Comments for Pragmatic Euphony

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by Amit Bhalerao

Amit Bhalerao — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:37:17 +0000

The ‘nation’ is but a legacy of the Brits and fast falling apart. The Armed Forces, perhaps the only group not involved in corruption as a way of life. But then I guess, it is but a matter of time before they too, succumb…

@Kurien, I do agree to what you are saying here. I guess the one need that we as a nation never met was defining our nationalism. What is ‘Bharat’?… and to that extent I agree with Ramdev Baba about not calling ourselves India .. but Bharat… Without straying further, yes it is erronous to use collective ‘India’. But, then this was or should have been the responsibility of the civilian leadership to make that profit for India and hence, I used it that way. But they have not bothered. Unfortunately, we have no identity to derive from – no concept of Bharatiyatva. Once that is done, things will hopefully get back on. British Indian legacy and their systems have run the course. But, our octogenarians love the goras too much and won’t change that …tragic..

Comment on Too many at the top by Kurian Jose

Kurian Jose — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:03:00 +0000

@NCE,
Class dearie, not caste, big difference:)
Class is an acquired trait, earned and recognised even by the crass!
…however, don’t remember having seen so many in your face needle_ss caste assertions from ‘49 to ‘99…. Well, so what? Always a first time;)

Comment on Too many at the top by NCE

NCE — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:47:26 +0000

ouch. a shaft of sunlight. however, don’t remember having seen so many in your face needle_ss caste assertions from ‘49 to ‘99.

Comment on Too many at the top by Kurian Jose

Kurian Jose — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:19:02 +0000

@NCE
…next step exclusive ‘gofficers messes’, canteens, and of course different battlefields ?…

Class distinction made Britain great, the best rose and ruled, egalitarianism is the refuge of the also rans (no offense meant). Read ‘The Men Who Ruled India’, by Philip Mason.

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by Kurian Jose

Kurian Jose — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:13:53 +0000

…I guess the problem is not about letting them earn. India should have earned more and it has FORGOTTEN to earn money here which was rightfully hers because of our ‘inefficient’ (!?) administrators….
@Amit, To use the collective ‘India’, in order to signify the motley crew that we are is erroneous. The ‘nation’ is but a legacy of the Brits and fast falling apart. The Armed Forces, perhaps the only group not involved in corruption as a way of life. But then I guess, it is but a matter of time before they too, succumb…

Comment on Too many at the top by NCE

NCE — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:42:52 +0000

@kurian jose

“Let the Brigs, Gens remain, they are the only beacons of hope left in an otherwise corrupted nation.”

maybe the officer subcaste emphasis is now overgarlanded. Currently, exclusive ‘generals clubs’ exist in many cities eg chandigarh. next step exclusive ‘gofficers messes’, canteens, and of course different battlefields ?

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by Amit Bhalerao

Amit Bhalerao — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:43:47 +0000

On the question of recovery from UN, is it not ironic that we Indians who are known to be good at recovering profits/interests (mostly vested!) may completely forego this ‘earning’ opportunity? Or is it that someone has ‘earned’ something out of this 205 crores and UN is complicit in this?!
The smog and fog of non-transparency in the defence sector is just getting murkier and if I may say, reaching frustratingly dangerous levels. Our administrators and defence – both seem to be living in another world where there is no danger to the nation in their minds. Maoism is NOT a problem in their world and India is perfectly integrated and at peace. Maybe the HM has hallucinations of Maoists being number one threat to India. Maybe Congo is really an Indian national priority which we poor humble citizens have been vastly ignorant about as usual!

@Kurian Jose, I guess the problem is not about letting them earn. India should have earned more and it has FORGOTTEN to earn money here which was rightfully hers because of our ‘inefficient’ (!?) administrators. That’s disastrous for country like us. We have pressing security and national issues, not least of which are existential ones. We need the dollars and helicopters both – but, AT RIGHT PLACE, AT RIGHT TIME & IN RIGHT AMOUNT. I guess that’s what Pragmatic has been hinting at.

Comment on Too many at the top by Raja

Raja — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:18:27 +0000

Now that you have broached the topic of ranks, could you also, by the way, go into the file references of ‘running pay bands’ ? I totally agree that as an army we need to be lean everywhere , including at the top.
That ,of course, does not absolve us from:-

1. Ensuring dignity for our ranks.
2. Ensuring a decent way of life.

In effect, do remain holistic in your approach ( an attribute that remains in askance from many of your pieces)

Comment on Too many at the top by Kurian Jose

Kurian Jose — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:20:51 +0000

Hey, why do we need babus at all?? What about the obscenely obese Civil Services who appear only serve themselves. At least the Forces do some honest work:) Let the Brigs, Gens remain, they are the only beacons of hope left in an otherwise corrupted nation.

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by Kurian Jose

Kurian Jose — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:11:36 +0000

National Interest; I am of the opinion that it is an interesting term no doubt, but we as a nation do not possess a cohesive train of thought on any issue except personal gain. So why single out the poor Armed Forces when the rest of us are busy with our snouts in the trough?? Let them also earn a few UN dollars when they can:)

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by Pragmatic

Pragmatic — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:43:42 +0000

@smita:

Perhaps, you are right that its more about a turf-war between the MoD & MHA than the number of spare choppers. But that exactly is what I said : Somewhere along the way, the Indian defence services seem to have lost track of the fact that their own priorities must always remain subservient to the larger national interest.

Comment on Withdraw helicopters on UN assignments first by smita prakash

smita prakash — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:33:44 +0000

Clearly its not a question of whether IAF can spare four choppers. Its more to do with turf battles with the BSF and command issues between MOD and MHA.

Comment on Manufacturing a controversy by VoP

VoP — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:54:03 +0000

Manufactured? Check this out. Million thanks to Shri Rajiv Malhotra for his extensive investigation. Ordinary Hindus are becoming morons and Evangelicals & Jihadis are rejoicing. Please read . It pains immensely to see how much the Church goes to destroy Hinduism and Hindu leaders. A civilizational assault on India has begun – what happened to the Europe, Americas, Australia, Africa, Pacific Islands – is happening to our motherland as we speak.

http://myexperimentsagainstprejudice.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-church-destroyed-swami-nithyananda.html

Comment on Louis XIV and Ghaziabad by NK Singh

NK Singh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:56:52 +0000

I don’t know how can such a thing happen.

Tax inspector are employees of state govt – not municipal employees and where is the revenue coming frm.

It is just a mis – report. Maybe planted by some political party to show Maya down. Nothing else.
People need something to talk about – that is it.

Comment on Louis XIV and Ghaziabad by Prakash

Prakash — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:47:57 +0000

Bringing things out in the open is definitely better than wink-wink-nudge-nudge. It is regime uncertainty that is scary. If bought cops stay bought, then business can be done assuming an extra cost. If there is uncertainty even after that, then very little can be done.