[Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
SANDIP DUTTA
pseude at yahoo.com
Sun Dec 3 00:16:18 PST 2006
But you quoted him - so in effect you did say it.
Nothing will happen with the waiting - IIMs and others will continue to attract the best, no matter what DR. Debashish Chatterjee says.
SD
----- Original Message ----
From: mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
To: pseude at yahoo.com
Cc: assam at assamnet.org
Sent: Sunday, December 3, 2006 7:11:02 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
I said nothing.!!
Rest--" Just you wait"
mm
From: SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com>
To: mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 22:29:06 -0800 (PST)
Hello Mahanta Sir,
Here you go again. In this I aggree with you - if only partially. Partially because all schools are not IIMs or Jamunalal Bajaj's and hence the less said about such MBA material, the better. However why brush under the carpet something positive that someone has been trying to do right here in Assam.
At the end of the day, if you debunk something, then suggest something thats even better! No point poking the MBA tradition when companies themselves dont recognize alternatives.
Thank you again,
SD
----- Original Message ----
From: mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
To: pseude at yahoo.com
Cc: assam at assamnet.org
Sent: Sunday, December 3, 2006 12:00:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
Dear Mr.Dutta,
Can we add a thing or two?
You go Ga Ga at<You seemed to have debunked most others who actually have done lots that can be counted materially- for eg. Dr. Hazarika of the Assam Inst. of Mgmt. >
Did you read what I forwarded 2 days back<
***********************************
SUCCESS SUTRAS
HIRE EDUCATION
Dr. Debashis Chaatterji* (Script manipulation is mine)
Many of our professional schools are like employment exchanges.
They provide ‘Hire Education’.
An Academy that trains young people in hotel management teaches students in the art of grooming a personality for making a career in the industry. The abiding philosophy is : fake it until you make it.
After that you can show the company your canine teeth.
The MBA churning mills also enter into alliances with companies in a game of mutual deception .The MBA is an acronym for –often without minimum professional acumen. Companies recruit them to keep the MBA education industry on a perpetual growth path. Strangely no MBA school worth its salt can show any positive co-relation between Success in the MBA programme and Success as a manager.
The MBA curriculum is about knowing businesses as a system of knowledge. In that, most good business schools do a fairly commendable job. MBA’s learn to write decent business plans and analyze case studies of successful systems. But Successful Systems are by and large slow to respond to change. Ironically , a manager’s job success is very often about Delivering in spite of the system. So we now know why many MBA toppers do not succeed as well in their role as Managers.
Hire Education is about finding employment. It is unfortunately not about Higher levels of personal effectiveness or professional competence.
Before you fire a non- performing manager, think about firing this
hire education !
* Author is professor at IIM Lucknow
**************************************
From: SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com>
To: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>, assam at assamnet.org
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 16:39:53 -0800 (PST)
Dear Sir,
Unmitigated Gall - Indeed!
Didnt the same dysfunctional system give you your IIT degree (and to many of us here) that enabled you to get your passport to the west?
In the course of our conversations have we come accross even one do-able and constructive suggestion from you? Apart from blaming the "colonial" centre and your oft repeated stories about how EVERYTHING is wrong about India, you have little or no ideas. Vague suggestions of "reforms", "change this or that etc" is like advising a cancer patient over telephone from overseas to go and see a good doctor. Its all fine if you are not involved in person, isnt it?
And who will lead the charge - is it going to be you?? You seemed to have debunked most others who actually have done lots that can be counted materially- for eg. Dr. Hazarika of the Assam Inst. of Mgmt.
What we need is a great visionary who can work within the existing system and who can implement accountability. Such a person with a team thats willing to listen to him can change things in Assam.
My intention is not to take up valuable server space in assam.org by filling up endless pages arguing with you. Your pompous and quarellsome attitude makes it difficult to carry on a conversation towards any reasonable end.
I am not surprised by your contention that a Bharat darshan will only worsen your perception. The reason is that a one-track mind with one-eyed vision cannot be expected to take in the good and the bad with equal elan. Your preconceived notions will look for specific oppurtunities to further your biased logic. If ever you do go for such a darshan, I would suggest that you start from Assam and then go outwards. And please do carry some freinds along (if you got any) so that we can have some advantage of a difference of opinion.
Thanks,
SD
----- Original Message ----
From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To: SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com>; assam at assamnet.org
Cc: assamrs at gmail.com
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2006 3:06:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
Dear Sandip Dutta:
>That is the hallmark of an ignorant society. While the ones capable of making a >difference only want to reap undue benefits from high office, an equally >ignorant populace either goes about just accepting things or just >blaming the "centre" - for the centre is a convenient scapegoat.
** Was this not where we started?
If so, how do you propose to empower the IGNORANT POPULACE to fight back, demand accountability and get it?
** And would people blame the Center, if it did NOT CONTROL the resources, held the controls over the purse strings, set down the laws and devised the law-enforcement and adjudication mechanisms that do not work?
Who would YOU hold responsible under the circumstances and why?
Obviously you hold the ignorant Assam populace responsible, except you could not be bothered by the fact that the Indian system of laws and its enforcement
apparatus , that people in a democratic system use to control and fight CORRUPTION are dysfunctional, and would not raise your voice for REFORMS, while
criticizing those who do as "-- have nothing alternative to say".
You give a free pass to a colonialist Center, who steals from the many of Assam and enriches a few by re-distributing it without exercising its controls over how it gets disbursed or giving the ignorant populace the tools of a functioning democratic state to exercise their controls.
And we are to think you are a part of that vaunted desi-knowledge-brigade and not a part of the IGNORANT POPULACE?
That is delusion, if not unmitigated gall, is how I see it.
>Corruption is endemic in the whole of south asia. It happens in Pakistan too on >an even much greater scale
*** Why not go a step further and include the whole world? After all it is a human trait, isn't it? And that is exactly why more intelligent people devised
ways to control it, by PUNISHING bad behavior and REWARDING good, something even the ranks of the ignorant populace understand-- as in raising children, but which seems to be beyond the grasp of apologists of desi-demokrasy.
Oh we know why! Because they know that India is incapable of change, of reforms.
So they settle for 'doing better' while remaining mired in desi-governance.
To acknowledge it would pull the rug from under the feet of their argument that Assam's disaffections are imaginary, or that they are their own damn fault.
But the people of Assam has no business accepting such half-a**ed propositions.
>The reason is that many things actually work in those states. In Assam they >dont.
*** So how do you propose to CHANGE this? Puja? Prayers? Bribery of the gods? Internet Gaali? Or wishful thinking? What?
>Institutions have been built in the same way in both places - but how is it >they work in a few and dont in others?
*** If they do, why Pres. APJAK's calls for eradicating corruption, why the call for a commission to set up a HongKong style corruption fighting mechanism, why the call for STRICT enforcement of laws?
The big question he did not address was HOW he would accomplish all that ?
>Rather than just sit there and quote from pessimistic newspaper articles, a >bharat-darshan is long overdue for you.
*** I quote them to keep those who are either ignorant or are unwilling to see
the real truths about India, in line.
Yes, I would like to have a Bharat Darshan. But I don't think it will improve my perceptions of India, only worsen it. And I know Assam quite well, perhaps a whole lot more than most in this forum.
cm
At 2:20 AM -0800 11/30/06, SANDIP DUTTA wrote:
Dear Sir:
*******But since subtlety often goes unheeded, allow me to give some more clues and see if that helps
I got all your hints but your problem is that you keep hammering in the same old point and you have nothing alternative to say. You want to change the whole system? You could give us a few hints on what ideas you have and how you plan to go about it? Maybe we can then reflect on your noble thoughts?
My intention was never to sully Oxomiya society. Corruption is endemic in the whole of south asia. It happens in Pakistan too on an even much greater scale and they dont follow any version of our desi demokrasy - at least for now. But the question is why in spite of this problem, some states do better than others? In case you dont understand what I mean, ask yourself why so many Assamese have successful lives in Mumbai or Bangalore and would NOT consider returning and its not the other way round?
The reason is that many things actually work in those states. In Assam they dont.
If you want to understand the difference in the scale of corruption, you might want to compare how a Ticket collector behaves on a train in Kerala or Tamil Nadu compared to one in Assam.
Institutions have been built in the same way in both places - but how is it they work in a few and dont in others? Only the local controllers are to blame and no one else.
Rather than just sit there and quote from pessimistic newspaper articles, a bharat-darshan is long overdue for you. You will actually get to see differences in the way supposedly the SAME things work.
Rgds,
SD
----- Original Message ----
From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To: SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com>; assam at assamnet.org
Cc: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>; assamrs at gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 2:13:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
Hi:
I did not follow up, hoping you will be able to connect the dots with the
not-so-subtle hints that I posted.
But since subtlety often goes unheeded, allow me to give some more clues and see if that helps. I will refrain from connecting the dots myself, because spoon-feeding usually is rejected by those who are sure they know the answers and are thus not to be patronized by others:
*** WHY is it that all these representatives and their LEADERS,
that the people of Assam elect, throw them out, elect them again,
or elect a whole new slate or party in the fine traditions of
desi-demokrasy; remain UNRESPONSIVE and as our philosophically
endowed explain as "jeyei lankaloi jai, xeyei raabon hoy"
( whoever goes to Lanka, becomes a Ravan)?
There is a serious problem here isn't it?
*** Let us take the often bled-over subject of CORRUPTION that you
raised, to smear the entire Oxomiya society as an uniquely sullied
one and as Ram seconded.
Is corruption hard to notice? If not how come NOTHING happens
about it? Apparently Indian govt. system has ALL the institutional
mechanisms that FUNCTIONING societies USE to investigate,prosecute
adjudicate and punish the guilty with, at least on paper.
And some of our learned friends also tell us that Indian judiciary is
among the world's best.
So, how come NO ONE gets convicted and get punished? What seems
to be the matter?
Punishment of the guilty is more than mere thirst for blood,
yen for retribution. It is a deterrence. And in civilized
societies it is also creates a social stigma -- a very effective
deterrence, because it smears friends, relatives, families as well.
Deterrence comes in many forms.The most reliable and lasting deterrence
is moral and ethical compunctions. We know that in western societies
traditionally FAITH and RELIGION helped inculcate and EDUCATION
that promotes critical inquiry helped spread and firmly embed it
with an intellectual foundation.
But moral and ethical compunctions are NEVER enough. I have
argued many times in this forum, not very effectively obviously,
that the state cannot depend entirely on the MORAL code: It
also needs civil and criminal codes, that are ENFORCEABLE. That is why
pronouncements like ABV's -- That 'people should NOT be so greedy',
or APJAK's -- that ' that Manjunath was a righteous man who came
from a righteous family and we must strive to make
more righteous families.'or MMS' that 'your CMs can make all the
laws in the world, but what will you do with them' are so
abysmally clueless as corruption fighting steps.
*** You gave us a fairly reasonable account of how the monies spent
in Assam for building roads do not produce the results expected. I
posted Tavleen Singh's columns to demonstrate that Assam is not unique
in this predicament, that it is 'pervasive across the length and
breadth of India'.
It was NOT, as some of you simple-mindedly assume, to absolve
Assam govt. of its sins. Some in the past even made the scatologically
smearing Oxomiya observation " moi gu-khaale toi-w khabi neki ?"
So WHY do I cite them?
For a very important reason: To show that nowhere in India
the CORRUPT are/could be held accountable.
*** Now I want YOU to figure that out. Give it a little thought.
I like to think you are more than able to. But I also realize that you
and others like you, never having seen any different, and never paying
attention elsewhere in the world where they might have lived, failed
to NOTICE why or how.
But again I will give you some clues: Read my note to Dilip Deka and
ex-Chief Secy. JP Rajkhowa on Nov. 18. If you don't have access to
it, let me know, I will be pleased to re-send.
*** I like to think you are sincere in your efforts to understand
the issues. Therefore I hope to receive a response. We don't know
many things. It is NOT a sin not to know things. I always argue
that I don't OWE it to anyone to know ANYTHING, much less EVERYTHING.
But if you go silent, like so many others often do, it will mean
only one thing: That you are NOT sincere about your motives. That
ALL you are interested in is asserting Assamese disaffections are
Oxomiya society's own damn fault, 'So don't bother me with facts!'
-- like you did when you began this thread.
cm
At 3:49 AM -0800 11/29/06, SANDIP DUTTA wrote:
Dear Sir,
Whats new in this article?
This is the same point I was trying to make but you said I was ignorant (perhaps you didnt get it :-) ). WE too have local Sharad Pawars and Thakreys right here in Assam and they do the same things with central allocated money. Guwahati's moonscaped "roads" tell the same story of corruption and deprivation originating right here at home.
Rgds,
Sandip
----- Original Message ----
From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To: assam at assamnet.org; assamrs at gmail.com; SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 2:17:10 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] [asom] Assamese Fears and Saviours
I am re-posting the following for Ram and Sandip Dutta to read, before I return back to the discussions.
cm
Horrible Condition of our Roads
On the Spot
Tavleen Singh
The first convoy of official cars I encountered, driving to Pune
last week, flew saffron flags on every car of the size you normally
see atop temples. My driver spotted Bal Thakeray in one of the white
ambassadors. No sooner did we pass Mcdonald's in Panvel (a
travellers' watering hole) than I spotted another official convoy.
This time no saffron flags, only a car filled with policemen in
front of a grey Land Cruiser behind which was another car also filled
with policemen and officials. Alone in the back of the Land Cruiser
sat Sharad Pawar.
The coincidence of encountering Maharashtra's two most powerful
political leaders on the same journey made me reflect upon the role
of politics in preventing India from building the infrastructure it
so badly needs. Pawar and Thakeray would have driven down the same
road I had taken from Mumbai so they could not have failed to notice
its condition. It is no longer a road so much as a dirt track on
which you bump your way from ditch to ditch to ditch. This is after
you have driven bumper to bumper past Chembur's hideous slums where
public toilets are so clogged that people prefer to squat along the
main road beside the rotting garbage in which pigs, dogs and
barefoot children scrabble for food. Did Mr Pawar notice? Did Mr
Thakeray who has built a political career out of inciting Marathi
pride?
Mumbai is Maharashtra's proudest possession. Any talk of it being
taken out of the State Government's control causes hackles to rise
across political divisions and yet none of this State's mighty
leaders appears to have paid any attention to the most basic
requirements of social infrastructure: clean water, sanitation and
housing. Had they paid attention, then instead of slums in Chembur
there would have been affordable housing for the poor.
Instead of evil slum lords there would have been legitimate real
estate companies controlling the housing market.
As for the dreadful condition of Indian roads, please allow nobody
to fool you into believing that our roads are bad because of a
shortage of funds. They are bad mainly because they have been built
to last no longer than a single season of rain. Why? Perhaps because
the contractors who build them are well connected enough to be given
the same contract every year. You notice this more on the drive from
Mumbai to Pune than on any other road because when you get onto the
expressway you realize that India can build roads that do not
collapse with the rain.
Once you get onto the expressway you drive along the best road in
India that has remained totally intact despite this year's
unprecedented rainfall. When I asked a friend in the construction
business why this was so he said, "Simple. The Mumbai-Pune
expressway was built by responsible construction companies with
reputations to protect. Usually roads are built either by faceless
CPWD engineers or by small contractors with big connections."
So one of the flaws in the system is that political leaders hand out
major road contracts to builders who would not pre-qualify to build a
public toilet in a more sensible country. The reason for this is
that the system we devised for these things places total emphasis on
cost and none on quality. He who makes the lowest bid wins the
contract, so to cover his costs he cuts corners and uses cheap
materials and outdated technology.
He could not care less if the road he builds does not survive a
single monsoon because he has, more often than not, a connection
high up enough for him to get the contract to rebuild the road again
and again. This is true across the length and breadth of our dear
Bharat Mata which is why we are internationally renowned for having
the worst roads in the world.
I got off the expressway at Chinchwad which is one of Maharashtra's
leading industrial towns. Many of India's biggest manufacturing
companies have factories here and the municipality is believed to be
one of our richest but the road I drove down was so narrow and
gutted that I was stuck in an hour long traffic jam consisting
mainly of massive articulated lorries with names like MAERSK painted
on their sides. The eternal clash between the new 'emerging' economy
and our ancient, socialist infrastructure.
The clash would not exist if only we could get our political leaders
to understand that unless they put infrastructure (both social and
physical) at the top of their list of priorities we will still be
talking about our 'potential' to be an economic superpower fifty
years from now. If we can just build the roads and do something
about the appalling state of our cities and towns we can start
making our economic superpower dream a reality in the next five
years. These were the gloomy thoughts of your humble columnist as I
drove past a sign that warned motorists to be careful on the upcoming
bridge because its condition was 'dangerous.' If we were really on
our way to superpowerdom then instead of the sign we would have seen
a repaired bridge. I could go on and on and on.
Recommend this page
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