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October 29, 1998
ELECTIONS '98
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How Readers responded to Pritish Nandy's last column
Date sent: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 12:13:23 EDT
Gentlemen, I think Pritish Nandy is right on target. His columns are informative and challenging. Are any of the politicians he hangs around with in Parliament taking heed of what he is saying? Gokul Agarwalla
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 12:22:34 -0400
This was a great column. I wish all MPs would ponder it. But then, it is only wishful thinking. I wish more young people would read it. Because, at times, the younger, while trying to be part of the crowd, does exactly what Mr Nandy alludes to. We all can benefit with a little introspection from time to time as to how our actions match our words, whether spoken or projected.
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 02:40:49 -0700
Nandy's writing is reminiscent of an editorial written for a college magazine. It pulls at the heart-strings, but offers no insights or solutions. I have to quote some of his pathos-evoking prose to emphasise what I mean. He writes: "It does not matter how the MP dresses, what language he speaks, what community or caste he comes from, whether he shaves his head or his beard, whether he smokes or drinks or wears striped purple trousers. The more important issue is: Is he informed, articulate, sensitive to the real issues that beset his people, his constituency? Is he honest? Is he truthful? Is he committed? Do people believe in him? Do they respect him?" It could be a start if you confirm your own sincerity. Growing your hair? Well, that's really your call. Above all, wake up, grow up. We need to build and consolidate our polity and society within our own cultural framework Need to reaffirm our identity. Perhaps you don't have to wear a dhoti, but there is something of a start in getting rid of that sensationalistic edge. Not only does that stud in your ear costs more than what the average rural family budgets for food, but it also alienates them. Make sure you mark out the difference between who you, the definitely above-average urbanite is, and who they, the below average rustics, are.
Pathikrit SenGupta
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 13:53:35 -0400
Pritish Nandy is writing more sensible articles these days. I can accept his anti-BJP articles but simply could not digest his pro-pseudo secular articles because that topic itself is so nauseating. Pritish, it is so nice to hear about the dream of MPs getting good, respectable salaries, having offices all along the constituency equipped with interns, computers, discussion teams, MPs paying regular tax. When will it happen? I agree with Nandy that more talented people will choose politics as their career then.
Mukund Kute
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 11:16:15 -0700
Hi Nandy, Well said. From when on did you start to think of the society? It was a welcome change from your traditional bashing. Enjoyed/enjoying and will enjoy your columns whether it coincides with my views or not. Keep writing. Ananth Sundaram
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 17:18:43 -0400
Good suggestions Mr Nandy -- but who would rope the monster? So many things can be done to restore sanity to the Indian polity with much ease, but unfortunately nothing has been done in the last 50 years. Keep us informed about what you are doing for the country. This perhaps may prove to be a lesson to that mass of incompetent, corrupt, ignorant, unintelligent, irresponsible and shameless people who are directing the destiny of India. Satyapaul Rana
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 14:02:10 +0530
Fantastic stuff. But could he present this to the real culprits in Parliament? One thinks not! Wouldn't want to upset people... Rahul Chitale
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 06:58:11 PDT
Respected sir, An excellent article. Keep it up. Thanks for it! Advait Kulkarni
Date sent: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 09:11:31 +0530
Hi Pritish, In Indian politics the only thing that matters is what you wear & what you say. Nobody bothers about what you DO! It is my dream that politics in India would become a highly respectable field. I don't know whether it is going to happen in my lifetime or not. The worst part of India is despite all the talk about clean politics NOBODY practises it. I don't know how far you will succeed in that, but please never give up. I expect more & more intellectual people will enter politics & changes its face. You were telling that NOBODY told you to be HONEST, to serve the poor... now I am telling/requesting you to be honest, to serve poor & to serve this nation. All the best. Raghu
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 17:25:48 -0700
First of all, try to serve the poorest of the poor in the country. I clearly understand your helplessness. Why one has to change his look after becoming a MP, why he/she should get a meagre salary (and rest behind IT departments) etc etc. All that I agree with you. What's the reason? You are writing this column on an Internet magazine, and I read this column from a 300 MHZ system with a 10MBPS link. Can you say the same for the people in a remote village? You should look at the way other MPs suggests you do. Then they will lend their ears to you. How they will respond is a different story. The bottomline, then, is that I would have been more comfortable reading this article if Pritish Nandy was not an MP. Now I (after being cheated by so many politicians by their writing and speeches), I fear this article could be another "mask" - a mask for "educated" people, by a politician in the making.
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 15:31:01 -0700
Hi, It is very interesting. That is the reason why most of the educated Indians never visit polling booths. That is why no political leader will try (with heart) to educate people. Most of the people in India don't bother about these things. How many Indians know about the benefits enjoyed by MPs? How many know how they are using these facilities? MPs never ask for salary. Because they are looting millions of rupees from illegal activities. If you send all the present political leaders to prison then automatically crime and corruption will become negligible. We need to educate the people. Not just teaching them how to write alphabets. They should be in a position to question political leaders. To bring awareness about the things happening around. This cannot be done in a single day. Newspapers have a much greater role in these things. Unfortunately in India all the newspapers are just for show. No news agency will try to bring out the loopholes in the present political system. There are some newspapers that have only one business: to advertise some political party. They have to learn from foreign news agencies. Ramesh
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 14:24:00 -0700
An excellent column about Indian MPs and the political atmosphere surrounding them. This is the best ever yet I have read from Pritish. With every passing day, I am more convinced that India is treading into more filth, more poverty, and more corruption. I might be wrong but at least I am writing this with conviction. I hope more people like Pritish will be able to provide some integrity to the degrading moral fabric of our society.
Venkat
Ohio
Dear Pritish! I fully agree with you that looks are not important but deeds are, and the salaries of MPs should be respectable. But we need to abolish this telephone and gas quota system for MPs. Can you try to bring a legislature in Parliament that every MP should declare his assets every year?
Yudhvir Malik
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 15:45:47 -0500
Can Mr Nandy tell us what he's doing or intends to do about this hypocrisy in politics, now that he's in Parliament? The commentary that we just read is nothing new, it has been said again and again... Shailu
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 16:00:01 -0400
Hi Pritish, You really made a difference by coming out with this article. This is what I think most of us expected from you when you entered Parliament.
Vijay
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 13:59:39 -0400
I totally agree. In my opinion, the new salary of Rs 4000 per month given to MPs is unrealistic, when MPs are spending tens of thousands on their campaigns. I think it would be more wise to peg MPs salaries to that of first class magistrates or collectors. And, yes, there should be a minimum education requirement and maximum age limit. Sarat
Date sent: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 10:56:17 -0700
Dear Rediff, It is a real gem from the 'original Pritish'. A valued commentary after a long time. This is what I would like to read and hear from our elite in the circles of power. Pritish, can we expect more on these lines instead of the usual Hindu-Muslim-Sikh kind? Saif |
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