[Assam] Panicky Politicians -Sentinel Editorial

[Ram Sarangapani]

C'da

>How many Kerala villages have that now?
Now, of course, we can't stand their success - we have to find some ways to
dilute it :)

>Also, how many hours a day did you say that get power? And who pays for it?

I didn't - but assuming that EVEN though they tout it as 100%, let us say it
is 90% or even 85 %,
where on earth does Assam stand? 30%, 50%? , a couple of hours a week?

> Not ASEB, I hope :-).

No, I think ASEB has only proved to be the biggest obstacleis this front.

>Would you suggest Assam go the Kerala way , by starting a statewide
Christian conversion as the first >step :-)?

If someone can prove that is how Kerala acheived it 100% literacy or
electrification goals, I am all for it.
If Christianity has the "power", then by all means,  let there be light :)

--Ram



On 10/10/06, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>  >hehehe! That seems to have rubbed the wrong way:)  Oh! there are many
> examples from different states - 100% of villages electrified in Kerala, a
> number of states are way ahead in education and literacy (some 100 %)
>
> >and there are many more.
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> *** I am sure there are many more wonderful examples to emulate Ram.
>
>
> But even if we focus on the rural electrification example you hold out:
>
>
>         How many Kerala villages have that now? And HOW exactly did
>         that get done? Not ASEB, I hope :-). Also, how many hours a day
>         did you say that get power? And who pays for it?
>
>
> And I commend that goal of 100% literacy rate of Kerala too. Would you
> suggest Assam go the Kerala way , by starting a statewide Christian
> conversion as the first step :-)?
>
>
> Naah, you did not rub me the wrong way Ram. I just continue get fascinated
> by your naivete :-).
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> At 9:36 AM -0500 10/10/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
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> C'da,
>
>
> >If so what do you think is the reason Ram? Bad kharkhowa genes >perhaps
> :-)?
>
>
>
> No, not in the genes. But it is the general attitude. There is apathy in
> almost every sphere and the feeling one gets is a 'every man for himself'
> and little else matters.
>
>
>
> >>And this unmitigated comedy is possible in Assam, because the
> >>politicians can >get away with it, and the people are mute spectators.
>
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> >*** What would your recommendation on a remedy be?
>
>
>
> Obviously, people ought to stop being spectators and take active interest
> in the functioning of the local admintration. They obviously take 'active'
> part in bandhs, in political rallies, and processions for pay raises. But
> when it comes to getting the streets clean, ensuring drinking water, or
> corruption, there is a huge apathy.
>
>
>
> >*** Me too. So why don't you do everyone a favor and tell us about which
> >state/s to emulate, hopefully citing something verifiable examples :-)?
>
>
>
> hehehe! That seems to have rubbed the wrong way:)  Oh! there are many
> examples from different states - 100% of villages electrified in Kerala, a
> number of states are way ahead in education and literacy (some 100 %)
>
> and there are many more.
>
>
>
> Why should emulating such examples of successes be bad? We don't have to
> emulate goondaism in Bihar, or religious intolerance in the cow belt, but we
> certainly can take a cue from here and there.
>
>
>
> --Ram
>
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> On 10/10/06,* Chan Mahanta* <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
> Ram:
>
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>
> >No, C'da, in Assam, we are several notches higher, much higher. > Most
> other >states and the rest of the country are in much better shape. On most
> issues, >whether it is corruption, insurgency, under-development, or
> mal-governance, >Assam seems to lead the way.
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> *** I see.
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> If so what do you think is the reason Ram? Bad kharkhowa genes perhaps
> :-)?
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> >And this unmitigated comedy is possible in Assam, because the politicians
> can >get away with it, and the people are mute spectators.
>
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>
> *** What would your recommendation on a remedy be?
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> >If Assam could emulate the better examples of some of the states, we
> could all >be jumping with joy.
>
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> *** Me too. So why don't you do everyone a favor and tell us about which
> state/s to emulate, hopefully citing something verifiable examples :-)?
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> c-da
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> At 8:29 AM -0500 10/10/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
> C'da,
>
>
>
> >Incidentally it is the STATE of ENTIRE INDIA.
>
>
>
> No, C'da, in Assam, we are several notches higher, much higher. Most other
> states and the rest of the country are in much better shape.
>
> On most issues, whether it is corruption, insurgency, under-development,
> or mal-governance, Assam seems to lead the way.
>
>
>
> And this unmitigated comedy is possible in Assam, because the politicians
> can get away with it, and the people are mute spectators.
>
>
>
> If Assam could emulate the better examples of some of the states, we could
> all be jumping with joy.
>
>
>
> -Ram
>
>
> On 10/10/06,* Chan Mahanta* <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
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> Ram:
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> >Don't know whether to laugh or cry?  This is the state of the State!
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> Depends on whether one identifies with the system that aids, abets and
> generates
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> this kind of unmitigated comedy, albeit at the people's expense.
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> Incidentally it is the STATE of ENTIRE INDIA.
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> At 7:33 AM -0500 10/10/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
> Don't know whether to laugh or cry?  This is the state of the State!
>
>
>
> ________________
>
> Panicky Politicians
> As we reported yesterday, the State Home Department has shortlisted 217
> Congress leaders as VVIPs/VIPs in the wake of the latest ULFA threat to the
> ruling Congress. The most obvious question is: how have as many as 217
> Congress leaders become VVIPs or VIPs overnight? Just because the ULFA has
> threatened the Congress? Have these shortlisted leaders been threatened
> individually? Or are they really the leaders of the masses, with a wonderful
> track record of performance, who the ULFA would kill any day? There seems to
> be a crisis now: how would one provide these new avatars - 217 VVIPs/VIPs -
> bullet-proof luxury at a time when the State government is in possession of
> only 52 bullet-proof cars, that too only on paper as most of them are out of
> order? More important, over 5,000 Congressmen have applied for security
> cover, and a bullet-proof car might be the wish of each one of them. Now the
> most important question is: what would happen if non-VVIPs ask for security
> cover or bullet-proof cars? What would happen if ordinary masses demand so?
> Can there be personal security cover or bullet-proof cars for the entire
> population of the State? As a matter of fact, it is mostly ordinary men,
> women and children - all non-VVIPs, all absolutely innocent - who have been
> killed in militant attacks over the years. So do they not have a stronger
> reason for ask for security cover or bullet-proof cars? How many such
> bullet-proof cars can the government - in a welfare state that it claims to
> have helped build - provide? Let one not say now that ordinary people do not
> need security, and that they are very very important persons (VVIPs, is not
> it?) only during elections. It is these ordinary people who can survive well
> without being 'led' by panicky politicians.
>
>
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