The Government of India has recently rechristened their scheme NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) as Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It is funny.
The Nation has forgotten Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi long back. Film makers use it occasionally to make some bucks. The Govt. shows the Gandhi's tomb to the visiting Heads of State as an exhibit and filler of time for them. Garlanding Rajghat is an October 2 ritual.
The current trend for the Centre and the Congress ruled States is to name all their projects as Rajiv Gandhi XYZ. This is because the Congress subjects believe that their chanting Rajiv's name will please their boss Ms. Sonia Gandhi.
How did it now suddenly dawn on the Govt. to name NREGA as MGREGA?
The Govt. says that the naming is to strengthen the Gram Swaraj (Village self sufficiency and independence) cherished by Gandhiji. The claim is preposterous. Because, both the State and Central Governments did everything they could to weaken and deprive villages. The realtors and the Governments knocked away the rural lands from the farmers. The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) drove away villagers. The coastal corridors are uprooting villagers and fishermen from their dwellings rendering them homeless. The mining companies, particularly the open cast miners are making villages bit pits and dust dumps. Schools close. Plastics replace village potteries and brass utensil makers. Machine made jewellery makes goldsmiths unemployed destitutes. Tractors replace bulls as farm animals and their trailors carry them to slaughterhouses. Proclines replace construction workers. Indian villages are in a big mess. This tokenism takes India nowhere. Its rank of 134 in the Human Development Index is proof.
Showing posts with label Tokenism to Gandhiji. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tokenism to Gandhiji. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
006 WHAT MONT BLANC HAS TO DO WITH GANDHIJI?
Mont Blanc is a German jewellery, pen and watch-maker, headquartered in Hamburg. Basically theirs is a luxury goods industry.
What they have got to do with Gandhiji? Did Gandhi use their luxury pens? Did Gandhi canvas for their pens?
The Hindu published a news report on the 30th September 2009, titled "Mahatma" pens from Mont Blanc.
These pens are priced at Rs. 14 lacs (about $3,000), Rs. 1.7 lacs (fountain pens) and Rs. 1.5 lacs (roller ball pens). The pen makers claim that they are inspired by Gandhiji's Dandi Salt March of 1930 against the British.
Does this make any sense? What luxury pens have to do with Dandi March? Gandhiji is venerated by millions of Indians. If the pen maker wanted to commemmorate Gandhiji's Dandi March, they should bring out a common man's edition and not a limited edition. Obviously, they are trying to make money out of pen collectors' craze for Gandhi. The Company brought in Gandhiji's grand son to endorse their money making spree.
I sympathize with Tushar Gandhi. I understand from Gandhian literature, that Gandhiji did not leave any property/legacies to his children, a la Jawaharlal Nehru who handed over the country to his dynasty. Gandhiji did not build any dynastic rule. So, how Gandhiji's clan is to survive? Naturally, they have to become parties to marketing using Gandhiji's name.
What they have got to do with Gandhiji? Did Gandhi use their luxury pens? Did Gandhi canvas for their pens?
The Hindu published a news report on the 30th September 2009, titled "Mahatma" pens from Mont Blanc.
These pens are priced at Rs. 14 lacs (about $3,000), Rs. 1.7 lacs (fountain pens) and Rs. 1.5 lacs (roller ball pens). The pen makers claim that they are inspired by Gandhiji's Dandi Salt March of 1930 against the British.
Does this make any sense? What luxury pens have to do with Dandi March? Gandhiji is venerated by millions of Indians. If the pen maker wanted to commemmorate Gandhiji's Dandi March, they should bring out a common man's edition and not a limited edition. Obviously, they are trying to make money out of pen collectors' craze for Gandhi. The Company brought in Gandhiji's grand son to endorse their money making spree.
I sympathize with Tushar Gandhi. I understand from Gandhian literature, that Gandhiji did not leave any property/legacies to his children, a la Jawaharlal Nehru who handed over the country to his dynasty. Gandhiji did not build any dynastic rule. So, how Gandhiji's clan is to survive? Naturally, they have to become parties to marketing using Gandhiji's name.
Monday, November 26, 2007
005 REPLIES TO COMMENTS - GANDHIJI AND WOMEN
Shri Ashok said...
REPLY
Right now I am unable to say anything, without studying deeply.
Here is a link to an article in TRIBUNE, from Chandigarh. The article contains apart from discussion, photos of Ms. Sarala Devi Chowdharani and Gandhiji. This may answer your question at least partly. However, I request you to not to form an opinion or jump into conclusions at this too early a stage.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070602/saturday/main1.htm
Shri Rajmohan Gandhi is a reputed journalist, besides being the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. I do not think that he will try to "cash" by tarnishing the image of his grandfather.
Here is another link to THE HINDU ENGLISH DAILY OF 1st OCT. 2006, an article WHICH CONTAINS FIRST PERSON NARRATION OF MS. SARALA DEVI CHOWDHARANI, about GANDHIJI'S INFLUENCE ON CROWDS. The article also has a group photo in which Ms. Sarala Devi Chowdharani appears:
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/10/01/stories/2006100100090400.htm.
The article does not contain the date of Gandhiji's visit to Orissa. Presumably it may be around 1921, the Non-Cooperation Movement. I have only one comment to say: Does the jewellery thrown away by Indian Women into Gandhiji's begging cloth, shows that they were more dynamic than Indian men?
I remember a book came out titled "Gandhiji and his women associates". Can you post anything interesting from that book? There is serious doubts about his vow of bramacharya. Any illicit relationships that he had? People should know the other side of such person.
November 21, 2007 2:57 PM
REPLY
Right now I am unable to say anything, without studying deeply.
Here is a link to an article in TRIBUNE, from Chandigarh. The article contains apart from discussion, photos of Ms. Sarala Devi Chowdharani and Gandhiji. This may answer your question at least partly. However, I request you to not to form an opinion or jump into conclusions at this too early a stage.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070602/saturday/main1.htm
Shri Rajmohan Gandhi is a reputed journalist, besides being the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. I do not think that he will try to "cash" by tarnishing the image of his grandfather.
Here is another link to THE HINDU ENGLISH DAILY OF 1st OCT. 2006, an article WHICH CONTAINS FIRST PERSON NARRATION OF MS. SARALA DEVI CHOWDHARANI, about GANDHIJI'S INFLUENCE ON CROWDS. The article also has a group photo in which Ms. Sarala Devi Chowdharani appears:
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/10/01/stories/2006100100090400.htm.
The article does not contain the date of Gandhiji's visit to Orissa. Presumably it may be around 1921, the Non-Cooperation Movement. I have only one comment to say: Does the jewellery thrown away by Indian Women into Gandhiji's begging cloth, shows that they were more dynamic than Indian men?
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