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| Posted By: Pseudo Secular Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 666 | People raised on staple diet People raised on staple diet of politicians are above law may find it hard to swallow but fact remains in USA after 9/11 everyone has to take of his/her shoes for security reasons. Anyone who reads more into it is making issue out of nothing. |
| Posted By: Pseudo Nationalist Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 679 | Modi and George Fernandis After the denial of visa to Narendra Modi by US, BJP termed it as insult to national pride. Ironically, the BJP, which is making such an issue of it, did not get worked up when defence minister George Fernandes was nearly strip-searched in America. That was a real insult to India because Fernandes was on a "diplomatic visa". The NDA government (they claim to be true nationalists) swallowed the insult and did not protest. |
| Posted By: Pseudo Secular Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 693 | Attacks stretching hindu tolerance http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=18513 He said the increase in the number of Hindu temple break-ins around the country showed the lack of respect for other religions in the country. "These ongoing attacks on Hindu temple are getting unbearable. What makes it worse is that the recent break-in occurred on Easter and just after the sevens victory celebrations which brought everyone together," he said. "The Hindus tolerance level has been stretched too far and could break one day if temple break-ins continue to happen. "This could divide the two major races even further," he said. Mr Chand called on Christian leaders to preach respect in their respective churches so that people would stop attacking Hindu temples. The Methodist Church of Fiji said people breaking into and destroying places of worship were sick. Church president Reverend Jione Langi said as church president he condemned such acts. "It is a sick society. People should respect each other's religions and places of worship. We don't condone such acts and are totally against it," he said. "I have said it before and I am saying it again that the people doing such things are showing their state of mind. Such acts are deplorable and we don't go along with it." Mr Langi urged those involved in such acts to stop, saying that breaking into and destroying places of worship was not a right thing. Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam president Dor Sami Naidu said the organisation was concerned because it appeared places of worship were being targeted by certain people. "It seems to be a pattern nationwide to target temples and other places of worship of non-Christians," he said. "We believe that it's time the police does something about it rather than taking reports only. "We are all taxpayers and we pay the police, who should provide security to the people and investigate such cases. "I urge the authorities to take action against those responsible for breaking into and desecrating places of worship," he said. Just last week, Vice President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi praised the Hindu community for not retaliating to such attacks. Back to Top of Article NASINU Member of Parliament Pratap Chand yesterday warned the tolerance of the Hindu faithful was being stretched too far and could cause disunity between Fiji's two major races. Mr Chand was reacting to the break-in at a temple at Narere, Nasinu, last weekend where thieves climbed through a window and ransacked the temple. He said the increase in the number of Hindu temple break-ins around the country showed the lack of respect for other religions in the country. "These ongoing attacks on Hindu temple are getting unbearable. What makes it worse is that the recent break-in occurred on Easter and just after the sevens victory celebrations which brought everyone together," he said. "The Hindus tolerance level has been stretched too far and could break one day if temple break-ins continue to happen. "This could divide the two major races even further," he said |
| Posted By: Real secular Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 688 | unease and frustration of BJP in Bihar It shows BJP unease and frustration in Bihar.BJP is nowhere even if Lalu is loosing ground. It quite pitiable condition for BJP. Cry my friends for a NATIONALIST" Party of Modi and Adavani(M.P. from GandhiNagar) |
| Posted By: Pseudo Secular Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 684 | Kya lagaya hai, yeh secular, secular? http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/19arvind.htm Kya lagaya hai, yeh secular, secular? March 18, 2005 The truth is finally out: Ram Vilas Paswan rooting for a Muslim chief minister in Bihar is 'secular,' but L K Advani rooting for a Ram temple at Ayodhya is 'communal' if not a 'fascist' as well. |
| Posted By: Pradeep Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 681 | Article on Times of India This article is really great. It is a good news. What we need to insure, however, is that this momentum will go on even after the President's rule. For President's Rule will definitely end someday in near future and a political party will take over the helm. What guarantees that work of Buta will continue even then? |
| Posted By: Manoj Kumar Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 707 | Good news indeed! Good news indeed! Apart from the obvious economic impact, the general collapse of educational system has affected the prospect for any upward mobility of disadvantaged poorer section of the state, especially girls. Let us hope for somehow better future! |
| Posted By: Concerned Bihari Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 715 | Good news http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1065076.cms PATNA: Time was when nothing appeared to move in Bihar. Thanks apparently to the Presidents rule, the state seems to have become a happening place: A mobike major has offered to take over the closed scooter factory at Fatuha while there is a move to revive with the help of World Bank loan the 15 government sugar mills which have not produced a grain during the last one decade. A similar plan is on the anvil for the revival of states jute mills as well. Confidence on law and orde count can do wonders. I still remmber the days when Patna used to be hub of education for Bihari students as opposed to Delhi or Bangalore or Puna. Even by rough estimate today at least 2 lakh Bihari students study outside Bihar and average of 4000 Rs flies from Bihar for each of those students monthly bill. Even parents who hardly make 6-7 thousand somehow shelve this money for the better future of their wards. So around 80 crore Rs goes out of Bihar economy to other states economy, never to come back again. Only if the old glory of Bihar schools could be revived only if it had not been mandatory for those coaching class teachers and administartors to move around without body-guard, we could bring those students back to Bihar again. This will have instataneous benefit of turing the tide of moeny flight out of Bihar and in the long run students will have more attachment to Bihar and will be more likely to work for its development. Importance of better law and order is much more than just tangible peace. |
| Posted By: Manoj Kumar Posted On: Mar 30, 2005 Views: 725 | , we don't have even social/psychological incentiv "Go to any collecteriate in Bihar. It houses hardly 500 staffs. The most important office of an important component of democracy (i.e., EXECUTIVE) is an example of most inefficient and unproductive entity. The "powerful" DM is most unprofessional person (even though well educated). If he cannot manage his own office efficiently and professionally, how come he will manage the entire district? Reason is simple: - HE DOES NOT NEED TO PROVE ANYTHING. HE IS THE MERITORIOUS" PERSON IN BIHAR." In defense of an IAS it can be said that we should not expect a moon(read professionalism) from a person working in a system where on the top of the administrative echelon they have to deal with generally highly unprofessional persons, I mean Ministers/politicians. When we talk about professionalism or efficiency of politicians we should not expect them to know everything from water management to financial administration. However, good politicians are those personalities who are willing to learn complex and nuanced administrative things and willingness to interpret the complexities to masses. Interpreting complex social and public policy to masses means making constituency for development. So we need efficient politicians in democracy. But politicians, even those who are not corrupt, have been acting within the framework of established 'patron-client relationship' since independence. Being said so in defense of IAS, should we not expect anything from them.They enjoy lots of immunity. That means at best they can be transferred from one post to other, from one district to another, so if they try to do something as a class they can do. Yes, in Bihar we do have some good IAS and they r doing their part. But what Prabhatjee is is not concerned about the any particular person or group of persons. He has talked about system. And here we have to agree with him. Passing UPSC exam means getting liberation from worldly chain of birth and rebirth- kind of spiritual emancipation- Mokshh. So these liberated souls cannot be judged by any worldly standard of judgment." HE DOES NOT NEED TO PROVE ANYTHING. HE IS THE MERITORIOUS" PERSON IN BIHAR." Here we are talking only about public perception of an IAS; there may be some system on place (at least on paper) for judging them professionally. Prabhat has candidly explained the historical reason of this 'meritocracy/bureaucracy'. So we should focus more on public perception of these 'meritorious souls', it's social/historical root and its implication on kind of social prioritization for Govt. job. Apart from the lack of real 'incentive-structure' for agriculture and business, we don't have even social/psychological incentive for these sectors. From the lighter side of the story, any Govt clerk of BDO office gets more marriage- proposal than any poor chap working as a marketing professional with handsome pays and perk. You see after 60s popular political discourse has been shifted from 'Land Reform' to 'Reservation' in Govt. Job. Regards, Manoj |
| Posted By: Prabhat Sinha Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 743 | illiteracy and development It is another myth that former is inversely proportional to later. Lower the illiteracy rate, higher the development. (on the other hand, the more development may lead to better literacy rate). Why education is important?? Will it provide me rozi-roti? I don't see so. I see most of the educated youth wandering around are unemployed. Why should I send my sons to schools?? Even if the school is free and giving free lunch?? Precisely for this reason, govt. schools are failing. Charwaha Vidyalay or Hrizan Schools all failed and will always fail. BUT, why the hell DM has so much "akar" that even his peon shoes me away?? Why most of the people don't dare to meet DM and ask something? Why is DM maintaining so much "distance" from general people. Why even Laloo wanted an "IAS damad" ? Why do we think that he is an emperor? Real development will start NOT due to spread of education, but it will start due to professional approach of educated IAS executives. Then only development schemes will be efficiently implemented including education and literacy scheme. |
| Posted By: Rajesh Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 738 | Let's get back to basic Because most of us belong to profession class (IT etc), it does not mean that we pay disproportional attention to IT sector and professional education. We are educated largely due to our good fortunes. It is our duty to pay attention to others who are not so fortunate. In this contex, it is worth mentioning Charwaha Vidyalaya poineered by Laloo Yadav. It is another matter that this program could not take off (or started by unpopular person of the forum) but it is the right direction to solve wide spread illiteracy. Establishing professional colleges and IT parks will not help. I remember (in pre Laloo years) people used to lament about educated people leaving villages for towns. Situation is no different now. Only that people are leaving for towns in different states. It might sound old fashion but back-to-village is still key to Bihar's development. |
| Posted By: Prabhat Sinha Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 724 | Present Bihar and Lord Cornwalis (Not a copy-paste Dear Manoj and others, I am "slightly" deviating from the current topic (sure, I will come back to the current topic in next comment) as the document by the "expert" sent by Manoj jee provoked me enough to go into history to understand "present" Bihar. Believe me, to me this explains Bihar and Biharis both to a larger extent. (This may be long but have patience) In the Bengal Presidency, the then Governor General Lord Cornwallis settled intermediaries permanently in 1793, known as Zamindars, between the state and the tenant (read farmers). It's long term effect can be summarised as following: 1) It did NOT allow the evolution of "incentive structure" for the actual producers of wealth. Profits were pocketed by zamindars in the process of revenue collection. 2) Zamindars (rulers at village level) focused more on pleasing British officers (ICS and collector saheb) and were completely divorced from any interest in the improvement of agricultural productivity or of the condition of the peasantry in their region. 3) The above factor (point 2) created great awe for ICS (now IAS) in the general public. (humare mai-baap yani zamindar saheb bhi collector saheb se darte hai.n) After the departure of British and after aboloition of zamindari system, all Biharis want to be an IAS (a symbol of ultimate power and recognition of "merit" and status). 3) Above factors contributed to (a) farming is inferior profession (b) Very high status to education-based merit. 4) The point 3(b) caused immense harm to Bihar. Event hough all Biharis want their son to become Engineers, Doctors; an engineer passing out from a donation college of South doesn't command status. While in south/west India, none takes notice of it, there the purpose of becoming an engineer is primarily to become part of a process to transform into an entrepreneur. 5) If you tell in Bihar that, you are an engineer, the very next question would be : from a donation college or Govt. college?? It is looked upon down. Bihar has got lot of fake colleges producing lakhs of B.A. B.Sc (not B.Com) degree holders(we need these degrees to take UPSC exams) but it has no system of pvt. engineering/medical colleges. Thousands of Biharis go and take admission in South Indian Engineering/Colleges and thus they never return back to Bihar. We are loosing both money and love of productive Biharis. It is NO surprise that even a Bihari engineer does NOT know much about Bihar ( at the most they will say about law & order and reservation). We must keep in mind that if today India is a force to reckon with in IT, it is mainly due to high number of pvt. engineering colleges producing skilled work force. 6) If you travel from Delhi to Ghaziabad (hardly 60 KMs), You will find at least 50 engineering/medical/management colleges. But Bihar has almost none. 7) The intense competition among Biharis (to become "meritorious" engineer or IAS) has taken away the brotherhood feelings. TCS, Infosys, Satyam, Wipro etc. opened their IT offices in Orissa/Bengal because of big "lobbies" of Oriya and Bengalis in these companies. Once the HR manager of TCS was from Orisa, he recruited heavily from Orisaa engineering colleges. Though Biharis are also at influential position in pvt. sectors but they hardly do anything for Bihar and Biharis. Have you ever heard of Bihari lobby?? 8) Above factors did NOT allow the evolution of entrepreneurial skills in Biharis. 9) Merit gets too much attention and status in Bihar. I have seen an old lady in Thane SDO office chiding the SDO for non-fulfillment of promise. Can you imagine this in Bihar. We always find faults with everything BUT not with IAS. 10) An IAS has proved his "merit" by passing UPSC test. He does NOT need to go beyond that. He enjoys and basks in the glory of people telling his "virgatha". He behaves like an emperor of the district. 11) Go to any collecteriate in Bihar. It houses hardly 500 staffs. The most important office of an important component of democracy (i.e., EXECUTIVE) is an example of most inefficient and unproductive entity. The "powerful" DM is most unprofessional person (even though well educated). If he cannot manage his own office efficiently and professionally, how come he will manage the entire district. Reason is simple :- He does NOT need to prove anything. He is the meritorious" person in Bihar. 12) I myself have seen IAS offices humiliating teachers, professors. We don't resent this. We think that "meritorious" persons should be worshipped by rest AND rest all are worthless. Let us teach a lesson of professionalism to these meritorious entities of democracy. Rename a DM to CEO (Chief Executive Officers) of District. Jai Bihar |
| Posted By: Manoj Kumar Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 746 | Useful link Useful link for data base on Bihar- http://www.beauchamp.de/odp/odp.php/browse/Regional/Asia/India/Bihar/ |
| Posted By: Manoj Kumar Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 778 | cold storage van to Patna Delhi train Dear Prabhatjee, It's not easy to comment on everything right now. By the way one Bihar expert has recentely started his paper with this experiment of attaching cold van in Delhi bound train. I am going to send you the paper through your e-mail, which fortunetely I have now. Regards |
| Posted By: Prabhat Sinha Posted On: Mar 29, 2005 Views: 789 | intensification of harvesting' Dear Manoj and all, Bihar has very fertile lands, it is even self sufficient in terms of rice and other cereal production. But Bihar never shaw "harit kranti". Reasons can be found in various things and then the direction for improvement can be found. Recently, after becoming Railway Minister, Laloo thought Delhi people don't get good quality "parwal" so he attached a cold storage van to Patna Delhi train and export of 'Parwal' from Bihar to Delhi started with lot of fanfair. It failed after the first trip. Reason was simple :- Delhi gets lot of vegetables from neighouring states and it certainly does NOT need vegetables from Bihar. So our ill-informed leaders (who give no importance to information) "might" have good intention BUT will fail. No doubt about it. There are manu states who have done well in agriculture sector and we can learn from them. Maharashtra is one such state. The "co-operative" approach was effectively implemented there and it is very successful there. In my point of view, agriculture sector in Bihar is a victim of non-development of Bihar. Consider following: 1) Purchasing power of people is less. So no substantial profit through "kheti-bari" 2) Decreasing number of towns in Bihar. Large section of earning Biharis are going away from Bihar. So NO near by market to consume the produce. 3) Irrigation and electricity infrastucture is NOT in place. 4) Land reforms has taken a back seat. We can learn from WB. 5) Few pure Bihari items like "makhana" has the potential to give good returns to farmers. 6) Naxalism is one deterrant. 7) farming is now NOT considered "rozi-roti". There are many others reasons. But it is certainly linked to "non-development" of market in Bihar. 5) |
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