I could fully empathise with the author on many of the issues. Just a few counter-points:
1. Power cuts: While scheduled power shedding is loathesome, this safeguard IS necessary in India and may not be so in US, because the power lines are overhead in India, whereas they are underground in US!! Simple!
2. Discrimination against white tourists: Please note this is not against 'White' tourists but any international tourists!! I have personally encountered a 'higher entry fee' for foreign tourists in Malaysia, Trinidad (stay by foreign tourists in ASA Wright Nature centre is 6 times more expensive!) etc. And I dont see this as 'discrimination'!! The answer here is, the rates 'foreign' tourists pay is much less than the entry fee that they pay in other parts of the world!! The rates domestic tourists pay is pittance, subsidised by govt. and foreign tourists!!
3. Paranoia abt maps: Every country that has territorial dispute is finicky abt maps - check out China (and how they blackmailed volkswagon for publishing a map that did not show tibet as part of China, in a casual ad!), Pakistan, etc.! And to my knowledge, no govt. restriction on maps which are not disputed territories
Dear Claude, I would say that what all you mention in your article is very true, and perhaps all indians will agree with that.But you should appreciate that indian industry is still much more productive than WEST even after these bottlenecks. We in indian private sector, work 12- 16 hrs a day, and bring down the cost of production to anything, and help global companies in reducing their costs through outsourcing to india and preventing themselves from going towards bankrupcy. I dont think that anyone in the private companies of the WEST work so hard as indian private sector, specifically the employees of the Indian companies and not the ones of Indian subsidiaries of WEST MNCs. Infact you said of the foreigners being asked to pay tickets of museums at different rates. i would say that the west also have some kind of practises, which hurts indians. In India, even if you go to 5 stars, u r not asked forcefully to pay the tips, even if you dont pay 1 Rs., the waiter will not mock at you.whereas in WEST, tips are compulsory in TAXIS, restaurents, everywhere, you can not settle your bills without including tips. I couldn't understand when i have paid for my services fully why toTIP?
The author is absolutely right , he was kind to list only 10!! I am an Indian & it is the extreme sense of patriotism , good values inculcated by our parents which keep us sane in India
I agree with the author but I also hate the communal & castiest parties like Congress,Communists and other pseudo secular parties ruling this country.I shall not be surprised when our country will get ruined in all respects due to their divisive policies.The comment of the author on multitude of Gods however appears to be not in good taste. .He should have restricted his comment to his own religion & God However I agree that the selfish & crooked politicians have done great harm to this country which had enlightened the world in the historic period .Having experienced tyrany of present day Indian laws and govt policies which differ on gender, region & caste basis,I pray to Lord Ganesha to give me next life in a country other than India.
His views are 100% correct without any exaggeration. According to me he should have added about the people also who have sacreficed their lives for some coins (Nashik) and for some rupees of flood relief fund (Chennai) Let the God do something to change the minds of Politicians and Babus.
three cheers to u article. although the ten points are very limited to describe Indian but nevertheless well said. i myself is an Indian too, and believe that a lot needs to change like, spitting every where, treatment meted out to women, bragging about The Great Indian Culture but hardly knowing/practising it. if we remove all our negatives, we are a Great nation.
3. Total dislike for service: be it a bank,telephone company or even a private concern, when you seek guidance or want redressal of your problem, you will be discouraged and/or re-directed to some one else .result- you get nothing done. 4. Lack of dedication to task assigned: very rarely you see involved contribution and initiative taken by an individual at any level-especially at senior level; perhaps fear to own responsibility or allow someone to supercede!! 5.honesty of intent: the lack of pricking of conscience is visible when you deal with many persons in your daily life. they do not display honest intent in meeting your or their needs except at a cost on occasions. i do not care attitude when it comes with dealing with public or even private property largely used by general public.
dear sir ... as an indian who has been to many european countries several times i always used to wonder how almost everyone who has visited india had almost always had only good things to say......probably it is because they are not exposed to the babus/police/politicians etc...otherwise i could not understand how a person from places which have excellent systems overall like all the things here...i must congratulate u for writing very aptly the bad things here that could be most frustating to a person from europe..i also must cogratulate u for stating that u r happy otherwise & for having managed here allthese years..u have been very polite in mentioning the actual seriousness & depth of the problem because of corrupt police & politicians...it is only getting worse specially worse specially bcause of the police...all the best as long as u stay in india
Hey claude......The points that u mentioned are the ones which majority of the Urban population would detest but unfortunately these ill-effects just don't seem to go off from the face of India and I don't think it will either for a really really long time.
