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E-mail from readers the world over
Date sent: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 06:15:17 +0530 The story is interestingly written and one wonders why this story is being kept under wraps and not exposed as a scam. Please keep reporting such items which will expose the misuse of power.
Date sent: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 13:32:38 -0500 Excellent article on the evolving virtual business in India. The web site is one of the best. Definitely, the person who has developed it has applied e-commerce principles in building this site, rather than just playing with HTML and graphics. I can hardly wait for the feedback on this virtual shop after one or two months.
Srinivasa Rao Uppala
Date sent: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 20:02:41 -0500 I went through the web site, and was disappointed to see the ingredients of the paan, particularly the "zarda" or tobacco being the commercial, numbered one, 120, 300 etc. I am from Varanasi, and being a true paan aficionado, I can vouch for the fact that the kind of paan available in Banaras, you won't get anywhere else. The key is a special blend of tobacco prepared by each panwallah in his own way, it's not the generic/commercial numbered zarda. And the way they prepare "kattha" in Banaras is also unique. All this saunf, gulukand etc things are baloney -- compared to the real Banarasi deal. Anyway, I am impressed with the idea of the first paan outlet on the Internet.
Rakesh Dubey
Date sent: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 16:22:53 -0700 First of all an excellent investigative piece by Rediff. Secondly, pass this message to the rural folks in UP so that they will know what kind of a minister they have elected.
Venkat
Date sent: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 11:11:56 +1200 The article made interesting reading. I would request more of such reporting. Such activities are prevalent in every walk of life. It is only when news reporters such as yours, report these activities, either in newspapers or more so now on the Internet, that we will see these activities exposed. It is really sad that these politicians who have been elected to serve the people, elect to 'serve' themselves. What about the bureaucrats -- with whom the common people have to deal with on a daily basis!! A nightmare!!! Please let us have some reporting on them as well. I am sure there is no shortage of such news in India.
Date sent: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 13:53:27 -0500 Thanks for publishing such inspiring stories, we always love Rediff for this.
Himanshu S Deoskar
Date sent: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 12:33:10 -0400 If Nandy is convinced his brand of journalism hasn't been able to change things, let him say so. Let him not say journalism as a craft has been unable to effect any change or will not be able to change things. Look at the things he wants us to believe: That he represents only the state of Maharashtra not the Sena in the Rajya Sabha. He is not sure if the Sainiks demolished the mosque, calling it only an allegation. He doesn't know enough about the merits of the case for or against the Srikrishna Commission report to decide whether it should be tabled or not. Yet he says tabling the report is likely to cause more riots. Is this a threat? Maybe he knows something we don't know. That sounds too much like the Sena line on this issue and it's hard to believe Nandy is not going to follow the Sena line in the Rajya Sabha. Then this journalist turned political activist who is out to cleanse Indian politics says past sins and mistakes by political parties should be overlooked and condoned, because not doing so will "revive the memory of something which has happened and cause tension." If, according to Nandy, politics is the art of choosing between two decisions and sometimes "you choose a wrong decision willfully and knowingly," does it absolve the party or government in question of any wrong doing? Then why blame the Congress government for inaction when the mosque was brought down? Can the Congress take shelter under this new Nandy doctrine? What about the various state governments that are being threatened with dismissal for past acts of wrong doing? Shouldn't they also be covered by this doctrine? Going by this doctrine there would be no retribution crimes by governments and parties in power. If this is Nandy's prescription for cleansing politics, I guess the country could do without his expertise. I think it's more dangerous to have a spin doctor like Nandy in politics who knows how to put a positive spin on all issues, masking information that may prove disastrous to the government, than today's grubby politicians unaware of spin control. I would rather have the media rambling on about trivialities and inconsequential things as Nandy accuses they are, than have a media actively engaged in burying truth and abandoning its responsibility to even occasionally raise a difficult question. The truth is Nandy lost his journalistic voice and got bought by the Sena. Now he will be its mouthpiece, spin doctor, PR advisor and, God forbid, maybe in the running for a Cabinet position. This interview is enough evidence that he is already on the job!
Date sent: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 18:31:11 -0400 The contiguous rural area of the four states affected by the Naxalite problem should be under direct central command as far as law and order is concerned. The police force from this region should report to the central command. Speedy justice, development, education, co-operative small scale units are some of the remedies which can be applied. But Naxalites are literally holding tribals as hostages and spreading terror amongst government servants, teachers, business community. Until Naxalites are eliminated, removed from this region to a great extent, no government or non government agencies can handle imparting justice, education and development of this region. It is good that the Centre is taking a serious steps in this direction. It is strongly required that this move should not be politicised. Our progressive, liberals who have contributed a lot in glorifying the Naxalites have contributed directly to this problem. But enough of this game with the tribals. For the sake of the tribals of this region, they should understand that this must be stopped. Instead these people could establish schools, co-operative units there.
Date sent: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 18:08:50 -0500 That's just the kind of publicity they need! It's the kind of thing that would be grist for Western paparazzi. The location of the convention is about a mile from my late great- grandfather's house. Much of the riverbed is exposed at the time the convention is held. A few straggling channels still carry water. The dam might more properly be called a weir; it stops the flow of silt (to prevent erosion of the river bank where the convention is held) rather than the flow of water; if it were to obstruct the flow of water, the convention grounds would be flooded rendering them useless. It's unfortunate that the only opposition to the extreme right is the extreme left.
Date sent: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 12:49:30 +0800 Totally biased and distorted report. Reason why the media is losing its say in public. Vigyani
Date sent: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 14:21:54 EDT I think Mr Advani it the type of person we need today for Kashmir. It's so amazing that a person who is so old has those ideas and willingness which so many young politicians and officials haven't thought of doing for so long. Politicians have so far never taken a really keen interest in solving the Kashmir problem so far. We do need a person -- 'Gill of Punjab' in Kashmir. I think we should even go ahead with removing article 370 in the Constitution. Sameer
Date sent: Sat, 6 Jun 1998 22:51:29 -0500 Finally, we will have a foreign minister who knows the regional and geopolitical games of the west. Mr Singh will have no problems in stating our objectives in the region and our position with respect to both China and Pakistan. At least there would not be any double speak and compromises as seen during the Rao, Gowda and Gujral governments. He will have the guts to say outright that we will continue the development of missiles and bombs for our national security. He will not lie like the Congress and UF and put our national interests (such as the Agni project) on the shelf to collect secular dust. If we see any dust during the BJP government, it will be the dust coming from new weapon testing and fireworks due to economic boom. M Joshi
Date sent: Wed, 27 May 1998 10:41:20 +0900 I totally agree with Mr Mendonca. While there is evidence that the police was indeed a bit ruthless, the terrorists and gangs are no great human beings. And, a lot of ordinary looking people work for these gangs - this is beyond all doubt. So, when the police tries to catch criminals, the law must protect them. In the USA, the cops have a great freedom to shoot criminals down -- not many are questioned. In India, where the problems are more for the police, we tangle them in the web of courts; pardon my saying this -- which have been completely useless in containing the criminals. The courts are very active and smart when it comes to people who cannot run away -- the politicians and business empires. But, when it comes to criminals, the way they act actually protects criminals and burdens the police. As Mr Mendonca rightly said, criminals should not be allowed to file affidavits with the sole intention of troubling the police. After all, the evidence against the gangs is overwhelming. Every one know that Dawood Ibrahim is hiding in Dubai and that Arun Gawli is a gangster. So, the police cannot arrest them? It is a pity that the law provides criminals security which ordinary citizens do not have or claim. Also, it is possible that due to the frustration that builds up in the police because of seeing their efforts go waste, they may be acting tough with other citizens -- venting their anger against the system. We cannot blame the police, but blame ourselves for the rut. Uday
Date sent: Tue, 26 May 1998 17:12:15 -0400 Don't ask us how to control crime. It is your job. Your force does not have arms, use lathis. Don't ever press witnesses for appearance in courts. Protect them with lathis. No question of encounters, you guys are supposed to gather strong evidence which will stand up in courts. How? Don't ask us. The law does not protect us. No, no, the law is supposed to protect people not the police force. Oh, the courts take too long to decide. Well, what gets finished on time in India? Mumbai Police, join the gangs. Our media and politicians will not protect you. TADA is gone and the days to expect quick control on crime are also gone with that bill. Let's face more gang activities. Mendonca should be congratulated for bringing the facts about the difficulties our police face today. Till some control is gained on the crime situations, people will not become bold to give witnesses. Till that time encounters should continue. If honest officers like Mendonca are in charge, I will agree with encounters.
Date sent: Tue, 26 May 1998 17:27:52 -0400 Mr Commissioner seemed very uncertain about the current happening. It seems he was suggesting that the guns of cops are loaded with flowers. One point he agreed with was the inefficiency of cops by stating that they do not posses respect in society, people are equally afraid of them as criminals. If this is the picture which is going to emerge as our real future, then it's better to have a city without cops. At one end he was talking how cops are engaged in court matters because of which they hardly get time to perform their duties....(less man power???) And on the other hand, gangsters are daily coming up with new faces.....which makes it very hard to search criminals. The basic problem lies in the system. During recruitment, the police department conducts an exam, influence, reservations? etc. Meanwhile, entry for joining notorious gangs is just a jigar! No influence -- and it is always open!!! Manish How Readers responded to Varsha Bhosle's recent columns
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