|
|
|
|
|
| HOME | NEWS | COMMENTARY | DEVIL'S ADVOCATE | |||
|
September 1, 1998
ELECTIONS '98
|
How readers responded to Pritish Nandy's recent columns
Date sent: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 12:31:14 -0400
What I am surprised is that Nandy believes all this twaddle about "connecting technology with the masses". It is depressingly true that most Indians cannot even use a typewriter efficiently. It is going to be aeons before we are able to educate them in using information technology. We do not need a group of bureaucrats telling us what they are going to do with IT -- a little trek down the corridors of the IAS offices in any secretariat will show you that most don't have anything like a PC on their desks. Those that do have very little idea how to use it. It is not common for those that have e-mail accounts to have their (much-abused) secretaries access their e-mail for them on a daily basis, and dictate responses that their secretaries then send. So much for connecting the masses -- connecting the bosses is tough enough if it takes two people (the boss and the secretary) to do even this much! Everyone knows the IT industry in India needs no "help" from the government, its doing quite well without it. It is shameful that when the government is running inflationary deficits, they are ladling out tax sops by the dozen to an industry that needs no such help. It is also pathetic that the Task Force talked up a storm about IT and made no mention whatsoever about the pathetic state of India's telecom infrastructure. How in heck do they expect all those computers to talk to each other if you can't get a decent phone connection to VSNL without trying 10 times for it? ESP, perhaps? India's crying need is some way to educate our children. No task force populated by the people who are primarily responsible for the horrible mess the country is in is going to fix it, given the ossification that is the norm in all but a very few bureaucrats' heads. The real pity is that a government that we thought was one "with a difference" has instead become a complete creature of the bureaucracy. All the ministers, from Ananth Kumar (the Indian Airlines minister) to Roll-back Sinha, have "gone native" in a manner designed to please the heart of every Humphrey Appleby in the Indian bureaucracy.
Srinivas Ramdas Sunder
Date sent: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 17:07:07 +0400
IT IS AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE. PLEASE CONTINUE! LUKE
Date sent: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:05:01 +0800
Your column is mostly anti-bureaucratic rhetoric and leastly anti-IT task-force rhetoric without any credible substance in it. But remember the task force is a good mix of bureaucrats, politicians, IT industry men etc. It was encouraging that they came up with a report in record time in recent times. There is something happening, at least. And by all means, the recommendations are good to start with. Inevitably, it will be improved upon as times go by. It is not the end but just the beginning. Would you have not commented if they were late in the submission of the report? Also, did you air your views on their Web page when it was open for everybody's views during the preparation of the report?
P R Reddy
Date sent: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 08:55:23 +0530
PN is absolutely right. The problem with Indian bigwigs is they do not wish to communicate with you unless, of course, you are part of their "circuit". I tried to talk to Pritish a few months ago, but his chowkidar-secretary would not let me through. How do we share our ideas with others concerned if we cannot communicate? I have a solution to PN's concerns and would like share my plans with him. Partho
Date sent: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 01:04:06 EDT
I have stopped reading this person's articles. He's one better than our "netas." Shifts sides and opinions just to keep afloat. For some reason, he perceives himself as an intellectual.
Date sent: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 02:47:14 PDT
Dear Mr Nandy... sorry, Mr Politician, What kind of stuff do you have in your head to come out with this innovative idea of sterilising stray animals!!!? Sterilise your brain first -- it stinks! May be you can recommend this technology to our rich government which does not know what to do with its money!!! Computer chips to keep track of pet animals! Check out this URL for more info: You can also recommend other technology such as: -Identify the whereabouts of the animals using Geographical Information System and a satellite. -Request the animals to go to the nearest sterilisation centre. They can call in using their mobile phone to fix appointments. -The animals can locate the sterilisation centre easily using the Global Positioning System (GPS)... Sound goods, huh! Tell me frankly, why do you want to write such articles? Have you run out of ideas? If so, keep quiet. Rest. It would be good for your readers. Lakshmana Pillai
Date sent: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 12:07:25 EDT
It seems Mr Nandy cannot distinguish between people and other animals, nor between humane and inhumane ways of animal control. Public policy, however, can and must make both distinctions. Surely it is far more sensible and humane to spend government money on sterilisation programs than on killing programmes. Surely there are humane and inhumane ways to end the life of stray dogs. And surely dogs that are not strays but pets of poor families should not be taken away and killed. But to say that all culling of stray dogs is monstrous violence that is bound to rebound and promote a violent mindset among people is nonsense. If Mr Nandy actually believes that, he is nuts. People all over the world kill and eat various animals without killing and eating people! We are capable of drawing distinctions, and violence against animals does not necessarily produce violence against people. Conversely, Hindu prohibition on killing animals has never stopped ostensibly devout Hindus from killing people! India's long history of communal violence proves that beyond doubt. So if Bombay needs to destroy stray dogs -- not family pets, but strays -- then let it do so, but humanely. Further let India think of those strays as a potential source of income. Some of India's neighbours eat dogs. Perhaps India can kill strays humanely and butcher them for refrigerated transport to meat markets in its neighbouring countries. The profits could be used for sterilisation programs for unwanted animals throughout India.
L Craig Schoonmaker |
| Tell us what you think of this column | |
|
HOME |
NEWS |
BUSINESS |
SPORTS |
MOVIES |
CHAT |
INFOTECH
SHOPPING & RESERVATIONS | TRAVEL | LIFE/STYLE | FREEDOM | FEEDBACK |
|