For over four decades now, it’s been apparent to all but the completely blind or the utterly senile that India is a blundering, doddering mockery of a democracy that has totally lost its way.
A soft state, to borrow Gunnar Myrdal’s terminology, where the government institutions have become so weak and corruption so endemic that the Indian state has failed to provide the most basic needs like security, water, food, transport, shelter, toilets and uninterrupted electricity to its citizens.
Six decades after independence, India’s Silicon Valley Bangalore reels under massive blackouts because of acute electricity shortage, at least four million of Mumbai’s 16 million people live in filthy conditions that people here in America wouldn’t subject their dogs to and hundreds of thousands of Chennai residents inhale the noxious stench of the Cooum day and night.
And seven million Mumbai commuters travel every day in packed cattle cars that even the most depraved Nazis would flinch from using to transport Jews to Auschwitz or Belsen for the final solution. In the last five years alone, Mumbai commuter trains have killed over 20,000 people.
Let the clowns shout Mera Bharat Mahan and the Alisha Chinais croon Made in India till their throats are hoarse but we say Tera Bharat Bahut Gandha Hai because India’s political institutions have all but decayed and atrophied with the fading from the scene of India’s first generation of political leaders, the Nehrus, Sastris and Patels.
In their place rose a new degenerate political class in the late 1960s – coinciding with the rise of Indira Gandhi and her shameless, bootlicking minions in different states – for whom politics became the shortest path to the desired trinity of power, pelf and privilege.
The apogee of the political decline was reached with the Emergency between 1975-77 and ascent of vermin like Sanjay Gandhi and court jesters like D.K.Barooah whose contribution to the Indian political lexicon was the asinine slogan India is Indira, Indira is India.
As institutional structures were replaced by individual fiat, the first casualty was the public interest.
Four decades ago, the foremost political scientist of our age Samuel Huntington wrote prophetically in his classic work Political Order in Changing Societies:
A government with a low level of institutionalization is not just a weak government; it is also a bad government.
How true.
Study after study in state after state has documented that very little of the vast sums apportioned to the poor actually reach the intended beneficiaries in India, whether it’s Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh or any of the other states.
Neither the Sarkaria Commission nor the Shah Commission, Grover Commission, Maruti Affairs Commission, Bofors inquiry or the numerous other commissions that spent people’s money to look into improprieties involving the high-and-mighty have yielded anything but employment for a few retired judges.
Plunder and pillage is not the mere monopoly of the netas but has seeped downward to the lowest official. As an obiter dictum, we might add that we have seen government doctors extort money with impunity from the poorest of the poor in villages on the rare occasions when they actually deign to take time away from their private practices in the towns and cities to be present in the rural Primary Healthcare Centers.
While the Congress party has long been hijacked by interests representing the agricultural and industrial bourgeoisie and the lumpen elements of society, the opposition in India has hardly been cut from a different cloth. Merely different names. They are the Rangas to the Congress Billas.
The rise in legislators with criminal backgrounds (murder and kidnapping rank high on their resumes), particularly in the Hindi heartland, parallels the increasing violence in society and inside the hallowed portals of the legislatures as destruction has replaced debate in the political arena.
Any hope that the opposition (read Janata Party/Janata Dal or BJP at the center and regional parties like DMK, AIADMK, Telugu Desam or CPM) would provide a credible alternative to the Congress has been completely belied. They’ve proven to be the same predatory wolves in just a different garb.
Anyone who has seen the Tehelka tapes or watched the antics of Jayaram Jayalalitha, Karunanidhi, N.T.Rama Rao or the present weak West Bengal government would be hard-pressed to argue that the opposition presents a credible alternative to the Congress.
To millions, expectations that the deaths of Sanjay Gandhi or Indira Gandhi would set the stage for a course correction have proven to be illusory.
The present occupant of the Prime Minister’s kursi, the hopelessly inept Manmohan Singh, seems to be a mere placeholder for the utterly moronic Rahul Gandhi.
While it’s true that India’s second and third generation political leadership has completely forsaken the people, the masses have not covered themselves with glory by abandoning the political sphere, thereby allowing lumpen forces to step into the vacuum.
India’s middle class has long been obsessed with getting exit visas to U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia or finding software/call center jobs, the poor preoccupied with survival and the upper classes engrossed with making it to the Forbes 100.
The raison d’etre of Indian IITs and other higher institutions has been merely to subsidize America’s higher education.
And after walking on the polished tiled floors of one or two malls, our software and call center coolies in Chennai, Bangalore and Noida dare to proclaim to any idiot who’ll listen to them that they and their country have arrived.
Arrived?
Arrived where? To a land where violence is endemic, poverty ubiquitous and public defecation a sanitation nightmare and a common eyesore.
We’ve often wondered why smart people like Saket – whom the Indian state dubbed hardcore naxalite – eschewed the democratic path and turned to violence. Although we’ll never know Saket’s real motivations because his head was blown to smithereens with his brain spilling out on a grassy patch on a desolate Chikmagalur hill, it’s possible that the firebrand revolutionary long gave up all hope of achieving anything meaningful within the existing political framework.
Many summers ago, the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong wrote:
Politics is war without bloodshed; war is politics with bloodshed.
As any sane observer of the Indian political scene will vouch, India’s political arena is no longer a battleground merely for competing corrupt interests.
The hallmark of the 21st century has been the addition of large-scale, unprecedented violence to our body politic. A bloody violence that has reached the compound walls of India’s Parliament, the teeming bazaars of Ahmedabad, cemeteries of Malegaon and the five-star hotels of Mumbai.
Highlighting India’s vulnerability to terrorist violence in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks of Nov 26, 2008, Sadanand Dhume writes in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required):
India’s failure to protect its premier city offers a textbook example for fellow democracies on how not to deal with militant Islam.
The litany of errors is long. Unlike their counterparts in the West, or in East Asia, India’s perpetually squabbling leaders have failed to put national security above partisan politics. The country’s antiterrorism effort is reactive and episodic rather than proactive and sustained. Its public discourse on Islam oscillates between crude, anti-Muslim bigotry and mindless sympathy for largely unjustified Muslim grievance-mongering. Its failure to either charm or cow its Islamist-friendly neighbors — Pakistan and Bangladesh — reveals a limited grasp of statecraft.
As the course of India’s violence-driven politics has made it clear, the country is at war not merely with Pakistan or China but far too often with itself lately.
In Kashmir, Northeast India, Jharkand and parts of Andhra Pradesh, India is at war with India.
This is not a sustainable course for a nation that yearns for a place at the table of leaders.
Dhube also calls our attention to the distressing fact that India’s death toll of more than 4,000 from terrorist violence since 2004 makes the country second only to Iraq. What a shame.
India’s middle class may fret and fume while sipping their Bloody Marys or watching pirated copies of Dostana or Aegan and boast about the country’s resilience in bouncing back from the latest bomb-blast, the uppah class may sigh and shake their snooty faces and the lower classes may bewail their fate but in reality all that the Indian citizens can do now is just bleat, Bhaiya, Aaramse Maar Meri Gaand to anyone who wishes to take a crack at their exposed backsides.
Like the stupid Emperor in Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale, neither the Indian leaders nor their bovine subjects have any clothes on. Will some child please tell them the truth?
Bhaiya, Aaramse Maar Meri Gaand added by SearchIndia.com on
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I will just request you, don’t please write so much truth.
I know whatever u r writing is absolute truth, but I feel so depressed after reading all this. Politicians are so shameless.
@ Shyam: What you said was so very true.
What every child reads in school, and what we’ve grown up hearing is what a great country India is. The land of colours, the biggest democracy in the world, a secular country, a land of immense history, a land of lovely people, with varied cultures, under the same roof.
Reading your post feels like, I’ve just fallen down from the first storey and landed in gory reality.
It feels depressing, maybe Shyam bein a guy just felt depressed, I actually felt like crying.
Yeah, what you said was the absolute truth, but in this hour of grief we could have used something positive, to revive our flagging souls.
The political arena will have to change, but who is gonna change it? The youth is focused on their careers, the middle aged on their safe retirement, and the old are old.
All those who are left are the eagles (read politicians).
I think we’ve long given up on hopes for a change, and making do with the existing policies, taxes, and the present way of life.
Maybe like Pakistan, we should have military rule here.
Maybe then, you’ll be persuaded to delete your post. Jus kidding.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Maybe like Pakistan, we should have military rule here.
We’ve never been in favor of traditional dictatorship to fix Indian democracy’s shortcomings but we’ve always admired the Lee Kuan Yew model (Singapore) of development.
In any case, military rule hasn’t done Pakistan much good.
You are focussing only on the negative aspects …
The good thing about this country is that ..it is ready to accept that things are wrong and they need to be set right …
Things are moving in that direction ..but at a snail’s pace ..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: The good thing about this country is that ..it is ready to accept that things are wrong and they need to be set right …
That’s baloney.
And anybody can do that – i.e. accept that things are wrong. Talk, as they say, is cheap.
I’ve met so many people like you. You are a loser. You will always be a loser. Losers complain.
Its easy to talk and quote the Wall Street Journal as if it were the wisdom of the ages.
Take your inferiority complex and shove it. I will win, so will my country.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Take your inferiority complex and shove it. I will win, so will my country.
A few minutes back (probably as you were typing your boastful nonsense) there was another blast – this time on an Assam train (last time we checked Assam was in your country).
How many people went to their maker this time?
You might also want to keep in mind that the 16th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition is approaching.
When future historians narrate the story of 21st century India, it’ll most probably be recounted as a series of violent blasts punctuated by moments of silence. Sounds right, na?
@ sbhaskar and Srinivas,
Guys, please open your eyes and heart. You know the reality. I love my country too and so do all Indians. Look at its current state. We have politicians who only bicker among themselves and for what – power and money. These guys can hire mercenaries / goondas and other kind of people to threaten local people and sometimes even kill them for personal benefit but we are unable to save our own country with the same henchmen. We have the best brilliant minds and yet we are naive enough to happen something like this.
We will get attacked more if we are going to take soft stance like this and using media to give our rebuttal statements. Only more innocent people will die while someone else sits in his / her chair for another 20 years and will pass it on to his kids. My heart goes out to all the courageous indians who laid their life on the line of duty but if we have to keep sacrificing so many people for someone who is incapable of doing work at the top, then there is no end to it.
All we can do take walks, hold hands, light candles to commemorate the lost lives, give interviews to media about what happened was bad while the politicians will point out against actors and have their own moments of glory.
What we as Indians can never do is shake our entire country up and give it a fresh breath of life.
sbhaskar, calm down.
I can see that you love our country. I love it passionately,too. So,does Searchindia.com. Else, they wouldnt waste their time writing such a long article.
But,love shouldn’t make you blind. All the points mentioned in this article, are sadly, true. Although, the title is a bit, uhmm, colourful, but, still, these points have to be considered. India has some brilliant minds ,but,still,it lags behind in so many respect. Hell, we havent even been able to abolish Sati and Child Marriage. And, we mess ourselves too long with Indian sensibilties. That’s why an epic and iconic show like Friends,which enamoured the world for 10 long years,cant be made here. Because the so called Sensitive Audience will throw up a huge protest,denouncing it as trampling of Indian sensibilities.
Note: Searchindia.com, you write that you are an admirer of Lee Kuan Yew’s model of development. I like it,too. But,in my opinion,its not possible to implement it here. It involved taking control of every inch of the available territory,and regulating every sphere of the lives of the citizens. That’s not possible in a vast and multifarious country like India
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: But,in my opinion,its not possible to implement it here. It involved taking control of every inch of the available territory,and regulating every sphere of the lives of the citizens. That’s not possible in a vast and multifarious country like India
You may be right. As they say in the porn junk e-mails, size matters. 😉
Guess, what can be done in a city-state like Singapore is not easily replicable in a vast country like India.
Many years back, we visted Singapore when Lee Kuan Yew was still Prime Minister…we didn’t see that much regulation. Definitely not like the erstwhile Soviet Union or Eastern European nations.
I am very much a patriot. But looking at the way India is going, cant understand where we are headed. The Polity will not change. And so will the nation. Go east, go west you see what India lacks.
You have written very well.
True. India ki koi bhi aye, marke jaye, kisi ko kuch fark nahi. There are only a few heads who feel the heat. I’m planning to take some concrete steps in this direction by starting a small trust which will change the Indian mindset. As small an act it could be, let me see. wish me gud luck.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: I’m planning to take some concrete steps in this direction by starting a small trust which will change the Indian mindset. As small an act it could be, let me see.
1. Viel Gluck (that’s German for good luck).
2. There’s also a deep vein of cynicism these days in India (as elsewhere). So, don’t be disheartened and be prepared to plow a lonely furrow.
3. If you save/help even one soul, that’d be remarkable because most of us do so little for our less fortunate fellow human beings.
True. Our politicians are not caring about the people and the nation, but we are forgetting an important point here
“Ignorance”, our ignorance, we seem to get up and fight only when there is a terrorist attack happens,and that too for may be one month maximum, after that we will forger everything and return our normal ignorant life, we dont care if a person nearby us spits or urinating in public or even in hospitals, we dont care about the yellow lines in roads or even the signals, we ourselves will develop the corruption from the very bottom of the system for our convenience, we dont care about our environment , all we care about is our house and our health, no worries if the lower class people get bad water to drink , spoiled by the sewage from our house or industry, we do not vote but enjoy the holiday watching cricket and shout about the politicians we did not elect. Time to correct ourselves before blaming others.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Time to correct ourselves before blaming others.
Very true but also sadly easier said than done.
As Robert Redford’s character Professor Stephen Malley says in that under-appreciated 2007 film Lions for Lambs, politicians make policies based on careful calculation of public apathy and ignorance.
@ Sanewar
“Our politicians are not caring about the people and the nation…”
True. Just look at M.K. K**dhi (aka Karunanidhi) and V. Gopalasamy (Vaiko)- politicians who are still dribbling at their mouths and mounting pressure on the Government over the Lankan-Tamil issue when the rest of the nation is focused on the horror meted to our own country’s citizens in Mumbai. Just so you know, this is TODAY’S NEWS. The Lt-General of Sri Lankan army, Sarath Fonseka, rightfully called the Tamilnadu politicians as “POLITICAL JOKERS.” I couldn’t agree more.
In addition, joining these political jokers are the stupid dingbats who constitute Kollywood- morons who don’t have a slight inkling that having LTTE rule in the Northern Areas of Sri Lanka will not be beneficial to India’s security. I wonder if these Kollywood-dumbasses ever orchestrated a hunger-strike or even protested against the lack of proper security in protecting Indian citizens from external dangers. Ahem…that would be a BIG NO!
On that note, I am now exercising my freedom to exclude myself from my Tamil roots. I am ashamed and disgusted that a 20th century relic like Karunanidhi is stirring up partisan sentiments in these times of much needed national solidarity, and that the non-political masses in Tamilnadu are swallowing his tripe in these pressing times. Forget Kashmir…the biggest separatists lie “down under” in our nation.
SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: The Lt-General of Sri Lankan army, Sarath Fonseka, rightfully called the Tamilnadu politicians as “POLITICAL JOKERS.” I couldn’t agree more.
Say that a million times. And it still wouldn’t be enough.
2. You write: I am ashamed and disgusted that a 20th century relic like Karunanidhi is stirring up partisan sentiments in these times of much needed national solidarity, and that the non-political masses in Tamilnadu are swallowing his tripe in these pressing times.
It’s true that this decrepit fellow Karunanidhi and Vaiko are stirring up things on the LTTE issue, but we think there’s more to it.
If you look at the course of history (be it India, Europe or the U.S. where many readers of the SearchIndia.com blog live), very rarely do leaders actually lead. They often follow the latent feelings already resident within the populace.
As recent writers like Daniel Jonah Goldhagen (in the book Hitler’s Willing Executioners) have convincingly argued, ordinary Germans and the Catholic Church were not only aware of what Hitler was doing but even supported the anti-Jewish policy, which ultimately led to the wholesale slaughter of Jews in the various concentration camps like Dachau, Treblinka, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen.
So in that sense Karunanidhi may actually be following or merely giving voice to the Tamil rabble.
To blame Karunanidhi while turning a Nelson’s eye to the equally culpable Tamil masses would be a travesty of the ground reality.
Have you ever heard of any Tamil in Tamil Nadu organizing even a sham hunger strike (most hunger strikes are sham in India) or a protest meeting over the failure to nab the killers of Rajiv Gandhi (as in that LTTE thug Prabhakaran…all they caught were a few footsoldiers). But you have meetings every other day led by one group or the other (one day it’s the film stars, another day it’s the IT industry..another day it’s some other Tamil buffoons) protesting the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka the moment LTTE is pushed to the wall.
Bottomline, Karunanidhi and Vaiko are adding fuel to a LTTE fire that’s already burning within the hearts and minds of the Tamil masses in Tamil Nadu. (Needless to say, as always in life there are some exceptions.)
i think Pope Pius the 12th was kind of a wussy for letting benito m. walk all over him.if i were PP 12th,i would have at least tried to resist benito m.(i cant spell his last name),i remember reading years back a story that the fascist party(black shirts) summoned the god seth from his slumber to overpower the catholic church and dominate rome.i dont know how much of that is true but the woman that told this story was a former secretary for the blackshirts durring the early days leading up to WW2
SearchIndia.com Responds:
It’s no secret that the Catholic Church/Pope Pius XII has been condemned for over six decades for not doing enough to help the Jews during the holocaust.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_XII_and_the_Holocaust
“To blame Karunanidhi while turning a Nelson’s eye to the equally culpable Tamil masses would be a travesty of the ground reality.”
I did illustrate that not only the politicians,but also the local populace is equally responsible, by also focusing the blame on the Kollywood f**k-nuts (and the IT industry in TN, now that you remind me). I am just angry that these politicians have to dig this issue at THIS JUNCTURE, when the nation is mourning the attacks in Mumbai. I doubt if the Tamil masses in Tamil Nadu were ready to express their solidarity vocally for their brethren in Sri Lanka (read: LTTE) in light of recent events. Then again, the leaders of Tamil Nadu and its people have, for a long time, harbored latent separatist ideals (Annadurai and Periyar, especially) using classical apologist’s excuses of Hindi-imposition (while gladly accepting English as a part of GLOBAL TAMIZHAGAM). Is it any surprise that the contribution of these separatists in the Indian independence struggle was negligible? For instance, Periyar was a arrested and strongly reprimanded by the British for his anti-British stance, after which he turned anti-Brahmin since he was so bitch-slapped into turning anti-British again and could focus his cowardice on a soft target. No surprises that he found fellow-cowards, in his pursuit.
As it is, Tamils are already looking sorry in the nation’s eyes thanks to the above. Any efforts to support the LTTE in Sri Lanka now is going to make them look POORER.
“Have you ever heard of any Tamil in Tamil Nadu organizing even a sham hunger strike (most hunger strikes are sham in India) or a protest meeting over the failure to nab the killers of Rajiv Gandhi (as in that LTTE thug Prabhakaran…all they caught were a few footsoldiers)?”
Your questioning these Kenai K**dhis'(stupid c**ts) lack of protest on the near TWO-DECADE OLD Rajiv Gandhi assassination issue, when these people have not orchestrated ONE (sanctimonious or otherwise) protest on events that occurred TWO WEEKS AGO on THEIR OWN SOIL, is inherently futile. Then again, when did the VADA-NATTU KAARAN’S (North Indian’s) land constitute as THEIR OWN SOIL? When these idiots blissfully ignore the 1984 Madras Airport explosion and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, both of which happened on THEIR soil AND had LTTE involvement, and still continue to support LTTE, how can you expect them to express solidarity with the rest of the nation? I doubt if these a-holes will even turn anti-LTTE if those terrorists detonate a nuke in Tamil Nadu.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We agree.
Considering our feelings on the state-of-affairs, & the ongoing elections, can anyone throw light on the 49-O, the right of an individual during voting? Please check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49-O
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Since we’ve been out of India for a long time, this is an issue that others (i.e. Indians in India) can better address.
@shashank
Please tell me what you are going to do. I would love to help in the best of my ability.
I’d still rather live here in India rather than Somalia. At the same time, as I get my chance, I will abandon ship and look for safer and greener pastures abroad. And that’s when I will do my bit for my birth country, because that’s when it is easiest for me to make my contribution, in the form of analysing and passing judgement on the pathetic plight of my birth country, and all those responsible for its current state. I’m just that selfish 🙁
Analysis in retrospect is the easiest. Coming up with a concrete action plan is slightly harder and Putting even a single action item into effect,in a country like India, is the hardest.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Since the above sarcastic barb is obviously aimed at us, it’s Mea Culpa time.
Yes, like many members of the Indian Middle Class, we did forsake the effluent East for the affluent West (we made a veiled reference to this in Bhaiya, Aaramse Maar Meri Gaand).
If it’s any consolation, we’ve made some small contribution towards the cause of education in India. We will try to do more in the days ahead.
I am hoping that this contribution is followed up properly, and by properly I mean some actual work on the ground. I mean…what’s the point of your contributions, however “noble” your intentions may be, if the money gets caught up in the “Indian Bureaucratic system” and doesnt actually help in education in India. Infact, that would just be counter productive, with you feeding the very monsters that you so vehemently antagonise about.
P.S. Even though the sarcastic barb was aimed at you guys, it is a pretty common sentiment among today’s youth (myself strongly included), and we are also to blame for the state of the country, as is the indifferent Indian or the corrupt politician.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We do the best we can sitting some 10,000 miles away and keeping in mind that as the years go by our links with people on the ground become tenuous.
sbhaskar, srinivas and the like have blind love towards their country. They believe that the country will prevail and rise above all the issues we currently face.
SearchIndia.com also loves their country, but blames the politicians for the situation in India.
Both the parties love their country but have a different way of expressing it.
I agree to both the views, but what I find missing is how to correct this situation. SearchIndia (team) advocates the Lee Kuan Yew model of development but does not actually talk or do anything about how to get there. Sbhaskar and the like just wish the situation will remedy itself – somehow. Everyone can talk about what needs to be done, but how do you go about doing it? Most importantly, what is that you have done or doing about it?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: SearchIndia.com also loves their country, but blames the politicians for the situation in India.
We don’t blame just the politicians – others are equally culpable including folks like us who left for what-was-then-but-not-anymore greener pastures.
2. You write: Everyone can talk about what needs to be done, but how do you go about doing it?
First step – Electoral reforms.
Electoral reforms (ban criminals from contesting elections) and imposing term limits on politicians will go a long way in cleansing India of the corrupt pols, vested interests and crooked elements. Electoral reforms may appear like small steps but in reality is a ‘giant leap.’
For both electoral reforms and term limits, there should be a solid demand from below via a mass movement through the involvement of various NGOs, media, social and business elite et al.
49-O can be used if you do not want to vote for any candidate but record your displeasure of the contesting candidates. No use though because the number of votes polled under 49-O can be obtained only through the Right to Information Act. They are not declared on the day of counting. A hoax email is under circulation saying that if the number of votes polled under 49-O is larger than the winning margin in a constituency, the election is invalid. This is not true. It is just a proposal. Any sane MLA or MP wouldn’t accept to this. So no problems guys. Another rule just for the sake of existence.
By the way, a new party Called Loksatta was formed by Jayaprakash Narayan, a retired IAS officer(voluntary retirement) in AP. Belying the hopes of the masses in AP, the party stuck to its ideals of not distributing money and liquor during the recent elections. It even fielded educated candidates. Imagine the plight of the poor masses who are dependent on the money they receive during the elections after a tiresome wait of 5 years. Predictably, they didn’t vote for Loksatta. I tried to counsel my friends to vote for the party. They said, Why to cast your vote for such a party? It is not going to win anyway. Sorry state of affairs.
Visit http://www.loksatta.org You will at least find a good manifesto.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Change comes, but slowly in countries like India.
I do not know,Search India comprises of which bunch of stupid people, can you come forward and reveal your names??? Your article doesn’t do any good nor does it aim at changing whatever is happening now.
You are no better than those dirty, shameless politicians who you have quoted in your article. Come up with a list of things that you have done till date, except for hosting a useless website to provoke people with your own money.
As someone already said, don’t make a list of unfortunate things only happening to India, look at the good things as well, look at the developments with an open mind rather than a skewed thinking…..
And….a bunch of people using foul language like “aaram se maar meri gaand” I believe will never do any good to India…
I know what India has gone through and I can bet, India is definitely heading towards becoming the most powerful country in the world. And….Indian people do not need your stupid provocations…to make it a better place to live.
Better don’t write these unusually depressing and baseless articles……I think [deleted].com is a much better website than yours and to tell you they have achieved atleast 20% what they have aimed at…..
Shame on you
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Surely, some asylum in your neighborhood is missing one inmate. We mean you, dodo.
2. You write: As someone already said, don’t make a list of unfortunate things only happening to India, look at the good things as well, look at the developments with an open mind rather than a skewed thinking…..
Instead of getting your knickers in a twist over our fair and balanced posts on India, your time would be better spent on getting to the banana on the top shelf.
3. You write: I can bet, India is definitely heading towards becoming the most powerful country in the world
Yeah, right. All of us can bet that you are definitely scratching your cojones now because you confuse it for your head.
4. You write: a bunch of people using foul language like “aaram se maar meri gaand” I believe will never do any good to India…
Bhaiya, Aaram Se Maar Meri Gaand is a fairly accurate representation of India today.
You may disagree with the post all you like but that doesn’t change the reality. As Jawaharlal Nehru once said, Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes.
Who the hell needs cable tv when you have SI?!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We’re thinking of pulling the plug on Comcast. Seriously.
he he he….you have not even allowed my comments on you to appear here….
Shame on you perverted guys!!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Be patient, schmuck. Comments are not automatically processed here. We read them and usually respond to most.
Your previous comment has been processed (see above) with our response.
I do not want to use the kind of abusive language you use, but I would like to definitely tell you that some of the questions in my previous post have gone unanswered. (Probably you have chosen the ones which do not need an answer and filled your response with abuses and nothing else. If you can, answer the below questions from my previous posts….else I will not waste my time here anymore…
1. Have you ever had a look at a website? (deleted.com), I know u r going to delete it..so I put that name myself.
Why don’t you do such thing? That website enlightens people better and compells us to act. I myself remember getting reminders and other emails about how India can be developed, wht should be our role.
2. Come up with a list of things that you have done till date, except for hosting a useless website to provoke people with your own money.
3. Your article doesn’t do any good nor does it aim at changing whatever is happening now. What good do you think it has done to people who have read your article?
I think now, you are definitely scratching your cojones now because you confuse it for your head.
4. Guys, please grow up, I would suggest, instead of wasting yours and others’ time with these abusive posts (ofcourse with a carefully chosen vocab), start an NGO, invest in the poor, teach these “dirty” politicians, that we dont need some “Gods” to save us from these miseries and we can help ourselves.
Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Your write above: I do not want to use the kind of abusive language you use,
OK, here’s looking at you kid (thank you, Rick).
Because there was a delay of few minutes in posting your previous comment, you started frothing at the mouth and unable to restrain your oral diarrhea you yelled out at us – ‘perverted guys!!!‘
Now, WTF is perverted about reading comments and responding to them, you sophomoric jerk.
And then the little fart comes along and has the audacious temerity to dole out unrequited advice about starting an NGO, investing in the poor et al.
Why would anyone want to listen to an ass-wipe like you and your sanctimonious shit. What we are doing in a small way to help our former nation, we’ve already said once. And we’ve neither the time nor definitely the inclination to explain ourselves to a cretinous simian like you.
Begone, scumbag. Don’t soil this forum ever again. Scoot.
I read your post until the very last word. All I can say is that I feel bad and horrified. Yesterday, after slogging till 1am in the night and hardly getting 6 hours of sleep, I woke up to see Congress leading.
I just wondered. Here is a party that encouraged quota politics, let Quottrochi go scott free, encouraged corruption, generation politics, consists of a puppet prime minister, ruled by a lady who should actually be in Italy cleaning vessels if not for our fools, and worst, a party which encourages terrorism indirectly for minority politics.
After 5 years of high inflation, nauseating speeches, useless rhetoric, and aimless allegations against the opposition members, Congress has come back to power. Not just that, it has nearly claimed a majority on its own. I don’t understand our people, what made them think that the Congress will solve the nations problems. This shit party ruled India for 40+ years and was/is doing nothing but shit. These people have again voted the party back to power. Strange logic.
The most pathetic thing about this election was seeing Karunanidhi and Azhagiri boasting of their victories in 28 seats of Tamilnadu. I am just beginning to lose all my Sanity now. I though these people would give DMK a sound drubbing, but no, instead they vote enmasse for this party. This day is a virtual nightmare for me.
I guess if you give free money and booze, you can win any elections here.
THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO THE DOGS, THESE PEOPLE WOULD NEVER LISTEN, NEVER THINK, AND NEVER DO, ONLY COMPLAIN. GOD SAVE THIS NATION.
I am glad you are in US pal. Stay there, don’t come back to India, we are filled with corrupt and nauseating politicians here. Stay where you are.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
As they say here, we feel your pain. 😉
Why don’t you write an article about our INTELLIGENT people, who think that VOTING is all about liquor, money, and power. Maybe that will make these bastards realize their follies.
I donno why but after seeing DMK winning 28 seats, 28 damn fu**ing seats in TAMILNADU, after having a notorious record of 1) Poor electricity supplies, 2) Giving preference only to family members 3) Openly displaying power and authority to disrupt public etc.
DO these people who voted for DMK deserve to live????
Maybe you are right, this country is filled with shit.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Maybe you are right, this country is filled with shit.
India – A Shitty Country, Literally
2. On a serious note, if the Tamil people voted for the Scylla of the DMK that means they consider the alternative of the Charybdis of AIADMK to be far worse.
It does not augur well.
Hear Horatio speak in Hamlet after seeing the ghost:
and a little later, Horatio again:
Indeed, strange things are happening in Tamil Nadu.
@Shashank: What type of trust are you opening? What does it do? Please let me know. Let me see if I can contribute something atleast.
[Trash Talk]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
When we told you to stay out, we meant it.
Maybe, we should hang out a virtual board outside – Maggots & Vermin, Verboten.
I am huge fan of your movie reviews. I usually only read your Tamil movie review.
But this morning, I had some free time and decided to read more. Wow, you have so much going on here.
Loved you hilarious restaurant reviews. I happened to read this article only now and I liked it very much.
Could you write more about the Political Jokers in Tamilnadu and those stupid LTTE thugs.
I really feel very sad for those poor Tamil people who are paying the price for Prabhakaran’s stupidity. I hope and pray that they are not forced to reap these benefits for a very long time.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: Could you write more about the Political Jokers in Tamilnadu
Sure, we’ll do a piece on our ‘loose-paiya‘ one of these days.
Amusing comments from a few visitors 🙂
People who accuse NRI’s and former Indians of not doing enough should know that the Indian community actively contributes to social causes in India. Being 10000 miles away one can do monetary contributions and encourage/participate in events that are meant to benefit Indian causes.
AID (http://www.aidindia.org/main/) is one such active voluntary organization I am aware of. I am sure there are several others. I know through my friends who are active participants in that organization that several programs targeting waste management, recycling are constantly done. They also organize periodic events (such as dramas) to generating money for charitable purpose in India.
Other than this, crisis times have always seen generous contributions. Kargil war, Tsunami / earthquake relief etc are some examples when money was generously donated.
Beyond all these points one should also keep in mind that this community in some ways act as the face of India in US. Without claiming a high moral ground one can confidently say that as a whole this community has created more awareness of India and played a direct role in building the country’s image.
By no means I am discounting the contributions of people living in India. I am just trying to explain that Indians (including former) have not disowned their responsibilities. Of course we can do more… we all can.
Forget politicians..look at this!
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cctv-shows-youth-beaten-to-death-in-coimbatore/167261-3.html
4 drunk guys, beat a man to death in the middle of a main road in Coimbatore. The whole thing was captured on CCTV camera – which was in a police station just 250 metres away!! There was considerably heavy traffic. All everyone did was watch the murder happen..hell, some people even drove away – because they were late for something!! Police arrived at the scene almost half an hour later to send the dead body to the hospital – to officially declare the poor man dead!
Politicians may be corrupt. What about these idiots? Will they ever change? NO. They won’t. I was born and brought up in Coimbatore – its a city I (used to?) love. I always told people that Coimbatore people were polite and respectful. I take that back! Basic respect for human life is not there with the public – how can you expect it from politicians who are already corrupt?? Watch the video in the above link, there’s the news coverage and interview with the deputy commissioner of police.
India is a country that is backward than the most backward nations in the world. Has some developments in the midst of ravaging poverty – and consoles itself with shiny malls. Right in the backyard of those shiny malls, are people who are unfortunate – struggle to earn and manage at least a meal a day.
Personally, I have been doing what I can for the unfortunate homeless souls who struggle daily. There’s no hope for the government to improve if the people are like this. If one or two people had just gone and called the police, it might, i repeat *might* have made a difference. We can’t expect the corrupt police force to respond quickly either. The worst part is, the older generation – being this way teach the younger generation the same thing. So, it doesn’t matter how many generations come and go, in India – its you! You shouldn’t be late – so cut corners in traffic, drive on the right side of the road if needed to go where you are supposed to go. Its you! You shouldn’t get in trouble saving someone – what if the police question me? I don’t want to get in that uncomfortable position!! Yeah, right!! Nothing’s gonna save this country.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Just finished watching the video in your (above) link.
As we’ve said often, there’s no hope for that barbaric land.
We remain skeptical of the police’ officer Nizamuddin’s claim in your video link that it took just 5 minutes to reach the spot. The reporter (Meenakshi Mahadevan) who spoke later said it took 30-minutes.
2. This is not the first such instance of a callous, indifferent public. Read this below horrific piece:
Incredible India 40: Pigs Watch as Cop Bleeds, Dies
The cop is moaning in agony and yet none go to help him.
Yeah, I’ve read that before.
I always say Indians are the biggest hypocrites. Saving people who are dying in the middle of the road only happens in films in India 🙂
In reality, the heroes who save people actually kill people on the road (http://www.searchindia.com/2011/06/02/is-darpok-salman-khan-ready-to-confess-to-murder)
This needs to explode at some point of time. Terrorist attacks are definitely easy in India considering the complacent security measures that I see everyday here. The security in airports is pathetic. In future, India might implode because of home grown terrorist groups which are cropping as we speak (type).
To all the guys who here are supporting India – this is not en emotional debate. This is the reality. I’ve lived in Australia and the Maldives. The difference is just Civic Sense – even in the Maldives which has a densely populated capital city (Male’).
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: I always say Indians are the biggest hypocrites.
Say that a million times and it still wouldn’t be enough.
2. Bolstering security is only one side of the terrorism story. The other side is justice.
Rampant injustice to several hundred millions irrigates the soil of terrorism.
I have to admit that I – in my teens – have witnessed, with much delight, drunks fight on the road.. it was always harmless. People watch and the quarrelers brawl and then get up and become friends again..
Here, apparently & unfortunately, one guy with the rock went completely berserk.. not sure if he would have done that if he weren’t that drunk. By the time the people realized what was happening, it was probably too late. At least now, I’ll react differently if I happen to witness a drunken brawl again.. although it would cost me some fun.
The degree of callousness in this incident is not as bad as the Vetrivel incident, I’d say.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: The degree of callousness in this incident is not as bad as the Vetrivel incident, I’d say.
While all lives are equally worth saving, we agree that Vetrivel’s death was far more callous and tragic as people stood there doing nothing even as the poor man lay there bleeding and moaning for help.
What would have passed through Vetrivel’s mind in his final moments as he saw all the people standing by and doing nothing to render aid to him!
Amazing writing!
Typo : Is it Sadanand Dhume or Dhube?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
No typo. It’s Dhume.