The Cho Ramaswamy Chat
Cho Ramawamy's responses were quick and witty, yet not superficial. Certainly, the session was enjoyable and enlightening.
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:6 IST)
Happy Indepndence day! This is Shobha Warrier at Cyber Globe in Madras with Sanjay Ghosh. Cho is expected at any moment. Please wait
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:10 IST)
Hello guys. Cho has arrived.
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:12 IST)
Welcome, Cho has arrived.
DeshBhakth (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:8 IST)
Sir, Do you think Mr Laloo and Madam Jayaliltha have anything in common
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:13 IST)
Deshbakth: Both of them are commanding the concern of deshbaktha.
Just Another Indian (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:13 IST)
Mr Ramaswamy, while listening to the President first, and then the Prime Minister, pay tribute to the leaders of India's freedom struggle, I was struck by the fact that not one person from the south figured in that roster. Did the South fight for freedom at all?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:17 IST)
ji: I feel happy that Indians figured in their lists. They could have stopped with Annie Beasant. Well, the ignorance of our present day leaders cannot diminish the contribution to the freedom fight from the South
Tarun Malhotra (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:17 IST)
I am here in Moscow. Mr. Cho, I have observed that for most of the Indians here Independance day have no meaning , they just gathered at the embassy to talk about there business. The embassy staff here was performing the function as if it was a burden on them , there was no delight and it looked as if they are celebrating independance day for the first time. Foreign guests were laughing at the mistakes made in the celebration. Why do we find Indians outside India to behave in such a manner. What do you think are Indians loosing the meaning of INDEPANDANCE..
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:20 IST)
Well ,you have not seen the manner in which the day has been celebrated here in our country. If you had seen that, you would be proud of the way it was celebrated in Moscow.
S K Tripathi (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:20 IST)
S K Tripathi (Fri Aug 15 1997 1:41 IST) Cho: Namskaram! Good to speak to you. Your interview on the Freedom section in Rediff was spectacular! Tell me, will India break up like the USSR by 2047?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:23 IST)
Tripathi: No, in spite of our politicians, the country will not break up. The bonds of cultural unity are too strong for that.
A Lonely Indian (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:23 IST)
Mr Ramaswamy: What in your opinion is the biggest contribution that India has made to the world in the last 50 years?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:25 IST)
Lonely Indian: 40 crores (400 millions) of people!
Raghu Haldipur (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:25 IST)
Mr Ramaswamy: Why do I get the feeling that you have grown closer to the BJP in recent years? Is the BJP the best party who can take us to a great future?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:29 IST)
Raghu: You were getting that feeling now because you have not been keeping a watch on me earlier. Ever since the formation of the Janata Party, in 1977, I have been predicting the growth of the BJP -- then the Jan Sangh. India needs two strong national parties for the sustanance of the federal system without harmingthe integrity of the country. The Congress and the BJP are the only two parties which can attain the status of a national party. This is the main reason why I approve of the BJP.
Kiran (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:32 IST)
Mr Cho: Recently, Bal Thackeray said in his interview that if there is a riot between Hindus and dalits, Pakistan will take advantage of the situation and will run our country by proxy. What is your opinion???
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:35 IST)
Kiran: I do not think that the dalits have become assertive all of a sudden, in recent times. The nation itself under the Mahatma started asserting the rights of the dalits. This assertion was enshrined in the Constitution itself. What you call the dalit assertion now is only perversion of the ideals taught by the Mahatma. Agitations and violence, in my opinion, do not become assertive behaviour by any section of the people. Politicians who cannot grow beyond a very limited sphere start exploiting various sections of the people on the basis of caste. It is this expolitation which we are witnessing now. If you choose to call this assertiveness, you are welcome to do so. After all, you are as independent as I am.
Guru Murthy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:34 IST)
Mr Ramaswamy: Don't you think it is high time all those corrupt Indian politicians are jailed in Tihar and a new crop of clean, efficient and sincere set of young and dynamic political leaders emerged to lead the the country to the 21st century?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:38 IST)
Guru Murthy: My suggestion is that all of them should not be placed in Tihar. They would take over the place and make that the base of their operation. Put them in different places. That would also lessen the chances of atmospheric pollution.
A N Sen (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:36 IST)
Shri Ramaswamy, who in your opinion was the one person responsible for derailing India's progress these last 50 years?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:42 IST)
Sen: Derailemnt of progress was a nationalised undertaking. So, you cannot blame a single individual for that. It was in the public sector.
porobashi (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:34 IST)
Mr. Cho, don't you think that amidst the political CHAOS at the Centre, Mr. Jyoti Basu should be persuaded to become the PM given his excellent track record in West Bengal?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:44 IST)
Probashi: The excellence of Jyoti Basu is derived from his knowledge of his own limitations. If he is made the prime minister, you and I would share the knowledge.
S K Tripathi (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:42 IST)
What is the greatest danger to India: Caste or Religion? And why?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:46 IST)
Tripathi: We have lived with caste differences and animosities based on religion. We are immuned to them. The real danger is the separatist movements.
Kiran (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:42 IST)
Mr Cho: You said you support the BJP. Why is it so that in the 21st century, many intellectuals like you want to join this donkey's party. Is it that you are interested in a Rajya Sabha ticket, like your friend 'Ambedkar-basher'
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:49 IST)
Kiran: I am not joining any party. But when the choice is between the donkey's party and the devil's party, my vote is for the donkey's party. As far as the Rajya Sabha membership is concerned, I cannot be interested in that because as of now, I have no intentions of entering retired life.
Amman (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:40 IST)
Mr.Cho we blame politicians for every wrong thing going in India. Is it only after Independence?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:51 IST)
Amman: Before Independence, we were not blaming politicians because there were none. There were only statesmen then.
Kalyan (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:51 IST)
Cho, Do you think a presidential form of government will make things better? After all there won't be a need to rely on 13 different parties and populist politics day to day. Also all these small and divisive parties will be put at place. What are your opinions sir?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:55 IST)
Kalyan: When we talk of a Presidential form of government we usually have the American system in mind. For that to work, we must have a two-party system. In India, various regions speaking different languages have to have representation. For the American type of presidential system to work, this will not be conducive territory. There will be umpteen number of aspirants for the office of the President. None of them would be able to command the confidence of a substatntial section of the population. If after several rounds of elimination, a President is chosen, he would be without any moral authoruty to govern.
RRB (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:54 IST)
Mr Cho: Aren't caste and religious differences at the root of alienation which eventually leads to separatist movements ? I am puzzled why you blame leaders of such movements movements rather than look at the causes. By your logic, the British could claim that people were perfectly happy with their rule and Gandhi, Nehru et al misled them into a separatist movement.
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:59 IST)
RRB: The separatist movement lead by the Dravidian parties was not based either on caste or religion. The same thing applies to the movemnt that erupted in Assam. You may say that the Khalistan movement and the Kashmir militancy were based on religion. I do not agree. They are based not on religion, but on Pakistan's hostility towards our country. I do not understand how the national struggle for independence lead by Gandhi could be called a separatist movement. That was lead by Jinnah, not Gandhi.
Amman (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:52 IST)
Mr.Cho, for young people like me, the elders during your period only made the current situation of donkey and devil's parties in India. WHat the youngsters can do for this situation?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:1 IST)
Amman: Choose the donkey and wait for better times. For the present, bury the devil.
DeshBhakth (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:59 IST)
MR CHO have you made any resolutions for this year
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:3 IST)
Deshbhakth: I am not in the habit of making any resolutions because I do not want to spend the rest of the year searching for excuses.
Kalyan (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:1 IST)
Cho, Thanks for your views. I wasn't exactly suggesting the American form. However even in the US there are many smaller recognized parties which do contest in the national elections but do not have much of a say. Maybe a similar system might lead to broadbased national parties that repesesent the whole and not states or religions or castes. I guess I am talking more of a French system where there is a parliament-like entity but the president is more powerful.
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:7 IST)
Kalyan: The French system is posing problems even for the French. Though they talk of co-habitation between two opposing parties who hold the offices of the president and the prime minister, in practice this only leads to conflicts and confrontations. In India, it will lead to paralysis of the administration.
harappa (Fri Aug 15 1997 2:59 IST)
Cho, please don't go. will the bjp win the next elections
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:11 IST)
Harappa: After the next elections, there will be a government lead by the BJP but I do not expect the BJP to win an absolute majority. I anticipate that they would form the government with a couple of other smaller parties as coalition partners.
DeshBhakth (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:10 IST)
Mr Cho do you think this chat is useful. If so Why ?
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:14 IST)
Desbhakth: This chat is definitely useful to the people who are running this excercise. It justifies their employment
Cho Ramaswamy (Fri Aug 15 1997 3:17 IST)
It was a pleaant expereince interacting with so many friends. I think Nikhil for the opportunity and Shobha for the assisatnce and Net cafe for the coffee which they have promised but not delivered.
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