr Srinivasan focussed on the fact that our foreign policy is not suited for the present but did not thrash our foreign policy under Nehru. The policy then was dictated by the realities then. It is just that our policies have not kept pace with the changing realities. I do not agree with Mr Srinivasan that we are a superpower. It is not clear to me what the definition of a superpower is. At present actually we are pretty close to being considered a rogue state (in the company of Iraq, North Korea, Libya, Cuba, et al.). That is the reason why the government is trying its best to co-operate with the US. Mr Srinivasan, keep up the good work. Balaji C Krishnan
Date sent: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:30:07 +0530 Never was a word spoken truly. I am afraid that NAM has significance for only the apologists of the NEHRUVIAN era, whose megalomaniac policies have landed India in this soup. Guys like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Natwar Singh bemoan the so-called "internationalisation" of the Kashmir dispute. They very conveniently forget that but for Mr Nehru's illadvised decision to involve the UN in 1948, there would have been no Kashmir problem at all. For fifty years, the Foreign Office has compromised the national interest with a view to support the so-called allies of NAM and Socialist blocs. It is high time that our "leaders"had the guts to stand up for the country.
Date sent: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 12:41:42 -0400 I have long believed that the India-Israel-US nexus is a win-win situation for the troika. It will be of great help to India if Israel can help India in its endeavour to stop cross border terrorism. India remains isolated in the subcontinent just as Israel stands isolated in the Middle East, it being the only non-Muslim nation. A clear misfit in the Middle East. It would give India an excellent opportunity to present its case to the US via Israel. This scenario will help the US and Israel too, because then they would also be rid of these so-called mercenaries (basically fundamentalists). I have always thought that India's foreign policy was flawed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is no doubting also the immense support that the Russians have given India after the collapse of the Soviet Union. I also strongly urge India to develop more than friendly relations with France which has a great equation with the Western world. It is time India woke up to the realities and stop seeing everything through a red or green glass prism. India should safeguard her interests first and this would be a most important first step in my opinion. shri
Date sent: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 10:45:59 +0100 Very well written article covering a broad range of issues, and at the same time giving an insight into the real, deep-down rooted causes for some of the problems we see today. I would like to add something to this article with respect to the perception of Indians in Britain about this saga of considering India as a 'rogue state'. Britain appeared to be a bit quiet soon after the nuke tests in India but then followed what the US did in impementing sanctions and changing its perception of India. Whereas I can, kind of, understand why the British government reacted in this manner (it just follows whatever the Americans do), the reaction of British Indians is a little confusing. Generally speaking, as a principle everyone agrees that nuclear bombs are a bad news and they should be destroyed. We should strive to live in a peaceful and safe world, however that is a goal which seems more a litlle difficult to achieve. Now I categorise British Indians in two classes:
A: Those who were born and brought up in Britain or those who were
just brought-up;
'A', on a general level, support the Western governments for their actions against India and totally disagree with whatever the Indian government does. 'B', being a bit more associated with their home country, take the opposite view Now I am not referring to just the Nuke tests but to the attitude the British government and people take towards Indians. It is not uncommon to find that some British Indians, themselves, discriminate against Indians and anything to do with India. Mostly, these are the people who were born and brought up here, went to private school and had a very much English way of life. So, it is easy to understand their behaviour. However, those of category B favour Indians for obvious reasons. Here I'd like to bring in the argument pointed out by Rajeev about the Caucasian and White Caucasian bit. I am not an expert in immigration laws. Although I have never no evidence of any discrimination on racial grounds at the government level but some incidents do point in that direction. I won't go in detail here.
Munish Khurana
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 22:56:02 -0700 Madeleine and Bill and the Attila-the-Hen school of foreign policy was excellent. It reflected my beliefs exactly and articulated them beautifully. Keep up the good work!
Date sent: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 10:28:27 +0800 I must congratulate India for its ability to producing nuke weapons. Even though the tests have shaken the Americans, it has made Indians overseas proud. Madeleine Albright just wanted to enhance the issue further and influence others to continue their dominance. Where are they when France conducted the nuke tests? You should investigate further how Pakistan conducted its tests a few days after India, with Madeleine and her team convincing Pak not to follow India. Denying a visa to Dr Chidambaram proves how selfish they are. They want our scientists to work for them to develop nuclear weapons and keep the expertise for themselves. We need to be unite, throw away political differences to overcome extrernal threats. Forget about Madeleine and Bill -- they may be using our scientists to develop a more powerful weapon while shouting outside. Keep up your good work, investigate further what the USA is doing inside. S Arikrishnan
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 18:12:57 -0700 This is a great article which strongly enunciates the feelings of most NRIs in the USA. I for one was totally angry that the sanctimonious Albright could shoot her mouth off, as if scolding her kids at home!!! Only we Indians pandering to the US, have allowed her to get away with such churlish remarks. Please keep up your good penmanship.
Raghuveer C R
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 13:40:45 -0700 Couldn't have said it better myself. James Rubin for his part appears to be doing more than what he is paid to do. Evidently, Americans have no sense of diplomatic decency (except Slick Willy) and I would strongly recommend James Rubin and Wicked Albright to take a crash course in public speaking.
Venkat
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 14:18:14 -0500 Rajeev's columns are not only informative but his inimitable style makes it very interesting to read.
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 12:11:04 -0700 Rajeev Srinivasan carries a short fuse -- and bears an uncanny rhetorical family resemblance to the illustrious rhetorical giant from Kerala, V K Krishna Menon.
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 15:08:13 -0400 Although there is no need to be that paranoid, but there is definitely a point in the column -- and that is: American Indians should and must unite and stand up for themselves. Unfortunately, we do not see much of these efforts. The community seems to be totally unaware of the hidden racism. I am sure that there is some of it and you can feel it at several places. To really strengthen the indian economy and political scene is another thing that must be done. But we are still lost in pseudo-secularism and leaders like Yadavs, who have no foresight. What can be said? A great party like the Congress has to touch Sonia's feet -- there can be no greater humiliation than this. But the situation will not get that worse, as the lure of the Indian middle class market is still there and strong. And there is only some hope!
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 13:32:13 -0500 I see the facts in Rajeev's column. But I think it could be put more softly. I feel his writing sounds too strong and harsh. Softening the words and style would be much more easy on people who read this. It sounds like a politician's emotion packed speech to curry favour from the audience. Loosen up a little, Rajeev!!!!. I don't dispute the facts that you say, but bringing in Albright's dad, her background, the stark disgust towards Americans etc, is a little too strong. It leaves an after taste after reading the column. Hem
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 13:41:32 -0400 Brilliant as usual. How the hell does he know what we are thinking... and put it together in an amazing string of words?
Baba Gurjeet S Bedi
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 12:32:00 -0500 I think Rajeev's column is rabble rousing and jingoistic. One has to understand that Indian citizens in America have and will have no rights. We are and will be at the mercy of the US government. In spite of this the US has always been a kind and giving nation. Once we understand that living /working in the US is a privilege not a right, then we can also understand that the US has never invoked its rights unless its interests are threatened or not taken heed of. |
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