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From: viggy@hpda.UUCP (Viggy Mokkarala)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: Rajiv and the Media
Message-ID: <1238@hpda.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Nov-85 11:45:59 EST
Article-I.D.: hpda.1238
Posted: Wed Nov 13 11:45:59 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Nov-85 20:22:46 EST
Reply-To: viggy@hpda.UUCP (Viggy Mokkarala)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Cupertino, CA
Lines: 50



Dilip, aren't you being a bit too rash to start heaping accusations on Rajiv?

>concerned. Except, of course, when she died. Rajiv, on the other hand,
>is doing his best to represent youth and dynamism; his hi-tech leanings
>seem to indicate possibilities of Western leanings...why shouldn't he get
>a lot of attention from the media? He is having a very easy time of it,
>though. Closer attention to what he does and says will show that
>he is not so very different from his mother -- the same pro-Soviet, anti-US
>pronouncements, the same evasiveness when faced by tough questions (did
>you see him on Nightline or Meet the Press some months ago?), and the 
>same intolerance of opposition criticism (witness the banning of the CFD
>report on Punjab and the arrest of its authors). I think his honeymoon
>with the press should (and will) end soon and then we will begin to see
>tougher reports about him and less of these "Oh he's such a great guy" kind
>of articles. And it will be about time, 

>Dilip D'Souza.

Why is it that you have to belittle our leaders even before they have
a fair chance to prove themselves?  Why can't you, for a change, be
an idealist and look to greater and better things from them?

What reason would the new leader of India have to abandon the relationship
that has been built with the Russians?  In what way has the country
suffered as a result of this relationship?  What do you expect Rajiv to
do?  Turn about from the very go, tell the Soviets off, and look to the
USA?  Your cynicism is, without reason and appalling.

Before you get me wrong, I am no great fan of Rajiv Gandhi myself, but
I am encouraged by reports of the good things that are going on in the
country now.  I just hope that he does not go the way his mother did -
encourage sycophancy and get lost in power politics.  I am all for change
when the prevailing situation stinks to high heavens.  I was elated when
the Janata Party won the national elections in 1977 and was totally
disenchanted by the way they squabbled and disintegrated.  I hope that
a similar thing does not happen in Rajiv's case.

I could probably go on and on, but I won't.  It just depresses me
to see someone spotting a dark cloud when shown a silver lining.  It
seems that many of us Indians have lost the ability to take pride in
ourselves and our leaders.  We only remember the Nehrus and Gandhis and their
idealism, and moan about the absence of such personalities in present
day India.

Regards.

Viggy
(Vighneswara Row Mokkarala, hplabs!hpda!viggy)