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Get back Netaji’s ashes
Ajit Balakrishnan
Chairman and Publisher
Nikhil Lakshman
Editor-in-Chief
Rajeev Bhambri
I recently read the book His Majesty’s Opponent, a biography
of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. I was greatly dismayed to
read that Netaji’s ashes are lying in an urn in the Renkoji
temple in Tokyo since 1945. In spite of an appeal on the 100th
birth anniversary of Netaji, to bring the ashes back to India
and build a suitable memorial, it has not been done.
It is a matter of great national shame for India that the
ashes of one of her greatest freedom fighter lies in a foreign
country with few being aware of it.
I appeal to the government of India, the people of India and
all political parties to promptly get the ashes of Netaji back to
Delhi. Netaji wanted to march to Delhi in his lifetime but
died prematurely in a plane crash. Let us at least partly fulfill
his dream and bring his ashes to Delhi without delay.
I used to sing his famous song, Kadam Kadam Badhayeja,
Khushike Geet Gayeja, Yeh Zindagi Hai Qaum Ki, Tu Qaum
Pe Lutayeja, even when I was nine years old. It still brings
tears to my eyes.
Are there not any patriots left in India today who can honor
Netaji, more than 64 years after we got freedom, for which
Netaji played a significant role?
Colonel Narayan Deshmukh
(US Army, retd)
Sayre, Pennsylvania
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Roy’s no expert
This refers to the letter by Dr Shanthu Shantharam (India
Abroad, December 9).
I fully agree with Dr Shantharam that Arundhati Roy has
been interfering in the politics of India.
Because she wrote a novel and got the Booker does not
mean that Roy is an expert in world politics. She is an author
first and it is better for her to stick with that instead of inter-
fering in matters which she has no business at all going into.
Even the novel she wrote has as its background life in
Kerala, without she having lived there or experienced it her-
self. Perhaps she only got the stories told to her by family
members. The people from Britain who gave her
the prize do not know the facts either. They might
have found the story amusing and so she was lucky
to get the prize. Roy should not take that for grant-
ed. Was she an activist before the prize was given
for her book? I think not.
I am happy that someone raised their voice
against her.
Home is where the home is
Wherever white people dominate and control a land, one
often sees racial bias against minorities. Even before an
Indian leaves India to go abroad, s/he should realize the
drawbacks of migrating to white-dominated lands that offer
education and opportunity but also put down foreigners and
minorities.
The dilemma for Indians is that they have to choose
between a country that cannot address their basic needs and
one that is racist.
It is high time Indians and other Asians woke up to this
reality and decided to stand strong and united and settled in
their own countries. The western nations were built based on
hard work and honesty. Had the western people remained
lazy and fought amongst themselves as people do in India,
their countries too would be riddled with shortages and prob-
lems, and their citizens in turn would have had to emigrate
abroad and suffer the consequences of second-class citizen-
ship in a foreign land.
A new immigrant in a foreign land is always a second-class
citizen even if s/he is a multimillionaire.
Therefore, the next time around you see an Indian driving
a Mercedes do not be fooled by his wealth. He is a minority in
the US — a newcomer and a second-class citizen. He is weak
and that is why he is here. Had his own country of origin been
powerful he would have had no reason to emigrate to the US
and live the life of a second-class citizen.
Sundip Mundkur
by e-mail
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Up with Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is a success story in American context because of
its ability to cater to the expectations of the public efficiently
— in any desired scale and without relying on intermediaries.
Their streamlined customer service, standardized quality
control of products and packaging are praiseworthy. The nar-
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Call: 773-338-1118
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THE INDIA EDITORIAL TEAM
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Editorial Director, News & Business.
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Editor, Business
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Editors
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Editors
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A memorable slap
A slap on the face of Sharad Pawar, India’s agri-
cultural minister, has sent a shiver through the
spine of politicians. Crossing party lines, they
unanimously termed it an act of violence.
It is not violence. No blood was shed and the
recipient of the slap received a martyr’s welcome
on his return to Mumbai. Before condemning the
act one should think about its origins. The slap was
an act of frustration, anger, helplessness. People
are fed up with corruption, cronyism, favoritism,
inflation, double standards and a paralysis in poli-
cymaking, all adversely affecting the common man
— whose interests the politicians are supposed to
serve.
India’s economic progress is the envy of the world, but
farmers continue to commit suicide. More than half of India’s
population is underfed, while grains rot in storage and the
agricultural minister obsesses about cricket.
These facts do not matter to politicians who only worry
about getting red flashers atop their cars to exhibit their
power and prestige. In such a situation some action is neces-
sary to highlight the suffering of the people.
CARLOS BARRIA /REU TERS
A Wal-Mart store in Miami
rative on the modest beginning of Wal-Mart to what it is
today is legendary. Contributions to Wal-Mart’s success by
outsourced Indian information-technology specialists are
noteworthy and something Indians need to take pride in.
Wal-Mart’s predatory traits in steamrolling brick and mor-
tar retail establishments, the practice of honoring competi-
tor’s promotional coupons, eschewing labor unions and
ignoring equal opportunity laws did not affect things as much
Web site: http://ia.rediff.com/index.html
Satya Prasad
Trenton, New Jersey
