tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post4498942478970609988..comments2023-10-20T21:52:36.752+05:30Comments on Cross Connections: Who is a bad politician, Mr. Salman Khurshid? Farzana Verseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06891229615361937135noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-32708806618440865622013-04-30T19:49:24.398+05:302013-04-30T19:49:24.398+05:30Al:
The civil services actually have it good. The...Al:<br /><br />The civil services actually have it good. They can kowtow to the government and benefit, or act independently and benefit. The babu culture may have jazzed up its act, but it remains a fence-sitting entity. <br /><br />I wonder if the IAS guys still command a huge dowry, never mind that it is illegal. Some years ago they topped the list (I suppose after "green card holders) in the 'desirable' stakes. Many safari suits were stitched to manage their style quotient :)<br /><br />In the other comment you state:<br /><br />{Governance seems to be independent of inequality/bias -- though I can see that not having a sense of ownership one's own surroundings (because of bias/inequality) can result in not caring about one's environs.}<br /><br />Are you talking about the governed or those governing? Bias creeps in also while governing, where they do have a sense of ownership by virtue of their position. <br /><br />Besides, although I agree that we need to be practical about how we are governed (as I mentioned in the above-mentioned response), we will have to deal with the 'who' too. <br /><br />Electricity, roads etc - all necessities - are provided on the basis of hierarchy. <br /><br />Btw, if you have not already, do watch 'English, August', a superb take on babudom. Or read the book. The film is more graphic!<br />FVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-31352906989587867952013-04-30T19:29:27.979+05:302013-04-30T19:29:27.979+05:30F&F:
{It is impractical to expect politicians...F&F:<br /><br />{It is impractical to expect politicians to be walking experts on industry... Politicians are elected by people to represent their interests. Most voters themselves know next to nothing about all these varied fields...}<br /><br />The voter-citizen, precisely because s/he may not know and their interest is paramount ought to be represented in those portfolios by people who know. It is not the person we elect that is the issue, but the person the government puts in charge that is important. <br /><br />{Corruption is endemic in Indian political system, not because the system is flawed but because Indian society, at its heart, has not been fair or equal}<br /><br />But the corruption is not restricted to those who have not been treated fairly. Quite the contrary, it is big industry that makes use of the loopholes in this 'inequality'. <br /><br /><br />{However, recent events suggest that a certain nascant national conscience seems to be in sight, however naive and limited it may be...getting elected on the basis of their courage of conviction alone.}<br /><br />I do not agree with the moral idea you mentioned earlier. It has got to do with pragmatic interest of what is best for the people. The "national conscience" has always been there in varied forms. The issue is not leaders with courage of "their convictions", but to stick it out for the convictions of the people. <br /><br />{I am, of course, not talking about any specific figure! :)}<br /><br />Same here!FVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-21589178485295611182013-04-27T18:31:30.695+05:302013-04-27T18:31:30.695+05:30F&F:"Corruption is endemic in Indian poli...F&F:"Corruption is endemic in Indian political system, not because the system is flawed but because Indian society, at its heart, has not been fair or equal. Inequality and bias are configured into it at the most basic level. Each and every citizen is at the receiving end at some time or the other. "<br /><br />But isn't this true of other societies too that had biases against minorities but were still well governed at least for the dominant group? The predicament of african americans in the US in the centuries past seems to be an example of this.<br /><br />Inequality and bias seems to be existent everywhere at varying levels, but India's problem seems to be too much government rules and regulations, most of which contradict each other, and not enough governance in the form of the basics of living for the public at large, like clean water, roads and electricity.<br /><br />Governance seems to be independent of inequality/bias -- though I can see that not having a sense of ownership one's own surroundings (because of bias/inequality) can result in not caring about one's environs.<br /><br />"It was always presumed that Indian society, built upon a compromised foundation of unadulterated self-interest, would find squaky-clean, faithful, moralistic, ideologically-oriented politicians a liability. "<br /><br />Your point about bias/inequality seems to hold here because Indians mostly define "self-interest" in terms of one of their many identities (caste, religion, language etc.) rather than some national identity or governance issue-based voting decision.<br /><br />Indian politics seems ugly enough that anyone with all the characteristics above would quickly find themselves cornered and squashed. It does not seem to be a coincidence that Indian politics is a cesspit of criminal behavior and unethical to the core, crossing all limits of human decency.<br /><br />- AlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-81652800087691444902013-04-27T09:46:12.458+05:302013-04-27T09:46:12.458+05:30FV,
It is impractical to expect politicians to be...FV,<br /><br />It is impractical to expect politicians to be walking experts on industry, agriculture, defence, technology, fishing, tribal affairs, railways, mining, civil engineering and so on. Politicians are elected by people to represent their interests. Most voters themselves know next to nothing about all these varied fields, beyond what concerns their immediate interests.<br /><br />Corruption is endemic in Indian political system, not because the system is flawed but because Indian society, at its heart, has not been fair or equal. Inequality and bias are configured into it at the most basic level. Each and every citizen is at the receiving end at some time or the other. <br /><br />It was always presumed that Indian society, built upon a compromised foundation of unadulterated self-interest, would find squaky-clean, faithful, moralistic, ideologically-oriented politicians a liability. In other words, Mahatma Gandhi would have been the last choice of voters for MP or MLA anywhere in India, as traditional wisdom goes.<br /><br />However, recent events suggest that a certain nascant national conscience seems to be in sight, however naive and limited it may be. Hopefully, we will see leaders who believe in themselves and their ideas, regardless of the opposition they meet, getting elected on the basis of their courage of conviction alone.<br /><br />I am, of course, not talking about any specific figure! :)Free and Footloosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911514463551198170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-2146730325819942332013-04-26T03:09:10.128+05:302013-04-26T03:09:10.128+05:30FV, of course, you have already pointed out whethe...FV, of course, you have already pointed out whether minister implies that the ICS is unfit now, but I think he is insinuating the opposite...ICS people are not known for their self-deprecation :-) <br /><br />-AlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-77175606415348792652013-04-26T03:05:52.132+05:302013-04-26T03:05:52.132+05:30FV:" 'Civil Services: Fit for the Future?...FV:" 'Civil Services: Fit for the Future?' It was a ridiculously-worded subject, to begin with. "<br /><br />FV, With that cleverly worded title, the Minister is insinuating the Indian Civi Service is fit for the present, which is highly debatable if you ask me. <br /><br /> If the Civil Service actually worked in the present, this question would seem a lot more relevant, but at this point this question seems to be along the lines of "Will this car ever win the Grand Prix in the future with 4 missing wheels?"<br /><br />-AlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com