Teesta Setalvad needs support
Why are the Gujarat cops troubling Teesta Setalvad if she is innocent, that too in such a ham-handed manner (“As Supreme Court stays Setalvad's arrest, here is her response to Gujarat police's charges”)? Even if the cops fiddle with the credit card details, the expense vouchers and associated accounting entries in the NGO’s books would any day bear out Setalvad's assertions, would they not? Moreover, the books would have been audited every year by statutory auditors. If the NGO had been made to pay for groceries and liquor, would they not have raised questions?
Don't the cops know that the audited books could be produced any day as rebuttal to the cops' claims? It all sounds rather mysterious: why would the cops be so patently naive? Is there something that does not meet the eye in this particular farce? – Sundar BN
***
Great reporting (“The real story behind the corruption charges against activist Teesta Setalvad”). Teesta Setalvad does every Indian wedded to humanity and its constitutional value proud. She is Bharat Ratna indeed. – Vivian
***
This is very revealing. It seems that Teesta Setalvad needs a lot of support to bring the matter to its logical conclusion. – Asha Bhardwaj
Don’t let the cynics get you, Jerry
I hope the author Siddharth Bhatia meant his 'tips to Seinfeld' article as a satire (“No Indian jokes please: a memo of dos and don’ts for Jerry Seinfeld”). It sure didn't make me laugh, but set me thinking. “C’mon Jerry... Don’t let the cynics get you. They might have spent their life savings on a ticket, but I'm sure you will entertain, with or without the cynics.” – ANS Rao
The support to Barkha is touching
Dear Mrs. Radhika & Dr. Prannoy Roy, your letter wishing Ms. Barkha Dutt in her new venture is appreciative (“Full text: Barkha Dutt is stepping down as NDTV group editor and starting her own policy group”). The support and gratitude to Ms. Dutt is very touching. She has grown in stature from a 23-year-old to an entrepreneur. I take this opportunity to wish Ms. Dutt, along with you, good luck and my best to her. And here’s wishing NDTV for your great news updates. Keep up the good work. – An NDTV fan
Kiran Bedi has no idea about democracy
After reading Kiran Bedi's open letter, it seems that she has no idea what democracy and institutions mean (“What Kiran Bedi learnt from the Delhi debacle: politics is dirty and voters are unreasonable”). By mentioning 'needs for civil culture and law abiding environment’, she not only insults the intelligence of the voter but also puts suspicion on the Election Commission.
By mentioning that she controlled crime in the village by young men, she undermines government institutions like the police and promotes khap-style governance of people taking law in their own hands. Yes, the police has been highly incompetent in handling crime over the years, but that does not mean people should pick up their own lathis.
She also stated that some parties got more space and biased media coverage. The truth, however, is that the majority of the media (IBN7 for instance) did not even invite AAP spokespersons in their debates. I am glad that however good or bad the AAP's government may turn out to be, Delhi did not get a dictator living in her fool's paradise. – Sandeep Kandwal
Agra shoes of poor quality
As the owner of a shoe factory many years ago in the UAE, I will be keen to watch this documentary (“There’s no business like shoe business in a new documentary about Agra’s footwear industry”). However, the quality in Agra was always poor as was the leather. – Sajith Unni
Bias against Amartya Sen
There is such rank bias against one of India's great sons, Amartya Sen (“Full text: Amartya Sen's letter on how the government got him to step down as Nalanda University chancellor”). Nauseating fascism. – Naiyer Razzaqui
BJP victory not all about Modi
This article reaffirms, one more time, the fact that the BJP victory was not all about the Modi wave but in large part about anti-incumbency (“Volunteers who took Modi to victory in Varanasi now see him as a liability”). – Anita Patil-Deshmukh
My great-grandfather served in the British military in India
This is good news indeed (“Why British people are looking for ancestors in India decades after the Raj ended”). My fourth great-grandfather, Major-General Thomas Hardwicke, was in the military in India (Calcutta) and was a naturalist. He fathered five children while in India, presumably by a woman called Fysbuhsh, who is named in his will. I would love to know who she was and what she looked like! Perhaps this would be a starting point. Bravo. – Suzanne Eakin
Wi-Fi works well in Hyderabad
I wonder why Hyderabad has been left out in the article (“Every city is promising ‘free Wi-Fi’ but does it actually exist anywhere in India?”). The free Wi-Fi in the city was started in November 2014 and is working fine. Airtel is providing the services and it's free for 30 minutes per day. Speed is undisputedly good. However, it currently works in the 5-7 km long stretch of Hitec City area. Soon Reliance is to provide 4G Wi-Fi services like Kolkata to the rest of the city. The Wi-Fi’s signal strength is so good that I get it in my office that is some 20 metres away from the road. – Madhav Srimohan
Modi's black money promise a lie
Modi came to power with the big promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to each citizen within 100 days – that was a blatant lie and most Indians fell for it (“If Modi won’t even name the problem of communalism, how will he solve it?”). Now the latest stunt to placate the minorities is this rhetoric. How does anybody believe this man now? Does he have the permission of his saffron bigot bosses to make these assurances? – Lonavla-Khandala Citizens' Forum
West European nations are open-minded
This is sad, because the western European nations have been open-minded and welcoming to all (“Copenhagen attacks: Urban terror might be here to stay in west European societies”). They do not deserve this. A long-term strategy, which the author asks for, can have many aspects. Policing solutions can only go a limited way. I would think the parents and relatives of young boys who are immigrants in these nations should keep a close watch on their children. Where they go and what they do outside the homes. – Dr Paresh R. Vaidya
Good article
Very good article, I really appreciated it (“Film review: MSG The Messenger is the BDSM experience you were denied in Fifty Shades”). – Jassi Raj
Kejriwal has courage to attempt honest politics
I am 76 and had lost almost all hope and faith in politicians (“'Supari journalism': When Arvind Kejriwal defeated the Indian media”). I am awestruck by this man (Arvind Kejriwal) who has the courage and determination to attempt honest politics and prepared to clean the filth that politicians have created. Majority of them are utterly greedy. – SHH Kazmi
***
Rajdeep Sardesai has always been critical of the BJP and Modi in particular. But I want to know from him why riots in Bengal border district, where Hindus have been killed, not being reported in secular media? – Abhay Mishra
Beautiful report
Beautiful report (“Five encounters at Ramlila Maidan show why AAP's appeal is deep and diverse”). – Raghbir Devgn
Mallya failed in his strategy on Yuvraj
Looks like Vijay Mallya's strategy to get rid of Yuvraj Singh was to buy him back at lower price, but since there was more demand for him than anticipated, he had to offer him more than his previous contract (“Vijay Mallya gets roasted for flip-flop on Yuvraj Singh in IPL auctions”). But Delhi Daredevils outbid him. – Bhavya Bambhania
Karnataka villages' success raises hope for others
Your report on the village councils in Karnataka is interesting (“Two Karnataka village councils have lessons for the rest of India”). Recently, Anna Hazare said in response to a reporter's query that the success of his efforts in a couple of villages of Maharashtra could not be duplicated in others, because there so many Anna's. Now, Karnataka has proved that the same could be done without the Anna’s too. This raises hope for others.
Given the uniqueness of various regions, I think one needs different prescriptions for different localities. However, one can definitely learn from the success of others and follow their charted path to start with and improvise later based on monitoring.
Your table showing distribution of village panchayats across India is good. It is felt that the same should have been accompanied by another chart showing the approximate average size of population each panchayat is supposed to serve along with fund allocation. This would signify the size of responsibility one needs to handle with given fund. – S Marik
Not easy to watch World Cup online in Australia
As an Indian living in Australia, it is not that easy to watch the World Cup online, at least not straightforward (“How to watch the cricket World Cup online”). Cricket Australia has no package to stream the CWC. And only the Australia matches are shown on TV. Fox Sports doesn't have an option of streaming only the World Cup. You would need not only the sports pack but the entertainment pack with the Foxtel subscription too, as the sports pack is not available individually and it costs $50 a month. I am not saying it’s very high but you would expect a cheaper and easier option when the World Cup is in the country. – Vineet Benyamin
BJP won polls because of massive funding
Let us – and the BJP as a party – accept the reality; the BJP managed to win the number of state polls only because of the massive funding they have received for their election campaign (“Why Mumbai's 20-year development plan seems far-fetched”). They now have to and must give the pound of flesh that is expected by the generous donors. That is why we are seeing the laws and regulations being tweaked and amended – be it by policy or by ordinances. Hence, the builder's lobby that is today the biggest generator of money – be it unaccounted or otherwise. The propaganda that only and only Modi is the absolute Messiah who can save India is something that gullible Indians will soon realise. – Fergus Misquitta
Inspiring that writers can be successful
Prajwal Parajuly's interview made me wonder if some writers today write at all (“The best and worst of literary festivals, with writer Prajwal Parajuly”). We keep hearing about writers in India living in poverty, having to take up additional jobs to make ends meet, and when we see a globetrotting writer who is in one country today and in another tomorrow, it makes us hopeful that some of us can, if we succeed making a living as writers. It's wonderful to read about all the festivals writers attend but what could have been more inspiring is if we got insight of their struggling years. – Aakaash Mittal
***
Is Prajwal Parajuly single? – Shruti Misra
Teasing, insulting, cursing is fun for some people
Teasing, insulting, cursing, etc, are fun for some people in the name of generosity (“Why did Aamir Khan tick off AIB comedians? After all, he produced lewd song Bose DK”). Some idiots do the same kind of activity to prove others wrong. According to them, education, culture, civic sense are meant for fools. They are dirty and throw dirt on others. They should have taken clearance from the censor board and done whatever they wanted to do. Please roast them in the open. – Pratmann
Nothing wrong in young prince falling in love
This refers to your article on Aurangzeb (“How the heartless emperor Aurangzeb fell in love at first sight”). I noted that you missed quoting anything about him from the History of India by Khafi Khan. Furthermore, I don't see anything wrong with a young prince falling in love with a pretty girl. After all, you must not take Aurangzeb as an angel and neither did he claim that he was one. He was the King of India and his word was the law of the land. That is pretty normal for kings... all kings. It doesn't have much to do with religion but personal inclinations. For example, Jehangir was offended at his father Akbar trying to introduce a new religion, Deen-e-Illahi, of his own only with a view to prolong his rule and please the Hindus. – Mazhur
Hilarious piece
Now that we won against Pakistan, enjoy (“Everything you always wanted to know about how to fight nerves before an India-Pak World Cup match”). Hilarious piece by the way. – Clement DeSylva
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letters@scroll.in.
Why are the Gujarat cops troubling Teesta Setalvad if she is innocent, that too in such a ham-handed manner (“As Supreme Court stays Setalvad's arrest, here is her response to Gujarat police's charges”)? Even if the cops fiddle with the credit card details, the expense vouchers and associated accounting entries in the NGO’s books would any day bear out Setalvad's assertions, would they not? Moreover, the books would have been audited every year by statutory auditors. If the NGO had been made to pay for groceries and liquor, would they not have raised questions?
Don't the cops know that the audited books could be produced any day as rebuttal to the cops' claims? It all sounds rather mysterious: why would the cops be so patently naive? Is there something that does not meet the eye in this particular farce? – Sundar BN
***
Great reporting (“The real story behind the corruption charges against activist Teesta Setalvad”). Teesta Setalvad does every Indian wedded to humanity and its constitutional value proud. She is Bharat Ratna indeed. – Vivian
***
This is very revealing. It seems that Teesta Setalvad needs a lot of support to bring the matter to its logical conclusion. – Asha Bhardwaj
Don’t let the cynics get you, Jerry
I hope the author Siddharth Bhatia meant his 'tips to Seinfeld' article as a satire (“No Indian jokes please: a memo of dos and don’ts for Jerry Seinfeld”). It sure didn't make me laugh, but set me thinking. “C’mon Jerry... Don’t let the cynics get you. They might have spent their life savings on a ticket, but I'm sure you will entertain, with or without the cynics.” – ANS Rao
The support to Barkha is touching
Dear Mrs. Radhika & Dr. Prannoy Roy, your letter wishing Ms. Barkha Dutt in her new venture is appreciative (“Full text: Barkha Dutt is stepping down as NDTV group editor and starting her own policy group”). The support and gratitude to Ms. Dutt is very touching. She has grown in stature from a 23-year-old to an entrepreneur. I take this opportunity to wish Ms. Dutt, along with you, good luck and my best to her. And here’s wishing NDTV for your great news updates. Keep up the good work. – An NDTV fan
Kiran Bedi has no idea about democracy
After reading Kiran Bedi's open letter, it seems that she has no idea what democracy and institutions mean (“What Kiran Bedi learnt from the Delhi debacle: politics is dirty and voters are unreasonable”). By mentioning 'needs for civil culture and law abiding environment’, she not only insults the intelligence of the voter but also puts suspicion on the Election Commission.
By mentioning that she controlled crime in the village by young men, she undermines government institutions like the police and promotes khap-style governance of people taking law in their own hands. Yes, the police has been highly incompetent in handling crime over the years, but that does not mean people should pick up their own lathis.
She also stated that some parties got more space and biased media coverage. The truth, however, is that the majority of the media (IBN7 for instance) did not even invite AAP spokespersons in their debates. I am glad that however good or bad the AAP's government may turn out to be, Delhi did not get a dictator living in her fool's paradise. – Sandeep Kandwal
Agra shoes of poor quality
As the owner of a shoe factory many years ago in the UAE, I will be keen to watch this documentary (“There’s no business like shoe business in a new documentary about Agra’s footwear industry”). However, the quality in Agra was always poor as was the leather. – Sajith Unni
Bias against Amartya Sen
There is such rank bias against one of India's great sons, Amartya Sen (“Full text: Amartya Sen's letter on how the government got him to step down as Nalanda University chancellor”). Nauseating fascism. – Naiyer Razzaqui
BJP victory not all about Modi
This article reaffirms, one more time, the fact that the BJP victory was not all about the Modi wave but in large part about anti-incumbency (“Volunteers who took Modi to victory in Varanasi now see him as a liability”). – Anita Patil-Deshmukh
My great-grandfather served in the British military in India
This is good news indeed (“Why British people are looking for ancestors in India decades after the Raj ended”). My fourth great-grandfather, Major-General Thomas Hardwicke, was in the military in India (Calcutta) and was a naturalist. He fathered five children while in India, presumably by a woman called Fysbuhsh, who is named in his will. I would love to know who she was and what she looked like! Perhaps this would be a starting point. Bravo. – Suzanne Eakin
Wi-Fi works well in Hyderabad
I wonder why Hyderabad has been left out in the article (“Every city is promising ‘free Wi-Fi’ but does it actually exist anywhere in India?”). The free Wi-Fi in the city was started in November 2014 and is working fine. Airtel is providing the services and it's free for 30 minutes per day. Speed is undisputedly good. However, it currently works in the 5-7 km long stretch of Hitec City area. Soon Reliance is to provide 4G Wi-Fi services like Kolkata to the rest of the city. The Wi-Fi’s signal strength is so good that I get it in my office that is some 20 metres away from the road. – Madhav Srimohan
Modi's black money promise a lie
Modi came to power with the big promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to each citizen within 100 days – that was a blatant lie and most Indians fell for it (“If Modi won’t even name the problem of communalism, how will he solve it?”). Now the latest stunt to placate the minorities is this rhetoric. How does anybody believe this man now? Does he have the permission of his saffron bigot bosses to make these assurances? – Lonavla-Khandala Citizens' Forum
West European nations are open-minded
This is sad, because the western European nations have been open-minded and welcoming to all (“Copenhagen attacks: Urban terror might be here to stay in west European societies”). They do not deserve this. A long-term strategy, which the author asks for, can have many aspects. Policing solutions can only go a limited way. I would think the parents and relatives of young boys who are immigrants in these nations should keep a close watch on their children. Where they go and what they do outside the homes. – Dr Paresh R. Vaidya
Good article
Very good article, I really appreciated it (“Film review: MSG The Messenger is the BDSM experience you were denied in Fifty Shades”). – Jassi Raj
Kejriwal has courage to attempt honest politics
I am 76 and had lost almost all hope and faith in politicians (“'Supari journalism': When Arvind Kejriwal defeated the Indian media”). I am awestruck by this man (Arvind Kejriwal) who has the courage and determination to attempt honest politics and prepared to clean the filth that politicians have created. Majority of them are utterly greedy. – SHH Kazmi
***
Rajdeep Sardesai has always been critical of the BJP and Modi in particular. But I want to know from him why riots in Bengal border district, where Hindus have been killed, not being reported in secular media? – Abhay Mishra
Beautiful report
Beautiful report (“Five encounters at Ramlila Maidan show why AAP's appeal is deep and diverse”). – Raghbir Devgn
Mallya failed in his strategy on Yuvraj
Looks like Vijay Mallya's strategy to get rid of Yuvraj Singh was to buy him back at lower price, but since there was more demand for him than anticipated, he had to offer him more than his previous contract (“Vijay Mallya gets roasted for flip-flop on Yuvraj Singh in IPL auctions”). But Delhi Daredevils outbid him. – Bhavya Bambhania
Karnataka villages' success raises hope for others
Your report on the village councils in Karnataka is interesting (“Two Karnataka village councils have lessons for the rest of India”). Recently, Anna Hazare said in response to a reporter's query that the success of his efforts in a couple of villages of Maharashtra could not be duplicated in others, because there so many Anna's. Now, Karnataka has proved that the same could be done without the Anna’s too. This raises hope for others.
Given the uniqueness of various regions, I think one needs different prescriptions for different localities. However, one can definitely learn from the success of others and follow their charted path to start with and improvise later based on monitoring.
Your table showing distribution of village panchayats across India is good. It is felt that the same should have been accompanied by another chart showing the approximate average size of population each panchayat is supposed to serve along with fund allocation. This would signify the size of responsibility one needs to handle with given fund. – S Marik
Not easy to watch World Cup online in Australia
As an Indian living in Australia, it is not that easy to watch the World Cup online, at least not straightforward (“How to watch the cricket World Cup online”). Cricket Australia has no package to stream the CWC. And only the Australia matches are shown on TV. Fox Sports doesn't have an option of streaming only the World Cup. You would need not only the sports pack but the entertainment pack with the Foxtel subscription too, as the sports pack is not available individually and it costs $50 a month. I am not saying it’s very high but you would expect a cheaper and easier option when the World Cup is in the country. – Vineet Benyamin
BJP won polls because of massive funding
Let us – and the BJP as a party – accept the reality; the BJP managed to win the number of state polls only because of the massive funding they have received for their election campaign (“Why Mumbai's 20-year development plan seems far-fetched”). They now have to and must give the pound of flesh that is expected by the generous donors. That is why we are seeing the laws and regulations being tweaked and amended – be it by policy or by ordinances. Hence, the builder's lobby that is today the biggest generator of money – be it unaccounted or otherwise. The propaganda that only and only Modi is the absolute Messiah who can save India is something that gullible Indians will soon realise. – Fergus Misquitta
Inspiring that writers can be successful
Prajwal Parajuly's interview made me wonder if some writers today write at all (“The best and worst of literary festivals, with writer Prajwal Parajuly”). We keep hearing about writers in India living in poverty, having to take up additional jobs to make ends meet, and when we see a globetrotting writer who is in one country today and in another tomorrow, it makes us hopeful that some of us can, if we succeed making a living as writers. It's wonderful to read about all the festivals writers attend but what could have been more inspiring is if we got insight of their struggling years. – Aakaash Mittal
***
Is Prajwal Parajuly single? – Shruti Misra
Teasing, insulting, cursing is fun for some people
Teasing, insulting, cursing, etc, are fun for some people in the name of generosity (“Why did Aamir Khan tick off AIB comedians? After all, he produced lewd song Bose DK”). Some idiots do the same kind of activity to prove others wrong. According to them, education, culture, civic sense are meant for fools. They are dirty and throw dirt on others. They should have taken clearance from the censor board and done whatever they wanted to do. Please roast them in the open. – Pratmann
Nothing wrong in young prince falling in love
This refers to your article on Aurangzeb (“How the heartless emperor Aurangzeb fell in love at first sight”). I noted that you missed quoting anything about him from the History of India by Khafi Khan. Furthermore, I don't see anything wrong with a young prince falling in love with a pretty girl. After all, you must not take Aurangzeb as an angel and neither did he claim that he was one. He was the King of India and his word was the law of the land. That is pretty normal for kings... all kings. It doesn't have much to do with religion but personal inclinations. For example, Jehangir was offended at his father Akbar trying to introduce a new religion, Deen-e-Illahi, of his own only with a view to prolong his rule and please the Hindus. – Mazhur
Hilarious piece
Now that we won against Pakistan, enjoy (“Everything you always wanted to know about how to fight nerves before an India-Pak World Cup match”). Hilarious piece by the way. – Clement DeSylva