Readers’ comments: The Modi government does not have the bandwidth to resolve economic challenges

The Indian economy

The most important thing in life is credibility (In charts: The Modi government is facing a serious cash crunch – thanks to GST). An ordinary person on the road does not understand the Goods and Services Tax and other matters. For him what matters is whether there is any upheaval of life? No. So all the bogus articles on what happened to GST have no meaning. – Vasu Baliga

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I’m afraid bhakts [ardent Bharatiya Janata Party government supporters] will brand this as anti-national so be careful (In charts: The Modi government is facing a serious cash crunch – thanks to GST). – Dadasaheb Anturkar

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Thanks for your reading on the subject concerned. But in my opinion, it is better now than later in spite of [the state of] foreign investment into our country. The economy has also been affected due to natural calamities in the last two to three years. So many government schemes were announced to get direct benefits to those below the poverty line and the Modi government is still trying very hard to get more benefits not only to them but also the middle class and to provide more infrastructure to our country.

So this subject of a cash crunch is not one that will much affect our country. Some very bold decisions have been taken in relation to corruption which led to big revenues losses in the last three decades. Who is responsible for this cash crunch that happened – a Congress government.

I’m a very simple person living with my family in Mumbai with limited means. But I have certainly witnessed the actions of the [erstwhile] Congress government over the last two decades. [They] looted our country just to appease coalition parties and run the show in the name of the Gandhi family.

I may not be as strong in the study of economics as you are, but I believe that the Modi government will certainly come out of this situation soon. All the best to them! – Prakash Gunduka

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Modi has no bandwidth for the economy, neither does he consult people (Slowdown in economy is ‘very worrisome’, bold reforms needed, says Raghuram Rajan). All he consults is the corrupt, ineffective, inefficient Indian Administrative Service. We need bold reforms and the bold Make in India national tendering policy that encourages new technology, ideas and manufacturing in India. The government has to keep land-banks ready. – Manoj Kumar

Unreasonable biases

The simple answer to this question is that most Indians are not as intelligent or politically savvy as the author of this article (Why do Indians often cheer autocratic acts that could greatly destablise their lives?). I suggest all good thinking people make the author the dictator of the country for five years. It will solve the problems enunciated in the article – R Venkat

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The headline of this story is so promising but the argument is half-baked. Who will be convinced that the two reasons why the people today are firmly and blindly behind unreasonable decisions of the Modi government are because we live in the past and don’t understand the present-day context and because we have some deeply held beliefs? Why do we live in the past and why do we have these deeply held beliefs? The writer needs to explain it further. So far I am not convinced. – Charu Sapra

Public policy

This article is really good and informative (Think Tamil Nadu has good public healthcare? It’s hard to find it on the ground). I would like to know the status of general morbidity of the state during 2017-’18. Is it improving? Does Tamil Nadu have a fewer number of ailing persons as compared to 2014? And a fewer number of hospitalisation cases during 2017-’18 than 2014? – Gopa Chattapadhyay

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I read your article on new Codes of Wages Bill that was recently passed by our parliament (In charts: What is a decent minimum wage in India – and how a new law could change it). This may be viewed as an attempt by our government to bridge the gap for all 50 crores employees/workers and also to promote the ease of doing business. But what matters now, is enforcement.

There are, apart from wages, many other points which are mentioned in the labour laws but seldom implemented by industries. There are, of course, some good organisations who offer employee-friendly policies over and above simply following the labour rules defined by the government.

Some companies make their own policies regarding the availing of bonuses and leaves – such as a policy of eligibility after the employee’s completion of a year or half-year with the company. If a worker/employee leaves the job in between or is made to leave the job, he is declined from availing the same by the company that refers to its own policy clause in the full and final settlement.

There are government policies regarding notice period, over-time benefits and other such matters but these provisions to protect the workforce are not implemented strongly, either.

Hence I hope you will also highlight these topics – on how these labour aspects are taken care of/ addressed in the new labour bill passed. Is there some ombudsman like facility to control or address these issues of the workforce who helplessly just shy away from fighting and claiming [their rights]? – Krushna Chandra Panda

General comments

An awesome story titled Before Sanjukta Parashar, there was another gritty female cop from Assam. Thank you very much for enlightening us. I think there should be a statue in the memory of the great lady in Lakhtokia, Guwahati. – Ricky Tro

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It seems P Chidambaram is now tasting the same medicine which he, so ruthlessly and scornfully administered to his political enemies during his heydays as home minister under the United Progressive Alliance rule (INX Media case: P Chidambaram remanded in CBI custody till August 26). It looks like the almighty knows when, where, and whom to strike and why! – KA Krishna Rao

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Like seriously? (YouTube star PewDiePie, who battled T-series for subscribers, marries girlfriend Marzia Bisognin) This is the kind of headline you are going to publish with that title? Can’t you guys allow him one day of happiness by not talking about this subscribers issue now? – Lavanya

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A request from a common man who strives and works hard for a living, who thinks everyone is equal and should be judged without prejudice (‘The government is a bully’: Shehla Rashid on why she tweeted information she could not verify). Do not encourage talks of negativity. All her statements are based on rumours. She is simply trying to gain popularity to gain politically. If people like her become future diplomats, every region will suffer. Why are there articles online about her? What is more important to journalists? Trying to find out the truth, or interview people who have a history of creating propaganda? – Rohit Choudhury

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I have been following Scroll.in and go through all the news I come across while browsing on Facebook (This video of Kanhaiya Kumar has gone viral. He explains why diversity is what unites India).

Off late I have noticed that while practising freedom of expression, Scroll.in often opposes government decisions that may yield unpleasant results. In this article, a person like Kanhaiya Kumar has been glorified by projecting one of his videos on the unification India as having gone viral. Before glorifying Kanhaiya Kumar, refresh your memory of this person. This guy had led a group of students to raise slogans like “Bharat ki barbadi [The ruin of India]” and “Bharat tere tukde honge Insha Allah [If Allah wishes, India will be divided into many pieces]”.

He is a person who was resisted and opposed in his own home town Begusarai and lost badly in the central elections. I condemn any journalism that supports any such an anti-national personality or event, under any circumstances, even in the name of freedom of expression. – Shailendra Chaturvedi

Reviewing history

It is with immense displeasure that I am responding to your article on Netaji (As Andaman islands are renamed after Bose, a reminder: Netaji was intensely disliked by locals).

I am surprised to see your write up criticising Netaji. Do you have any idea what a shameless act it is to criticise a person of the stature of Netaji? The freedom that you enjoy while publishing this article is largely attributed to the pains and glory undertaken by the Indian National Army. – Pratik Sarkar

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Very interesting and thought-provoking case (Crime history: The case of the double murder on an Indian Railways train in the 1920s). Hats off to you. – Anil G Lalla

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Any viewpoint suffers from an inherent fluidity of being channelled into any desired conduit (Reading Savarkar: How a Hindutva icon justified the idea of rape as a political tool). And that flow path may be designed as per your wishes and preoccupied notion. Surely a similar action such as the barbarity of raping the hapless women [relatives] of conquered Muslim fighters cannot be justified, but the explanation offered by Savarkar does have merit. One can ask, was he not true in his so formed opinion? Did he say something that was not already being practised by Muslim conquerors? You cannot be permitted to ignore facts and choose points that suit you to make Savarkar’s view flow into your desired path and still claim impartiality.

I would have agreed if you would have shown some courage to condemn or decry the behaviour of Muslim rulers who encouraged the rape of Hindu ladies. You cannot revise the code of ethics or human virtues in favour of Muslims [such that] if they do it is okay for you. When Savarkar talks, you slur him with calls that he is a Hindu fanatic.

There may be many other faults with him but strictly referring to his this write up, I am fully convinced with his logic. – SN Pandey

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Human history is replete with countless examples that amply illustrate that authoritarian regimes have, across the world and across time, resorted to violent and inhumane tactics to silence common people, especially those from the underprivileged sections of society (With their bravery at Peterloo massacre, British women changed English politics forever). Sadly, they continue doing it to this day.

Dictators are insecure people. The underdog, who fell a prey to the reign of terror, unleashed by the state, anywhere in the world – be it Peterloo or Jallianwala Bagh, or elsewhere – serve as a perennial source of inspiration for millions of human beings across generations. They acquire the status of a role model for every soul that demands their rightful dues. In the long run, the despots, who choose to target the weakest of weak, end up as losers in the war between force and idea. – Samiul Hassan Quadri

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I am a student of humanities in India and I read this article with great pleasure (Shulamith Firestone: The radical feminist who wanted to abolish pregnancy remains relevant).

During a period that is witnessing a growing trend of stereotyping and sidelining of feminism, particularly the radical wave, it is heartening to see an article like this being published.

The body and the natural [process of reproduction] is the space to which the woman has forever remain tied. Hence, the reiteration of a classic critique of one of the methods of women’s corporeal imprisonment is of momentous significance and reminds the world of the issues of gender roles.

I wish to thank you wholeheartedly by publishing such an article and look forward to more such in the future. – Urbee Bhowmik

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Amartya Sen talks about things he knows not: the Greeks had no mathematics (Golden age of Indian mathematics was inspired by Babylon and Greece: Amartya Sen). The Hellenic Greeks knew a little geometry that they learnt from the Egyptians but they were arithmetically challenged. Pythagoras copied his theorem from the Shulba Sutras.

Sen is so ignorant that he does not know that Pythagoras was not even Greek. He was a prisoner of war of Darius who then freed him and gave him money to travel. And guess what, Aryvrata was a part of Darius’ empire. Where do you think Pythagoras got the notion of reincarnation, vegetarianism and his theorem? Well, Taxila was alive [back then]. The white man never wants to give credit to India. Sen genuflects and writes without research. – Arun Jetli