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ASSEMBLY POLL '98
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'Few years from now, we Indians will feel ashamed of ourselves.'
Date sent: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 14:34:54 -0500 When most of the retired officers seem to have been carried away by Bhagwat's actions wrongly assuming them as 'Standing Up' to Babugiri, General Ashok K Mehta takes a balanced view. All Indian citizens support our forces whole heartedly in their demand for greater, say, speedy procurement and well planned advanced strategic planning. But the methods adopted for these demands should also be equally full with dignity that our forces enjoy. Bhagwat should have resigned over the issue honourably and he would have become a hero for all. Now, he is a hero of only those Communist backed writers. I will like to know whether Bhagwat or any other service chief has/had initiated any clear definitions of rules/directives for promotion of senior officers yet. Admiral Nadkarni has pointed this issue as a major issue inside the services. What does General Ashok K Mehta have to say on this issue? By defying the government orders and also sticking to his job based on the ill advise he received, no body should be blamed for his dismissal than his wife and Mr Bhagwat himself. I feel sorry for this lapse on his part. For, one wrong action based on wrong advise, this has tarnished his entire bright career.
Mukund Kute
Date sent: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 07:58:42 +0530 What else could a stupid act like this be -- resemble illiteracy among the politicians. You go and break down mosques, break down churches. Indian politicians have become like kids, who break down things for their small desires. Few years from now, people ... why people... we Indians will feel ashamed of ourselves. How do you define a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim? Why do we have to teach this lesson every time, even if we have to teach, whom? The leaders of our country. The first person who starts this misunderstanding should be made to sit on a donkey with black tar on his face, with chappals around his neck and made to tour him/her around the country and ban him/her out of the country. There can't be a cure to this rather than strict action. I am really ashamed of writing this as a fellow Indian. Roshan
Date sent: Sat, 9 Jan 1999 06:49:03 +0600 Did you give them your card? Would have been a very funny report, if I did not notice the use of exclusively Muslim names in their project. No need to make them look funny. They are worse than the Dawood Ibrahims. They need a couple of years in jail to learn something beyond text books. Dr A Shafee
Date sent: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 17:51:56 +0530 Dear Mr Shanbag and Mr Kamath, You both are great for the Indian readers. Thank God!
Date sent: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 11:14:58 PDT Mr Nair seems to be under the impression that writers are historians or social anthropologists. That they have some kind of responsibility to document the burning issues of their times. Like 'religious fundamentalism' and 'the rising insecurity (sic!) of life.' I think any writer worth his salt would be quick to call that sheer stupidity. The only compulsion that a writer, or any artist, should be expected to have is towards his own sensibilities; if Vikram Chandra doesn't write about the Bombay (Mumbai?) riots, does that make him a writer without any worth. If I Allan Sealy sets his work in quiet Dehradun rather than the 'burning cities of Bihar' (I'm sure that phrase would evoke something in Mr Nair!), is he not being true to his vocation? Any artist first strives to capture the internal stirrings, the turmoil within himself; why should he document what is happening outside his door if it is not of concern to him. Who is Mr Nair, or anybody for that matter, to say what he should and should not be moved? If Mr Nair is so appalled by the bankruptness he seems to perceive in contemporary Indian fiction, then why doesn't he go out and write the kind of fiction whose lack he is bemoaning instead of being an armchair critic who doesn't have a good word to say about any of our writers? And who probably hasn't even read their books, if his bizarre comment on Vikram Seth being all style and substance is anything to go by. I will look forward to seeing more drivel by Mahesh Nair on your pages; it makes the rest of Indian writing seem that much more accomplished!
Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 18:20:27 -0800 It was very informative. When I visit India (in June, 1999) I will certainly add this place in our programme. Vasanth
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 17:17:00 +1000 Hats off to Ganesh Nadar. He has brought my beloved Nellai district to the limelight. It was only the other day I was thinking about Iruttukadai - it is an unique institution! Tirunelveli is also famous for Lala mittaai and kara sev. The gentle Tamaraparani is a river equal to the Kaveri but just does not get its just rewards since it is in the 'deep south.' Its waters contain copper deposits (tamaram = copper) and have healing properties. I myself come from Kallidaikurichi famous for its appalams and its entrepreneurial spirit (the chief executives of India Cements, Easun Engineering, Simpsons, Royal Enfield hail from this place). My father comes from Karukurichi whose famous son was the best nadaswaram player ever. Pattamadai is famous for its 'paais'....there is so much to our district other than the Courtallam Falls and Krishnapuram. Temples aplenty -- Sankarankoil, Nellaiappar, Tiruchendur, Nanguneri, Nambikkoil, Karungulam, Tirumalaikkovil, Tenkasi, etc. Ganesh Nadar -- you are doing a great job. Keep the torch of Nellai burning bright. Mani Ramachandran
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 1999 10:41:26 -0500 Beautiful! A pleasurable tea break.
Date sent: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 16:01:50 -0700 Very good article. Very savvy timing. Good job. Aliyah
Date sent: Fri, 16 Oct 1998 23:32:09 +0530 Your review on BMCM is hilarious -- loved it!
Date sent: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 23:26:12 -0700 Just want to notify you to the article Madras Calling, by Rajita. The first part of the article starts off as one on the fact that Manisha was chosen to play the role in Shankar's new movie. Somehow this article twists and turns and ends up talking about Manisha's selection, to the work of Shankar, to the fact that the cinematographer is the same one who is working on Priyan's new movie Doli Sajake Rakhna, to the crew and the story of DSR, to Innocent's introduction to Hindi movies, to Innocent's name!! I think I can see three different stories embedded in that one story. It could have been better if that had been done instead of leading and snaking one's way from Manisha to Innocent, with due respect to both these great actors. Nandini Valsan
Date: Friday, January 08, 1999 8:16 PM Another excellent article. The prime difference between a test match and an ODI is that a Test match can be won only by grabbing 20 wickets of the opposition. Over the last few years India has repeatedly shown we do not have the bowling and fielding capability that ensures we do this. It may be a good idea for us to abandon Test cricket, and keep on playing ODIs with the hope that Sachin Tendulkar will rescue the team each time. Ravi Abhyankar
Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 10:27 PM I agree with the contents of your 'Runs and Ruins' piece. But we must admit that Azhar's and Gaekwad's problems run a bit more than the eye can see. In the existing set up, the Indian coach and captain's voices don't seem to reflect free thinking. In other words, I don't think they actually speak their minds in pre-match conferences. They dare not say that they do have a problem with selection, problem with excess ODs and low Test match practice, etc. The Board doesn't take such comments in the spirit of freedom of speech do they? So there is no point thinking that Azhar or Gaekwad are not being forthright before a game or a series. Azhar's post-match comments on excess ODs appears to be a rare knee-jerk reaction which spilled out his true feelings. More so, just before a series the public as always sits with hope and anticipation that this time things are gonna be different. We don't want to sit and listen to the coach or the captain say that "Due to less Test match practice, lackadaisical attitudes of our players, poor background planning, etc, etc, our chances of success during the coming tour are gonna be slim, realistically", do we? Our reactions then would be that our team reeks of a defeatist attitude. However much we need to face truth, we the public don't want to think about all that right before a tour. I don't mean that any of the discussion presented in your article are incorrect. I completely agree with them. We, however, need to do such soul searching now, during this lag phase between tours. I have asked this before, but you in the media must also talk about developmental issues for the near future. I, as several other readers have asked repeatedly about young talent in the county. Your coverage on those issues definitely needs improvement. With the upcoming Pakistan tour, why doesn't Rediff start discussing prospective changes in the team, game plan etc. We for one need to try a better new ball bowler if Agarkar is not ready. We also need two new openers don't we? I don't think any of us (myself for sure) will take the upcoming Pak series seriously if we go back to Sidhu and Jadeja opening. Srikanth Nathella
Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 11:50 PM I follow your articles on the Rediff site very regularly and I think they are very good. I am a big fan of cricket (not just the Indian team but cricket in general). So, I follow each and every Test match and ODI through www.cricket.org site. India lost yet another series when we should have won it. And this is not new. We always manage to find ways of losing a game or letting the other team go away with a draw. Out team lacks the determination required to win these games. Or maybe as Sanjay Manjrekar put it -- "We just don't want to win." Then you look at teams like South Africa and Australia. Australia has lots of very talented players but South Africa doesn't have that many very talented players. But still they win all the time -- ODI and Test matches.
The reasons that I can think of are:
Indians in general are not very disciplined. But, look at South Africans, their bowlers bowl a very tight line and length and never give anything away. Why can't our bowlers do that. I know one thing - if you don't let batsman score any runs, they will take risks and themselves get out. But, our bowlers always try to be oversmart or something. Then, new bowlers in teams like South Africa and Australia come and deliver results immediately (more often than not). And new bowlers in our team (Robin Singh Jr and countless other medium pacers before him) come and spray the ball all over the place and make things even tougher for the team. Lots of Indian players think they are some celebrities or something and so they don't need to perform all the time. Prime example being Mr Ajay Jadeja. He is a good player but I think he thinks he is a big shot or something. Saurav Ganguly is another guy like that. They don't understand that they have to try hard in every game, not just when their place in the team is in jeopardy. I admire people like Sachin, Dravid who try hard in every game they play and try hard at batting, fielding and bowling. The Indian team needs a coach who can tell these "kids" what to do on the cricket field. I think the money paid to the cricketers should have some clause like - you get paid some minimum amount and then you get good amount only if you deliver results. Because lots of players just don't care if we win or not as long, as they are getting big bucks through the board or through endorsements. I don't mind when India loses. What I mind is the way they lose. If they go down fighting it's okay but to just lose tamely, that pains me and I think all the Indian cricket fans share that view. In the current series, Azhar blames too much of ODI for our defeat and that our fielding is bad. So, if we are playing more ODI then we should win at least ODI series but I am positive that we will lose that too 3-2 at least. So, what will be the excuse then? There is no point making excuses. We need to have a good and strict coach and he should be given enough powers so that some of the "so-called" celebrities of our team can be disciplined and they play as a team. I don't know if some of the players even care that we lose or they don't perform well for a extended period of time. I am saying this because if it would bother them, then they will make some kind of an effort in the next game to improve their performance and try not to repeat their mistakes. It is common knowledge for so long now that unless you field well, you can never win games. Why can't every player make an effort to improve his fielding. I seriously think that our teams needs more discipline and some clause in their contracts whereby they will lose money if we lose like this all the time. Otherwise, we will never be able to win anywhere. I think I have written enough. Rajeev How Readers responded to Varsha Bhosle's earlier column
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