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E-mail from readers the world over
Date sent: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 08:43:23 -0700 A note to Captain Bhaskar: It does not matter if it is made in Pakistan or bought for Pakistan by one of the Arab countries, the possession of the Ghauri is of more importance to our national security. If India has to buy one from Israel which is America's back door armament merchant, then we have to do so. America is still the world's largest exporter of arms and if you ask them if the Ghauri is for real their salesman's answer will be a "YES." America wants to sell its weapons and we in India should realise that very much.
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 11:06:32 PDT I can't seem to fathom why our neighbours are so paranoid about us attacking them. Aren't there many more important issues at home they should be dealing with? In international circles, the only real identity they have is that of being India's enemy. And what happened to our sense of judgement? Instead of being friends, both our countries are wasting precious money on this useless exercise of scaring each other into submission. Can our economy stand a war? We should be exercising peaceful options instead. Hope better sense prevails among our politicians. And Pakistani hate the Afghans. Doesn't it reek of double standards when they name their only missile after an Afghan? Ravi
Date sent: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 10:34:00 -0700 Just like the exorbitantly-priced inferior wheat imports from Australia, I am convinced the BJP will also clear the weed-infested, genetically-engineered soya import from the US. Looks like none of the politicians of India, be it the Congress, the UF or the BJP, have the interests of India and Indians in mind. How else can you explain the volte-face being shown by the BJP on most of the issues it opposed during the election? I must say that I am quickly getting disappointed by the BJP. Time will tell.
Date sent: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 23:34:48 EDT Finally, the Allahabad high court has come to the rescue of the Ganga. An order that has been long overdue. I hope the rest of the country will wake up and save their rivers. Such practices of polluting the rivers and public lands, religious or otherwise, should be condemned and if necessary, punished. I don't believe that anyone, in the process of practising his/her religion, has the right to cause inconvenience or in this case detriment to another. I strongly believe in the fact that secularism allows one to practice his or her religion freely as long as it does not impede with another person's right(s) either. What I find more astonishing is that "local pundits find the order unfair and against all traditions and religious conventions." The pundits should be ashamed of themselves for persisting with their arguments even after the results of such practices are exposed. We as a people should stop hiding behind such beliefs and practices, no matter how long or how often they have been practiced in the past, and discard them from our daily lives. The government should set the standard and stop spreading the ashes of our leaders in our rivers. I love my leaders a lot but expecting me to love them so much as to be able to accept their ashes in my water supply is ridiculous. I find it also appalling that the city taps its potable water supply from and around the cremation area and close to a sewage outlet. The city is responsible for approving the sewage outlet or the tapping for potable water, whichever was second, to occur with the full knowledge of the first. This is complete negligence and conduct worth criminal prosecution. I am not happy with the fact that the court took just a "serious note". Such callous attitudes of governments, responsible for the welfare of the people, and the public at large has, in the course of time, hurt our prestige as a nation. We take such damning occurrences in our stride but take exception when visitors to India bring their own food and water with them. I would do the same if I were them. I would also like to point out the fact that all this was brought to our notice by the public interest litigation moved by an environmentalist. Two thumbs up to Mr Rakesh Kumar Jaiswal, who at the least should be ackowledged by the people of the city and credit him with being the saviour of the city's water supply. In addition, I am pleased that the public interest litigation process is finally being put to GOOD use. Raguram Damodaran
Date sent: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 12:58:29 -0400 This is another example of a knee jerk reaction to a problem that has now existed for some time. The Ganga was not polluted for a long time until the age of industrialisation when wholesale dumping of by-products, both harmful and otherwise, began. On the top of that, the sewage by-product of the increased population certainly added to the problem. These things have to be corrected first. There is the example of the Madras high court taking action to force tanning industries to shape up or ship out. Let us be realistic. How much and what kind of pollution does the cremation of a body create? Most of the products used in the process are organic compounds and biodegradable. The ashes dumped into the river actually enhance the fertilisation property of the river for the next rainy season when the floods cover the farmlands downstream. The total kilograms of ashes must be much smaller than that of the sewage dumped, unless thousands of Hindu cremations are taking place on daily basis. Besides, there is no place in the country, except perhaps the Himalayas, where water from a stream is potable without first filtering, etc.. Let them build proper 'cremation ghats' a little away from the banks (including the flood line) and the ashes be consigned to the river in the middle (take a boat) and not at the bank. But do that after you have begun action on the other, more serious sources of pollution. I think people will buy that. I don't doubt the good intentions of the environmentalists, but I think they are beating up on an easy target.
Date sent: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 09:48:28 -0400 Living far away from home, in an environment conscious nation, I have realised the importance of clean environment on the growth and prosperity of a country. I am very happy that the judicial system in India is coming up with decisions like this to prevent environment pollution. Furthermore, the realisation that such a thing is not limited to Kanpur, the directives of the court to look into the same problem in other cities is a good sign. But the best part I like about the whole thing is the fact that such a step was taken on a petition filed by an environmentalist. Tells me that the common man still has a say in the way our country functional. Keep up the good work Mr Jaiswal. Hats off to Kanpur District Magistrate Prabhat Kumar. I get a feeling I will return to a cleaner India. Tarun Agrawal
Date sent: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 13:41:17 -0400 (EDT) This news report was positively sickening. Tantriks and Kali Puja should be outlawed.
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 17:51:11 -0700 As an Indian living in the USA, I have always felt that the media here, has been thoroughly unfair towards India and its people and its great history and culture. I have even been very harsh towards my American friends who say something to this effect, even though they meant no harm. This news item came to me as a rude shock and it made me realise what I have been representing is just the educated elite of India, and not the common man. Unless we succeed in giving a decent education to 100% of the population, these kind of things will keep coming up and give the already inclined Western media, something to chew. Hoping to see that day in my lifetime. Sathish
Date sent: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 08:44:38 -0700 Words cannot express the disgust I feel on reading this report. Are we living in the 20th century or in the dark ages? Rajeev
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 23:09:29 -0700 Graphic report of shameful incidents on the Internet should been avoided. Such reports are among the least sought by NRIs and other Indians, whereas gives the Westerner a wrong picture of what goes on in modern India. Venky
Date sent: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 13:15:45 -0700 Will Rediff's columnists like Pritish Nandy, Dilip D'Souza, Sivaswamy or George Iype take note of this smooth affair? Just compare the ease and dignified way to uphold principles with the Laloo, AGP episode? Will they praise Mr Muthiah, Jayalalitha or Vajpayee government for upholding these good values? I think this episode shows that BJP and Vajpayee are committed for good governance. Jayalalitha also showed maturity and understanding of what needs to be done if they have to work with the BJP. I wish Mr Muthiah good luck for his legal battle to prove his innocence. After he is proven innocent, he will surely find his place in the Union Cabinet. A good example which our former PM Mr Gujral could not follow.
Date sent: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 08:54:09 -0700 Was it not Lata dear that stopped any singer from blossoming during her golden era? Oh! you should feel sorry for today's songs since you cannot sing in English. There may be no meaning to the songs but this is because we have not developed Urdu poets and songwriters. Essentially, the Muslims were giving us songs that we Hindus never acknowledged. Don't worry about capitalisation in Satara or anywhere else -- it is necessary to survive, especially after protectionists like you have ruined it for every one. Thank you for portraying your earlier mistakes without taking the blame and blaming others. Now you can be assured that we will still sing your songs and not follow your attitude.
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 13:04:36 -0700 What a tragedy when the great Lata calls Kumar Sanu a good singer. This fellow does not have any original voice and he is a disgrace to Indian music.
Date sent: Thu, 09 Apr 1998 16:17:22 -0700 I think the article done on Yanni's performance at the Taj Mahal was well done. It was descriptive and well thought out. The extra details (i e Karen Briggs dancing) were a nice touch. The photos were well done, but I would've liked to have seen some closer shots of Yanni and some of his band members and orchestra. A small thing in an otherwise tastefully done article. Rachel Dickson How readers reacted to Rajeev Srinivasan's earlier columns
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