ASSEMBLY POLL '98
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'Under the guise of stabilising food prices for the poor, the government has systematically exploited farmers since Independence'

Dear Rediff: Email from Readers all over the world

Date sent: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 14:43:26 -0500
From: "Nishar, Amit"
Subject: Vande Mataram controversy

This issue was a very important one in pre-Partition days as well. Unfortunately, for Hindus, our leaders did not take a practical lesson from this antipathy of Muslims to Vande Mataram and continued to stupidly mutter "Hindu-Muslim Bhai Bhai," which resulted in the needless Partition of our Motherland. At least the Hindus of today can look back and understand that the cause for Partition is still very much alive and kicking. Hopefully, the demographic character of India does not revert to that of pre-Partition India or else we can all be sure of witnessing and participating in a full-blown Muslim civil war in India, and not just Muslim terrorism. Come to think of it, why would you want to worship something that you are willing to dismember?

Date sent: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 21:17:49 EST
From:
Subject: Vande Mataram

In USA, what right wing Christians couldn't do (school prayer), the UP government expects to shove down the throat of minorities!

Date sent: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 03:17:18
From: kvsk
Subject: Muslims, UP government on the path of...

This is one clear example where Muslims put their religion above the country. Check this statement...
"Ali Mian clarified that Muslims are not against any religion or ideology, but Islam does not permit them to worship anything or anyone other than god. Since Vande Mataram is a prayer to the motherland, they see it as antiethical to Islam. "

According to Ali Mian it is antiethical to respect the country that he lives in....What else can we expect of people like that...

"Ali Mian, chairman of the AIMPL Board, termed the order un-Islamic and hurtful to the religious feelings of Muslims. "

If respecting the country that they live in can hurt their feelings, where can these people live...

Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1998 12:46:37 PST
From: Suvrat
Subject: Sony and Star

This was a nice article, however there could have been a short coverage of how the consumers are benefiting from all this by getting to see new, recent movies without going to any cinemas!!

Suvrat

Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 16:23:34 -0500
From:
Subject: Indian economy attains nirvana

There are many countries which are affected by inflation and shortages at this time. Jay Dubashi, in a fit of journalistic hyperbole, claims that the whole world is mired in disinflation and slumping prices. This is clearly not true, as there are many countries that are worse off than India. Examples are Russia, Indonesia and several of the former South-East Asian Tigers, and India's neighbour Pakistan. Dubashi is clearly thinking like a journalist from one of the G-8 or OECD countries.

Jagannath Sharma

Date sent: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 15:43:11 -0500
From: viswanathan kumar
Subject: The review of Soldier

Pretty good.

Date sent: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 17:49:17 -0800
From: "SATISH RANGANATHAN"
Subject: M N Nambiar

We sincerely think it was a great interview. Obviously after reading the article, there is a lot to learn from Nambiar's personality and character (which we did!), besides the villain roles he has always played in the movies. It indeed leaves a lasting impact.

Satish and Sowmya

Date sent: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 21:31:41 +0530
From: shabir hussain
Subject: Love bites

Really well informed about the real cinema.

Date: Saturday, November 14, 1998 8:18 AM
From: Arvind & Rubi
Subject: Need to pick up specialist players for tests and ODIs!

India should stop players like Dravid and Laxman for ODIs. They might be good for test matches but have proved themselves a liability in ODIs. They should be only considered as specialist Test players as Robin and Jadeja are considered specialist ODI players. Dravid is a batsman with solid defence and has been very successful in Test matches. It is sad that he has been a failure in ODIs. But this is not the first time it has happened, some very successful Test players like Sunil Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Geoff Boycott, Mark Taylor has been unable to transform their test success into ODIs earlier.

With his present style and strike rate Dravid is a complete waste in ODIs. If he cannot play strokes like Tendulkar, Azhar, Waugh, Anwar, Aravinda then he should learn to rotate strike and score fast in singles and doubles like Dean Jones or Mike Bevan. If the management wants to play him in ODIs in the future, it will be a good idea to train him under some expert. But dragging him into every ODI is doing the team and him no good (apart from the money he gets because of being part of the team). On the contrary it is destroying the moral and hope of aspirants like Amay Khurasia, Rohan Gavaskar.

Even the team and captain doesn't seem to have much confidence in him. I firmly believe that the reason for playing 5 bowlers in spite of having Tendulkar, Robin and Ganguly at disposal was the team's lack of confidence in Dravid, Laxman. After all their performance has been hardly confidence aspiring. Dravid with 282 runs in 14 matches with an average of 21.69 and strike rate of 46.75 this year and Laxman with 62 Runs in 7 matches with an average of 12.40 strike rate of 43.35 (+ 3 matches in Commonwealth games where he made less than 10) are as dependable batsman in ODI as Chopra, Agarkar or Joshi would be.

Dravid and Laxman should have been dropped right after the Sahara Cup and Commonwealth games. Continuing with them has only further proved their inability and has taken away chances from other deserving players.

The World Cup is only 6 months away now and we badly need 2 more middle order batsman who can perform well in the middle order. Time for action is now.

For the New Zealand tour, India should choose 14 players for test matches and 14 players for ODIs, and not make the folly of choosing a team of 16 common players where Robin and Jadeja are unlikely to play in a test and Dravid, Laxman and Sidhu are burden in ODIs.

I propose for Tests: Azhar, Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Sidhu, Mongia, Kumble, Srinath, Agarkar, Harbhajan, Mohanty, Laxman, Prasad, Joshi, Chopra, Wasim Jaffer.

For ODIs: Azhar, Sachin, Ganguly, Jadeja, Robin, Khurasia, Mongia, Kumble, Srinath, Agarkar, Chopra, Mohanty, Rohan Gavaskar, Joshi, Harbhajan, Prasad.

Arvind

Date sent: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 10:35:20 -0500
From: Tapas Mallik
Subject: Rahul Vs Gangadhar

I do not understand how Rediff allows such immature articles and personal opinions to be printed on the main page. Gangadhar is probably one of those who know nothing, but think that they are experts in all fields, be it cricket or politics or history. The sad part is, it is people like this and their stupid articles that get printed and read by many Rediff readers.

If only Gangadhar were to look back a short while ago and relive the performance or Rahul Dravid, he would see that statistics show him to be better than the captain, more consistent and reliable. When the fort tumbles around him, he stands guard keeping the enemy off. Why is Gangadhar singling out such a good player, whose good run was put to an end by some creeps in the selection committee? Rahul's one day stats were better than Azhar's and comparable to Sachin's and Ganguly's in those months. But his being shunted has made him lose his confidence and now he plays too cautiously.

It is the likes of Gangadhar who destroy such careers. In any team you require a Dravid, an Aravinda, a Mark Taylor. Instead of capitalising on his talents and grooming him to be a winner, he is branded and a great batsman lost for the country. Perhaps Azhar's politics has to do with Rahul's departure. Rahul is a threat to Azhar. In fact if he had kept going the way he was doing, before his being unfairly branded, Azhar may not be the number 4 batsman in the team at all.

Please do not print such personal opinion articles on the main page of such a good Internet magazine like Rediff.

An avid Rediff reader and fan
Tapas

Date sent: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 11:56:21 -0500
From: Tahseen Khateeb
Subject: Tendulkar's interview

I would like to express my view on Tendulkar's answer to Pritish Nandy's question "Why did you fare so poorly as captain?"

"It's a question of luck. When, as captain, I promoted Robin Singh in Sharjah he got out early and everybody criticised me for the decision. Ten days later, Azhar became captain and he sent in Robin Singh in the finals in Bangladesh, in the Coca-Cola Cup, and we were chasing 314 runs. Robin scored 86 and because of him and Saurav we won the tournament. So everyone praised Azhar for his decision. But it was exactly the same move. It was just a matter of luck. In both cases we were playing Pakistan. In Sharjah we were in a very good position. We were batting first and we were 135 for the loss of just one wicket in something like 30 overs. But it didn't work. In Bangladesh, things were tougher but it worked! It's just providence."

No, Mr Tendulkar it is not just providence.Why players perform better, including yourself, under Azhar? He is a better leader and a better manager. He instills courage and confidence in his team. In Sharjah Azhar was criticised by Gavaskar and Cozier for batting first after winning a toss. The result proved him a better judge of the situation. He has better instincts as a strategist. That's why he is the most successful Indian captain.

Tahseen Khateeb

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How Readers responded to Arvind Lavakare's recent columns

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