Lo, here comes the 15th instalment of Incredible India with those only-in-India stories.
* Beggar Capital of the World – India’s capital New Delhi has 58,000 beggars, most of them children, according to the Voice of America.
* Laddu Explodes in Cow’s Mouth: No kidding, folks. Read this story in Times of India.
* SSC Exam Answer Papers Found Strewn on Rail Tracks – Hindi exams were held on March 6 in the Amravati area of Maharashtra and by March 9 some of the uncorrected answer sheets were found scattered and tattered on the tracks. Some answer sheets had been blown away by the wind and the trains had passed over some of them tearing them to bits. Read the details in this Times of India story.
* Chaia, Capi, Idlee, Vadaa. Will these noises at Indian railway stations be replaced by the sound of students cramming for their exams if IGNOU (Indira Gandhi Open University) succeeds in its plans to set up ‘virtual colleges’ at railway stations?
Here’s an excerpt from the Hindu:
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will set up ‘virtual colleges’ at 3,000 railway stations across the country in association with Railtel Corporation of India Ltd, a government concern.
IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai said here on Saturday that the university will offer its academic programmes through these study centres. IGNOU will utilise Railtel’s high-speed optic fibre cable network to provide educational content.
Project’s trial runProf. Pillai said the project’s trial run had been successful. An academic programme in this mode was offered from Thiruvananthapuram for the Nagaland University, he said.
* Never-ending Tamasha in Bihar – When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar felt like watching Slumdog Millionaire at a nearby movie hall, he boarded a cycle rickshaw, yes sir, a cycle rickshaw to go the theatre. This is what the clown told reporters:
I had heard a lot about the movie that has won eight Oscar awards depicting the life of the common man. I decided to take the mode of transport of common people to watch it. I wanted to relate with them.
Mera Bharat Mahan.
Incredible India 15; Beggar Capital of the World added by SearchIndia.com on
View all posts by SearchIndia.com →
http://blogs.smh.com.au/travel/archives/2009/03/the_one_country_you_have_to_vi.html
Fairly interesting. Seems to say most of the same stuff that you have talked about, but with a slightly different spin.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Yes, India is Incredible…in all the ways.
Our favorite sentence from the SMH piece:
2. Can’t remember if you’ve been there,. Have you?
Nope, never been. But I figure I will someday, if only to break the boredom and have some good stories to tell when I get back.
It looks you have bunch of craps like Dala, Gorai etc to bull shit around with you on India.
If you are a born Indian then go and stand in Delhi Gandhi Road or Mumbai VT or Chennai Mount Rd or Hyderbad Charminar and shout all your craps like “India is Shitty Literally…Garbage.. Baggers nation…human shit like animals on streets etc. If possible do some constructive work to help the poor’s…like creating some jobs in India or social work etc.
It is really disgusting to read your comments on India again and again and it implicit that you can shit at your own home. When did you clean your shit last time…that way Indians cleanly wash it and they are cleaner than you!!! Then open a blog for goras and not to bull shit on deshis. We ate the one who appreciated your work on Restaurants, still we know you will delete most of my comment.
I won’t visit this site anymore… waste crap disgusting idiotic pshyco site. Good Bye!!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: I won’t visit this site anymore… waste crap disgusting idiotic pshyco site. Good Bye!!!
You promised the same thing on January 7 @ 7:15PM. Sadly, you dashed our hopes and like a leech you continue to stick to this blog. 🙂
Guess you can’t find any other blog on the net that’ll tolerate a dolt like you. Have you ever tried reading the rubbish you write. Don’t. You’d probably take an ax to your fingers.
2. Nothing that we’ve written on India is untrue. Even the India – A Shitty Country, Literally is well sourced.
We’ve painstakingly provided sources with links each time we write a post/comment. The same goes to the commenters here too. Most commenters provide sources and have to defend what they write.
Actually, SI is one of the few blogs where neither we (the posters) nor y’all (the commenters) can get away with BS.
If the truth stinks oops hurts, so be it.
3. You write: If possible do some constructive work…like creating some jobs in India
Hey, let’s first try to create some jobs in our country (USA)…let’s worry about the coolies later.
4. We rarely delete or even modify comments.
Never mind boy…after all India is the country of YOUR birth. From now, at least talk some good stuff also … Like family life in india, relationship, simplicity of indians, temples, Gandhi, Abdul Kalam etc…
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: From now, at least talk some good stuff also
Mera Bharat Mahan.
2. You write: talk some good stuff also … Like… simplicity of indians
Hypocrisy, thy name is Indian.
hey idiot, what are you dragging me into this vambu.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
What or why.
with idiot, it doesn’t matter.. that sentence makes more sense than whatever he types..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
True.
Mildly amusing.. http://blogs.cricinfo.com/thebuzz/archives/2009/03/tendulkar_becomes_a_god.php
If at all I am forced to pray to a God, I’ll pray to Sachin.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
That tail is more appropriate for the Sachin fans who commissioned the ‘faux art’ piece.
And what about Sachin’s Christian fans…why not put a cross on his neck or give him long hair and brooding eyes.
@ the Gora: Nope, never been. But I figure I will someday, if only to break the boredom and have some good stories to tell when I get back.
Gora, with all the knowledge acquired from Incredible India posts in SI, the link referred by you and the many books/Travel guides you would have read about India and getting mentally prepared on what to expect there…
when you actually set your foot on the Indian soil…
you can be rest assured…
you will STILL be SURPRISED, SHOCKED & AWED! Coz, what is written is only the tip of the iceberg of the good, bad and everything in-between.
At places, it is sure to take your breath away! (by the stench and metaphorically)
I am quoting below a comment posted by Rewarded in the link mentioned by you, which I liked :
Quote:
The is the analogy given by my old man
India is a bucket of sh-t full of diamonds. If your willing to push yourself through the sh-t you will be well rewarded.
I waded through it for for 2mths and he was right!
Unquote:
Gora, I hope you shall be rewarded too! Welcome to India – some day, you will have some good stories to tell about Incredible India – when you get back.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Gora will probably respond later today but agree that India is incredible in every possible way.
2. Saw that bucket of … comment the other day. Very apt.
Oh Boy!! That is some debate.
In India, we shut our eyes outside our homes. Littered garbage, cow dung, broken roads, erratically parked cars, scooters, stray dogs etc. are everyday scene.
I know there are millions of Indians who would just start defending or say, “it is also your country, why don’t you do something about it?” I did where I lived. It wasn’t easy though. I had to become an undercover reporter to a local newspaper to threaten those people responsible to maintain things. It did its work but not much. Laws are written but no enforcement. Enforcement translates into bribery and people get away.
But in the recent years overall change came to cities like Mumbai, Delhi and others but they still have a long way to go. I visited India after 10 years and my aunt in South Delhi said her home is worth 8 Crores Rupees. I said “wow”. I stepped out of her house and on the street I saw a garbage dumping place with littered garbage, flies are over it and cows, dogs eating that shxt; a vegetable hawker selling nearby,
Amidst this I saw people with imported cars, recklessly dressed up women going in and out of that area.
I asked my aunt why these conditions still existed after 10 years. Why these multi-millionaires not contribute about 100,000 Rupees each and get the roads, garbage, parking all managed by themeselves and it would jump up her home value to 10 crore. She turned a deaf ear to me.
Conclusion is when shit is shown on Slumdog Millionaire, we Indians feel bad but when we are shown Bollywood actresses in glitter we feel happy. The end word is happiness no matter where you drive it from.
So keep living in those conditions and keep wishing on the dreams baby!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
When we used to live in India, we also took interest in another pet project of ours – tree planting. We got about 40 saplings planted, had them regularly watered et al. Probably 5 or 10 survived. It’s not a big deal but probably more than what others do (or don’t do).
[Deleted because of repetition]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We’ve processed your previous comment (above) and responded to it as well.
Comments are read by a live human (some may dispute that characterization) and then processed. So it may take some time to see your comment.
So you have lived in India, SI. I think we overreact. Many foreign visitors to India actually enjoy it. They enjoy our poverty, they enjoy our slums, they don’t care seeing people defecating in open around Delhi Railway station, in Mumbai suburbs. They love drinking tea in clay cups served in 2nd class train coaches. I once missed Shatabdi Express(an all air-conditioned train) at Delhi station and boarded Himalayan Queen in 2nd class for Chandigarh. A couple from Germany took seats across from me. Even though they were overwhelmed with the hawkers, daily commuters etc but seemed to enjoy their train ride nevertheless.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Many foreign visitors to India actually enjoy it. They enjoy our poverty, they enjoy our slums….
We think the novelty of poverty wears off very quickly.
jags, so you mean incredible india really selling poverty tourism …. makes sense… afterall you got to sell what yo got …
I forget to check one page and all hell breaks loose.
@What_if: Hmmm yes, the comments on here combined with many of the comments from the SMH post offer very unique perspectives.
I’m sure if and when I go I’ll unearth a few diamonds here and there. I hate the times I’ve stood outside Penn Station in Manhattan and have guys come up to me begging for money in exchange for weed from “a guy they know.” But reflecting on it, it makes for a good story and so there is something positive to take out of it.
Someone, I think maybe Harry/Amy posted a youtube link on here a short time ago with some street kid in Mumbai who was hawking fans and could speak 6 different languages and then they came back 4 years later and he could now speak 8 languages or something. Experiences like that would be enjoyable, meeting some amazing people like that.
But I mean all this talk of shit in the streets, millions in slums, etc. I don’t know how long I could tolerate a prolonged assault on all my senses. Then to top it all off, I could wind up in the middle of a terrorist bombing and have my body fly back from the explosion on the street and land in a pile of shit.
So I’ll go to India when the time is right! 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: So I’ll go to India when the time is right! 🙂
India is so weird that the best time to visit is anytime and no-time, both at the same time.
[Trash talk]
u wrote
Hey, let’s first try to create some jobs in our country (USA)…let’s worry about the coolies later.
u often tell we need a change !!! may this be a change
we know how to deal with india
mariyadhaya blogg a close pannitu odiru illa [deleted] avlothaan
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: mariyadhaya blogg a close pannitu odiru illa [deleted] avlothaan
Scoot, kiddo. Go play with your dolls.
A good joke all to the mindless creatures abusing india
An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the
World.
So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to China .
On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he
Noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read
‘$10,000 per call’.
The American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by what
The telephone was used for.
The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for
$10,000 you could talk to God.
The American thanked the priest and went along his way.
Next stop was in Japan . There, at a very large cathedral, he saw the
Same golden telephone
with the same sign under it.
He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in China and
He asked a nearby nun what its purpose was.
She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000
He
Could talk to God.
‘O.K., thank you,’ said the American.
He then traveled to Pakistan , Srilanka , Russia , Germany and France .
In every church he saw the same golden telephone with the same ‘$10,000
Per call’ sign under it.
The American, upon leaving Vermont decided to travel to up to India to
See if Indians had the same phone.
He arrived in India , and again, in the first church he entered, there
Was the same golden telephone, but thi s time the sign under it read
‘One
Rupee per call.’
The American was
surprised so he asked the priest about the sign.
‘Father, I’ve traveled all over World and I’ve seen this same golden
Telephone in many churches. I’m told that it is a direct line to
Heaven,
But in the US the price was $10,000 per call.
Why is it so cheap here?’
Readers, it is your turn…….. Think ….before you scroll down…
……….. ……..
……….. ……… …….. ……… ………… ……… .
……….. ……… ……… ……… …..
……….. ……….. ……… ……… …….. ……
………….. ……… ………. ……… …….. ……
…….. ……….. …….. ……
The priest smiled and answered, ‘You’re in India now, Son – it’s a
Local Call ‘.
This is the only heaven on the Earth.
Dear Searchindia.com,
For past few months I’ve taken a look at various pages & posts of yours. From Day 1 I refrained to comment as I thought why waste time in this? No one has asked for my opinion or anything like that.
In fact, I tried ignoring your site, but somehow I kept bringing myself back to it. After all, it is natural to be attracted to where there is the most controversy boiling. And no one asked for your opinion either.
Just analyzing this site, first I have to say, ‘brilliant.’ You’re attracting countless visitors just like me who hate this site but to comment against the content or something like that are drawn to this. That’s a great way to make a lot of advertising money, however rude of a way it is.
You probably already know you guys are what most would classify as jerks, and if you don’t know that than you’re in a definite state of denial. You guys spend so much energy criticizing India, and then being derogatory of your readers who don’t agree with you. You call them all kinds of names. I have read posts before where you respond to a reader that doesn’t agree with you and hasn’t used a single derogatory term with bad profanities.
I just want to recall one post I read a long time ago. The basic thing i remember about it is that you guys had reported something bad about priests or something. A reader had commented something about why you guys never write anything good about India, and then gave an example of a story bringing India in positive light. Underneath, another reader gave you another negative story about India. You guys responded to the first reader by saying because there is nothing good that comes out of India and the second one you gave him the link to a page where you added the negative story.
That is a example of your content. Smart and rude way to make money. I mean you spit in the face of countless people w/o thinking about it. And after so many negative comments you receive, i must praise you on your rock solid outer shell that nothing gets to your conscience or moves you at all.
Also one more thing, many do not like Bollywood. But despite that, your reviews of it are the most unreliable on the internet. I have shown those films to Americans, Orientals, Africans, etc… They all have a much higher approval rating, although there are some low approvals in there too, than you. I really can’t say anything about your low approval of Bollywood because that is your opinion, or you might just not like the style or something, but I just can’t help but think that you go in with a pessimistic view and are just looking for everything and anything to smash Bollywood.
By the way, I think your reviewing of Bollywood is smart too. Everyone wants to measure the final test of a good movie by seeing whether “Search India” likes it or not. Do the India & Bollywood haters like it? If yes, then we’ve an unparalleled movie on our hands. In fact, that’s how I got myself excited for Kaminey (very nice movie). Also, the things said in preceding 3-4 sentences to this were not supposed to be meant for any offense to you, just a note, so don’t take this in the flow of my whole ‘essay.’
Anyways, back to the topic of the essay. I guess i just wish you would once admit that you’re an Anti-India site. It’s so overly evident, I just want you guys to say it.. let all these readers stop trying… let them know that you know you’re an anti-India site.
Thanks. Commenting on your site provided me a good break in b/w my essay due tomorrow for college… by writing another essay.. wow
Rgds
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Wow, so much bottled up angst over SI. You should’ve commented earlier…would have spared you all that needless palpitation we presumably induced in you.
Much of what we write is based on easily available facts and we provide links almost all the time. So instead of venting your spleen on us, you might want to poke beneath our posts to the underlying facts, however distressing they may be to your neatly brainwashed sensibilities of Shining India, Mera Bharat Mahaan or India has Arrived.
2. You write: You probably already know you guys are what most would classify as jerks, and if you don’t know that than you’re in a definite state of denial.
We’re neither jerks nor saints.
To borrow an expression from the nice Bollywood movie A Wednesday, we are just the common man giving voice to the depressing sentiments many millions feel daily about our country India, Bollywood films, rampant injustices, insanely weird practices et al.
3. You write: You’re attracting countless visitors just like me who hate this site but to comment against the content or something like that are drawn to this. That’s a great way to make a lot of advertising money, however rude of a way it is….You guys spend so much energy criticizing India, and then being derogatory of your readers who don’t agree with you. You call them all kinds of names. I have read posts before where you respond to a reader that doesn’t agree with you and hasn’t used a single derogatory term with bad profanities.
You seem rather naive and have a low opinion of our readers’ intellect if you presume that mere criticism and profanities (which we deny, of course) can bamboozle readers into visiting SI daily.
Sure, as you say readers do disagree with us (and many do) but presumably they recognize a vein of sincerity here and derive some value too.
4. You write: Just analyzing this site, first I have to say, ‘brilliant.’ You’re attracting countless visitors just like me who hate this site but to comment against the content or something like that are drawn to this. That’s a great way to make a lot of advertising money, however rude of a way it is.
If rude reviews and disagreeable comments were a surefire path to riches on the web, then every Arjun, Bhim, Nakul and Sahadev would have started a blog and be riding the El Dorado train to Fort Knox. Not squandering their time by commenting!
You are utterly clueless about monetization of traffic on the web but we have neither the time nor the willingness to lift you out of the stupor of your self-inflicted ignorance.
5. You write: I just can’t help but think that you go in with a pessimistic view and are just looking for everything and anything to smash Bollywood
That’s an outrageous lie and distortion.
We do love good Bollywood movies like Dharm, Mithya, Kaminey, Matrubhoomi, Parineeta, Paheli, Taare Zameen Par, No Entry and old ones like Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Sholay, Bobby, Aaradhana, Anamika, Deewar et al.
These movies represent a cross-section with different stars, different eras and different genres giving the lie to your fantasy that we are biased against Bollywood. Period.
6. You write: many do not like Bollywood. But despite that, your reviews of it are the most unreliable on the internet. I have shown those films to Americans, Orientals, Africans, etc… They all have a much higher approval rating,
Most Bollywood films are either trash or stolen and occasionally both. Think Ghajini. Think Ek Ajnabee. Think Partner. Think Hey Babyy. Think God Tussi Great Ho. Think [fill in the Bollywood film name].
7. You write: By the way, I think your reviewing of Bollywood is smart too. Everyone wants to measure the final test of a good movie by seeing whether “Search India†likes it or not. Do the India & Bollywood haters like it? If yes, then we’ve an unparalleled movie on our hands. In fact, that’s how I got myself excited for Kaminey (very nice movie)
Glad to know that at least on one occasion (Kaminey) you found us on the ‘right’ side.
Pardon us if we are not turned by asinine movies like Kambhakkht Ishq (watch singing a sloka Om Mangalam in the stomach), Singh is Kinng (guy pissing on his buddy’s face), Drona (featuring the worst actor in the Milky Way or for that matter any other galaxy).
8. You write: I guess i just wish you would once admit that you’re an Anti-India site. It’s so overly evident, I just want you guys to say it
We were also responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, betrayal of Tippu Sultan in the fourth Anglo-Mysore War, tightening the noose around Bhagat Singh’s neck, advising the traitor Mir Jafar in the decisive Battle of Plassey, wrote the declaration of Emergency for Indira Gandhi in 1975 et al, helped Sanjay Gandhi in the destruction of tenements at Turkman Gate, caused the three Bengal famines of 1770, 1943 and 1974 by hoarding grains et al.
It’s disgraceful that 62 years after independence Indians are dying of starvation, Indian farmers are selling their children and wives, the U.P. govt spends Rs 2,600 crore on statues and memorials and India is the numero uno rape destination.
Your rant against us would be amusing only if it were not juxtaposed against the cruel reality of daily life for millions in Incredible India.
9. You write: It’s so overly evident, I just want you guys to say it
Too much of whatever weed you are smoking has obviously clouded your judgment. You don’t have to say it. After all, we can see the ‘smoke
and mirrors‘ haze all over your comment.Jai Ho.
N.B: BTW, the IP address on your second comment (which we haven’t processed yet but will do so in a little while) is different and masked to prevent location identification). These kinda shady tactics make us suspicious of the motives behind your comments.
And also to add onto my last post:
I read somewhere that all u speak of India is true.
That is true, I know that 24.something % of the people are under the poverty line. But you guys speak as if nothing is being done. Nobody absolutely nobody ever wants to acknowledge the growth rate or the advances or anything like that. I didn’t find anywhere on your site anything about the major spending India did on infrastructure. You people just repeat what’s been said for years that India has beggars and this and that. And btw by major spending I mean major spending, last I heard the figure was at $500 billion they were talking abt a total plan for that much. India has the money just a bad system to distribute it.
You people rant abt 800 dollars a year incomes but never acknowledge how much less things cost… Like our beloved 50 cent haircut.
It’s important to acknowledge the progress being made because the mess that we have isn’t something that can be rid of in a ‘chutki’ It’ll take a long time to uproot what has set down so comfortably in our country.
For example, last summer got pulled over and ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt in India. That was something I never expected five years ago. That wad just one small example of many such things happened to me… So we’re improving. It’s gonna be a long process, but we must acknowledge that. Lady from US embassy gave a speech once in an Indian American gathering. They have said that they are predicting India to be world power by 2030… Not official but is a number being thrown around in their research. So the embassy is looking at all this but you’re not… wonderful. You recognize the bad things and continue to ignore that u recognized it after so many other people did who are now working on it. You seem to be quite good at doing that… read your Amazing USA columns… How can someone enjoy so much ranting about countries?? You guys are sooo full of negativity…
Take this as a joint to my last post… Which I don’t see appearing on the wall right now..Guessing you gotta process it and post it.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: For example, last summer got pulled over and ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt in India. That was something I never expected five years ago. That wad just one small example of many such things happened to me… So we’re improving.
Eureka, now we understand.
You got ticketed for not wearing a seat-belt in India. Ergo, India is marching forward into the 22nd century.
Excuse us if we take a moment to decide whether to cry or laugh at that acme of nonsense.
It’s all fine and dandy to be talking of seat-belts but we wonder when hundreds of millions in India will see their first toilet seat.
You see:
* Indians leave about 100,000 tons of shit in the open every day, in the fields, on the river banks and in the middle of the biggest cities
* About 665 million Indians shit in public or engage in open defecation (to use a euphemism), that’s half the world’s 1.2 billion who let go in public
For more Indian shitistics, click here.
2. You write: It’s important to acknowledge the progress being made because the mess that we have isn’t something that can be rid of in a ‘chutki’ It’ll take a long time to uproot what has set down so comfortably in our country.
You are right, great progress doesn’t come in the blink of an eye.
But 62 years should be more than enough time to stop endemic hunger, starvation deaths and poverty so desperate that it causes farmers to sell their wives to pimps.
3. Whatever ‘progress’ is happening in India is at worse-than-at-snail’s-pace.
And that too helping only a small fragment of the middle class. And until recently, the Indian middle class was only concerned about how quickly they can land here (i.e. U.S).
To reply to your reply of my first comment:
To skip all the side notes, bottom line is that you guys are an anti-India site. You guys blog on and on about the negative things that go on in India. You preach to me in my comment that it’s cruel reality and this and that.
But I haven’t seen you indicate that you guys are trying to contribute at all. You guys could continue having the same content that you have and if you did something about the stuff you apparently ‘brought to light,’ that would make you solution-seekers, proactive thinkers, etc. But just ranting about the country and making a business of it… that’s where we bring in the term ‘jerk.’ Not only that, you guys pretty much don’t want India to improve as evident in the earlier example of how a reader gave you a positive story and you guys ignored it and added a negative story given by another reader.
And it’s not only India. You guys have slightly started bashing the USA too. Evident in your Amazing America posts… again complaining but no contribution… How nice that I read your Amazing America posts right after I read earlier you commenting to another reader, “we gotta find jobs in our country USA.” Confirmed your negativity and hate filled selves.
So many readers are and so many people would be offended by what you do. It’s your choice… but purposely offending so many people does make you a jerk. Outright offending the country that a major portion (i believe) of your business (directory) is based on so much… that DOES make you a Jerk. And bashing the USA… where you came to escape that “shitty” country India, w/o doing something about it…. you know what it warrants.
And probably that’s why I’m so irked by you guys. I’m a dual citizen of US and India. I love both my countries and do as much as I can for them.
Secondly, your blog and the advertising it attracts. You own a site and not I… so of course you do know more about traffic generated by a website. But I can’t imagine that you don’t get many readers who continue to return to fight with your controversial comments. True, the readers would not care to click on ads while trying to argue with you here. But I’m sure all those visitors to this site give you a good number of hits to show to advertisors. Again, this is my theory… I don’t run a website so I’m ready to be corrected… Please… enlighten me. I’m sure you get many visitors for the directory services, and that’s gotta be your major chunk, but I think you’re probably making some extra change in this mean blog.
Thirdly, I live in a dorm. I often use the computer lab. I don’t sit on the same computer all the time. And the masking of the IP address is University business not mine.
Rgds
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Even when we give you specific responses to your rants ahem points, you wander off on an ad hominem tirade against us being jerks (four times today) et al.
But for our enormous tolerance of society’s misfits, deviants and retards, you’d find no quarter here.
As we’ve said ad nauseum, ad infinitum, much of what we write here is supported by links. Obviously, facts are so unpalatable and repugnant to you that you launch into a diatribe against us.
2. As for what we do for India or the U.S., we’ve said that a couple of times in the past and have no wish to go into that again.
3. You write: And probably that’s why I’m so irked by you guys.
Irked by us? Join the hordes but make sure you go to the back of the line.
4. You write: I’m a dual citizen of US and India. I love both my countries and do as much as I can for them.
May your tribe increase.
5. You write: Not only that, you guys pretty much don’t want India to improve
Nice example of a non sequitur.
Try harder next time.
To reply to your reply to my second comment:
for 50+ years India completely did not have it’s head in the game. To this day it’s not completely in the game. But whatever progress has started has started recently, in this millenium.
Why do you completely ignore that it’s the second fastest growth rate in the world and just say it does not seep to the middle class?
Incomes rose by more than twice in the last nine years. We posted a phenomenal growth rate. We reduced the number of people under the poverty line, although yes we stil have a long way to go in that.
What is happening as a whole in India can be modeled in my town, I know this because I visited around:
In my small conservative town this past summer, I saw so many interest groups, funds, cleanups, etc formed. I saw meetings to improve local schools, for parents to put in complaints. And they were peudo-heeded.
This all was a step forward that I saw. I gave you the seat belt example, just as a very small example of something that stuck with me. Because getting ticketed and not even getting asked for a bribe is something I associated with America, not India. But this thing happening to me was something that stuck. Because right behind me even my uncle got ticketed for speeding, and he’s the head of the Municipal Corporation of our town (who by the way increased public spending by two times and handed out a record number of contracts to private companies).
All these institutions being formed are not nearly as effective as they are in America of course, but they are a major first step. For 62 years we did not have our head in the game, for the next 62 years we will have our head in the game. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, the embassy in D.C. is throwing around 2030. I mentioned 62, but these guys are talking about 21 years. And I suppose it could happen. I know people in Dharavi. They are frustrated but they still are feeling more optimistic than they ever have. I trust their judgement of what’s seeping down and what’s not better than anyone.
And by the way, when the British left 62 years ago, we were in a crisis. The country just split and we had to figure out a new government. That in itself had to take a while. We made many mistakes, and we paid for them. And in this century, we’re moving forward by correcting those mistakes.
Whether we come to an agreement or not, I guess we will just have to wait and see. I don’t know why you’re rooting against India. The UN doesn’t say that India would be third world anymore, they are saying second world, but you’re still talking third world….
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We’ll believe India is heading somewhere when starvation deaths stop, endemic hunger disappears, the number of pavement dwellers drops, 100+ million men, women and children are no longer subject to the indignity of exposing their derriere to the whole world every morning, Muslims are not butchered with impunity and wives are not sold to pimps by desperate husbands.
All the rest (seat-belt fines, malls, IT, a few highways et al) is mere fluff.
Until then, for us it’ll be Mera Bharat Mahaan.
to add to my second reply:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1154019.stm
even our past rulers think we’re making progress.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
If having a few nukes, making 100 Bollywood films and economic growth rate favoring a lucky few are the only yardsticks of progress, then progress has a different meaning in your lexicon.
In any case, if you scroll down the BBC link you provide there are plenty of critical comments.
We doubt you read beyond the first para of your BBC link in your impetuous haste to score a point.
Here are some of the comments taken verbatim from the BBC link you provide:
* India is still tackling huge social, economic and environmental problems.
* Communal, caste and regional tensions continue to haunt Indian politics
* But the vast mass of the rural population remains impoverished.
* [Mrs.Patil] drew criticism during the campaign over scandals involving family members, and over controversial remarks.
Supporters hailed her election as a victory for women, but critics wondered how much influence she would have.
* Manmohan Singh’s government also came under intense pressure after the Mumbai attacks of November 2008, which left nearly 200 people dead and prompted a storm of criticism of security arrangements.
* But his [i.e. Manmohan Singh’s] promised “New Deal” for rural India – an attempt to raise the poorest citizens out of poverty – has still to bear fruit.
* Paris-based Reporters Without Borders says press freedom is threatened by “the violence of political parties as well as religious and separatist groups” (India – Annual report 2008).
As you can see above (if only you could), your/our past rulers are not exactly lavishing praise on India.
It’d help if you read what you post before you paste.
1) so in short you guys don’t want to show anything that you people do, but just pretend to “expose” facts about the countries… So unless u convince anyone that u r doing something… Makes you jerks… After all, you people are just “exposing” what has been exposed for the last 62 years… And when rest of the country is moving forward to bring a better 62 years… You people stay stuck in that last 62 years. Take a look at the example of our very own Bollywood movie Swades, whether movie was good or not, it has the moral which I’m talking about. The guy saw how much “shit” was going on in our country and not how “shitty” the country was. “Shitty” offends people… “there is shit and we’re trying to fix it” helps people. Again and again… Why can’t you defend the fact that you people have made a business of offending people. Titling a post “India is a shitty country”…. That’s offending people… A.k.a jerks.
2) Fair enough that you want to see it to believe it. Sitback and wait for it… Alright let’s see the events unfold. There are 750 million people above the poverty line in our country as identified by our beloved CIA (about 25% under poverty line) And those 750 are gradually producing a new proactive generation….. A generation that does not complain about the country w/o earning the moral right to do so. Those 750 are marching ahead to bring above poverty the remaining 250 million…
3) Oh and just let me make clear why you guys are jerks again …. what can one say when you continuously bash it… AGAIN… without doing anything… And you say you don’t want to go into what you’ve done.. So you did not earn the moral righht to complain. That also complain about what everyone knows are issues we’re tackling.
3) BBC article… Yes quite a bit of haste… But even in that they say things like India is “tackling” and you guys think India is getting tackled. They explore our country and measures it’s taking. They portray it as looking to move forward and yes not all measures will work, but we are moving forward. You people portray it as standing there watching shit continue… Just like what you’re doing.
I thought you would completely ignore my small conservative town example and measures it has taken to help the common man… Just stay adamant that India sucks and will suck. That’s when out of frustration I say you guys don’t want India to improve. You guys still haven’t proven you guys aren’t jerks and you’re preaching non-sequitor to me.
All the way from Dharavi to UN… People are more optimistic… What else can I say.
3) [missing stuff]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You know, we’ve been patient with you.
Responding to your previous lengthy, hyperventilating comments out of respect for the fact that you’ve spent a lot of time on this blog.
We’re not the kind to shy off from a challenge and would have gladly responded to your latest outburst too if only…
You called us jerks four times in your previous comments. We turned a Nelson’s eye thinking they were stray instances of a hot-blooded young Turk letting his emotions get the better of him.
But now you’re going overboard by using the same term another four times in this comment.
We’re usually not the most patient of people, although we made an exception in your case.
Kid, we’re not going to be jerked around by people insulting us every third sentence on our forum.
Being called jerks eight times in a matter of eight or so hours is enough.
And to think you’re the same dolt that took offense in your first comment about our ‘derogatory’ language. Time you learned to practice what you preach.
So we’re terminating you with extreme prejudice from this blog (i.e. deleting your registration here) until you learn to speak respectfully.
Now, scoot.
Hi,
he called you guys jerks for umm 8 times in 8 hours and you got so pissed you deleted him?
Only if it were so easy to delete people in life, i would have deleted you guys for putting up ‘not so great things about my country’ time and again.
btw, which country’s citizen are you? [don’t mind i could have looked over the site but i am short on time]
cya around.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: btw, which country’s citizen are you? [don’t mind i could have looked over the site but i am short on time]
2. You write: Only if it were so easy to delete people in life, i would have deleted you guys
Join the queue. There are scores of people ahead of you, dying to do the same to us.
uh.. I thought Aditya was in the SI camp..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
This is a different Aditya.