Phew !.,

I just stumbled upon one good reason for immigrating from India to Canada.

This post should make some CD's happy?.

If you have been following the news from India, you would have noted that the Government of India would like to establish reservations in the IIT's, IIM's and centers of advanced learning. They would also like to extend it to jobs in private sector. But these reservations will not be in effect in educational institutions/companies run by minorities.

This idea has been opposed by Ratan Tata and also Rahul Bajaj; while Narayana Murthy of Infosys has welcomed this idea. Thanks to Meera Ram daughter of the Late Jagjivan Ram these ideas would go through and would been seen in action in the next years.

I do not want to go into the social issue of whether reservations are right or wrong. I do not know much about reservations in other states in India; while I know how it works in Tamil Nadu. Once the late MGR the chief minister of Tamil Nadu had a meeting for discussion reservations in the state, and when he added up all the requests he found the total added upto 105%.

There are many people who have benefited from this idea and has helped them to uplift themselves economically and socially. I have been affected negatively , but I made up for it through other means.

Hence the future of the so called FC's(Forward Castes) is under question in India. The way the reservation works in India is that if there is a person from so called BC or OBC and he has gotten very high marks he would be moved to the open list, and his slot in the reserved category would be given to another of his caste. This way reservation would deny a seat for a so called FC from his seat.

If this is the way the governments are going to cater to vote banks, the so called FC's will have no say in education/jobs and other opportunities. I can see a so called social purging happening in India. This has already happened in Tamil Nadu, where many FC's migrated out the villages to towns in 1930's to 50's later on to cities and to North India in 1970-80's. They have now migrated to countries like US of A and Canada.

The current elections in Tamil Nadu is very interesting. The country upon independance divided based on religion, and later on ideology of socialist, communist and so on so forth. In Tamil Nadu there is a clear cut demarkation based on caste. Every party has the interest of a particular caste. A prominent movie actor/political leader has switched parties recently as he found his caste has been marginalized. It is very interesting to see how clear and precisely the common man knows the exact percentage of each caste in his state, district and in his village.

The political activeness has increased dramatically and each caste has found that they would be affected if they do not unite and show as one huge force.

So much for the discussion on the reservation policy of India. But by migrating from India to Canada, you have an opportunity atleast pursuing an education based on your interest and not based on your availablity of admission. One thing I like in Canada is that you are not discriminated based on your religion and you are free to show your religious identity. I find it very interesting to see many Islamic students covering their heads, while Sikh students carrying their religious symbols(the recent Supreme Courth ruling), and amazingly the Srilankan Tamils wearing Vibhuti(holy ash), sandal paste, Bindi to school and work. The Indian tamils are reluctant to wear the vibhuti, bindi or even the tikka to school or work place. I know in many schools in Tamil Nadu you are forbidden to wear this vibuti, Bindi or tikka. There have been cases where the school authorities have forcibly erased/removed them from students.

It'll be really interesting to see in future, when Bill Gates or Dell will be called upto Delhi and told to hire based on the reservation guidelines. They will be then called to the state where they have their operations and given another set of guidelines, following which the local leaders at the site of operations will give their own set of lists.

If you would have seen the recent Oprah-\"Schools in Crisis\", you would realize the kind of discrimination happening in US of A between schools in inner cities and outskirts. Bill Gates and Belinda Gates have sounded the alarm on the disparities, and he referred to India as a good potential challenger to the School systems in US of A.

I'll wait to see his reaction on the new developments in India.

But still Mera Bharat Mahaan!.

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Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"

Shankarcharya,

Thanks for making the members’ of this forum aware of the disadvantages faced by members of the forward community in India. It was precisely for this reason that I left India.

In the early 90’s when a student had to secure admission for medicine or engineering in a premier institution on an open merit the percentage of marks required was very high. Since I belong to the Brahmin community I had to secure admission in the open category only. I used to study from 8 pm every night till 3.30 in the morning and because having a dinner would make me feel sleepy I skipped dinner every night. I did this for one year and for getting good marks in botany and zoology I used to practice the drawings on glass with a fountain pen. I did manage to get 99% marks and secured admission in VJTI, Grant medical college and UDCT. Students belonging to the SC/ST community could secure admission just by getting 40% marks. When the constitution of India guarantees equality to every Indian it is the politicians who make a mockery of the system. There are instances where students from the forward community have committed suicide because they were unable to secure admission for a professional course.

It will be because of this reasons that India will never be known for its innovations and scientific breakthroughs. The number of patents produced is negligible and the funding for research is very little. Added to this is the quality of education in the majority of institutions which is deplorable. I have met engineers from private colleges who don’t have a clue about engineering. The only reason they got admission was because their parents had money to pay capitation fees.

And did you come across the news article in mid-day where an accident victim (a 21 year old student) was lying unattended for 5 hours at Matunga station because the railway staffs were busy having their dinner and ignored the pleas to shift the victim to a hospital.

Mera Bharat SUCKS and it sucks big-time,

Regards,

Nikhil

Dear Nikhil,

Thanks for your prompt response. I feel the pain in your heart. What I would request you is to reconsider your last statement on India. Whatever you may say this is your mother land. Will you disown your mother?. Yes injustice has been done, and what you have seen is in the last 50 years, and you cannot write away the 6000+ years of tradition based on the last 50 years.

Have you seen an English movie called Indian Jones, where in Harrison Ford is challenged by many a sword fighters for a few minutes, and he atlast answers them with a single bullet shot. That is what should be done.

When you are oppressed and you'll get oppressed if you accept it and let it happen. The oppressions will stop when you retaliate. In terms of the community you are referring, they gave in when they were oppressed. They were the Land Owners hundreds of years ago. They lived like Kings before. They were known for intellectual work and not for physical labor. They had people work for them in the fields and they enjoyed the fruits. They never ventured into the fields or learnt to defend themselves. I'm very clear not to attack but to defend themselves. In India the guy who carries the sword is the ruler. If you accept it, you'll appreciate that the reason that community left its belongings, lands and immigrated out without staying inside and resisting/fighting oppressors is the real reason for their current state of affairs in India. Can you name one political party or leader from that community. Today in Tamil Nadu films the joker or the person who will be joked upon will be always from that community. If you try to poke fun at any other religion, you will find big demonstrations, attacks to ban the movie and also to burn the movie roll or theater down. Please talk to any tamil and you'll know about it.This community does not have a big population, does not have more than 2 children and always employed in private sector. Never you would find a person from this in Government jobs or as a politician, policeman, judge or any public office. Let us take a hypothetical case in Mumbai or Chennai or Delhi, some one makes fun of this community person, what will be the response of the next person from this community?. He/She would say let us stay out of this as it may cause harm and move away. Just see what would happen when a person of someother community is put into situation, the whole village would be there with all their force, sticks, sickle, country made bomb and may be even a ICBM.

The only way out is to unite and stand as a force.

I see the same happening to Desis over time in Canada. Look a particular community and its political clout in Ottawa. Everytime I look at the Prime Minister, he is more in India on a photo opportunity, then I can see him in Ottawa. I saw Chretian, followed by Martin. I did not see Harper yet. But I'm worried for Harper, as he went to our neighbouring country and his statements of a relook at our nuclear relationship is very worrisome.

Have you ever thought, why Chretian or Martin is not visiting the Balajis for a photo opportunity?. Because as Indians we stand divided. We will first see whether the next guy is from the same state, if then, from the same caste, then same subcaste and the list goes on.Look at Harper, he has outlawed LTTE in Canada.The force of LTTE is a pure hindu outfit fighting the Sinhalese oppression and wants a separate state. Look what it is fighting against. It is fighting against the Sinhalese army, which is trained by the MOSSAD -Israeli secret service, armed by our neighbour and supported in arms/policies from our Big Brother in Canada. Our own GOI opposes this group. The reason being the murder of Shri.Rajiv Gandhi the ex-Prime Minister of India. I CONDONE THIS ACT BY THIS GROUP. But due you know, why they were forced to do this?. When our IPKF went it there, they went on a free for all and plundered them and raped their women.You talk to any Sri Lankan tamil, and they will tell you gory stories of women being raped by IPKF and how repeatedly they had warned about this to Mr.Rajiv Gandhi who did not bother to correct matters.The Sri Lankan Tamils are really thankful to the former Chief Minister MGR, who supported their cause. Today all the politicians in India does not care for any group other than LTTE. Other than the PM, President of India the only other person whose car drives up all the way to the PM's residence door is Ms.Jayalalitha's. She is a bad dream to many politicians/people in India. She shits in her pants only for LTTE. She knows that this group can take her out, whenever they want.This group is not buckled down. They are fully supported by their people, who will give their life to attain their cause. The Sri Lankan Tamil population would unite instantenously when under attack. Will our Indians do the same?. If the Desis do not unite and be politically active, be part of the society in terms of postperson, police men, judiciary and all forms of life, we will be brushed aside the same way it happened to you in India. Where will you go from Canada?.

A typical Desi wants to be IT guy or a office person, do a 9-5 job, buy a detached house with 3 bedrooms, 2 cars, a puppy dog, bring his parents over from India. Make a trip every two years to India and do the week end groceries, laundry and a trip to the local temple. He wants to get his RESP or RRSP together and wants to have a Happy life. What is wrong in that ?, is a question we need to ponder up on.How many of us have visited our MP or MPP's office. How many of us have volunteered our time/efforts during the local elections. How many of us even volunteered to be in your children student council.It has been announced in Ontario that there will be a 15% rise in your Hydro Bill. Has anybody asked why so?. Nope. Everytime the gas prices rises in US of A, the Canadian sellers also raise their prices. Why so?. We all know Alberta is full of oil and hence it can give out a stable supply without worrying about supply disruption in the gulf coast or full capacity in the Middle East, or political uncertainity in Venezuela or armed bandits taking over Nigerian sources or last but not the least blaming the Chindia(coined by Martin-for China & India) for using too much oil.

Can you go to your boss and say I want a raise of 15% in my salary as my efficiency has gone down?. This exactly what the Ontario hydro is saying is that their cost of production is higher than their selling price. What were they doing so long without fixing the cost increases internally or looking for alternative methods, technologies or methods?.

Gross marginalization happens only if you let it happen!.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"

Shankaracharya,

Injustice has been done, is being done and will be done by politicians who seek to garner votes just by playing the caste cards. I dread what will happen in the next 50 years if things continue in this manner. The judicial system is in shambles and with a conviction rate of just 6% criminals walk away free. Doctors with post graduate degrees cannot secure a permanent job if they belong to the forward caste but bar girls can earn in millions without having to pay any taxes. Terrorists cross our borders with impunity, commit crimes and walk away scot-free. Remember the shooting incident at Indian Institute of Science. Are we so impotent that we can’t cross the line of control and take down the training camps across the border? It’s a misfortune that India is surrounded by such neighbors and we still extend our hand of friendship to them. We feed them with our fingers and they bite our hand and bleed us. We have to protect our places of worship because of these cowardly terrorists and we can’t send a clear message to them because if we shoot or hang them in full view then their sympathizers in India won’t like it and our politicians are more concerned about this segment of population.

If only India had been governed by people like Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Lalbahadur Shastri our destiny would have been different. Perhaps we wouldn’t have left India and crossed the oceans.

Btw do you know Kannada? I am from Udupi yeah the land of Madhvacharya and Sri Krishna.

Regards,

Nikhil

Quote:

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Originally posted by Nikhil

Shankaracharya,

Injustice has been done, is being done and will be done by politicians who seek to garner votes just by playing the caste cards. I dread what will happen in the next 50 years if things continue in this manner. The judicial system is in shambles and with a conviction rate of just 6% criminals walk away free. Doctors with post graduate degrees cannot secure a permanent job if they belong to the forward caste but bar girls can earn in millions without having to pay any taxes. Terrorists cross our borders with impunity, commit crimes and walk away scot-free. Remember the shooting incident at Indian Institute of Science. Are we so impotent that we can’t cross the line of control and take down the training camps across the border? It’s a misfortune that India is surrounded by such neighbors and we still extend our hand of friendship to them. We feed them with our fingers and they bite our hand and bleed us. We have to protect our places of worship because of these cowardly terrorists and we can’t send a clear message to them because if we shoot or hang them in full view then their sympathizers in India won’t like it and our politicians are more concerned about this segment of population.

If only India had been governed by people like Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Lalbahadur Shastri our destiny would have been different. Perhaps we wouldn’t have left India and crossed the oceans.

Btw do you know Kannada? I am from Udupi yeah the land of Madhvacharya and Sri Krishna.

Regards,

Nikhil

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Desi Raja,

Thanks for your reply. I agree that in Tamil Nadu the discrimination is more prevalent. The upper castes have stopped wearing the scared thread to lose their identity and to avoid humiliation. Some Brahmins like Kamala Hassan have done the unthinkable and they gorge on meat.

Shiva Shiva,

Nikhil

Nikhil & Desiraja,

I appreciate to your views on this community. Whenever people from this community complain, I always ask them whether they know about a country called Israel.

Israel is a very small country. It is basically of the Jewish people, who have been brought from all parts of the world including India. They are totally surrounded by their enemies.Their enemies main slogan is \"Death to Israel\". Everyday you would find atleast one country comes out says that they would like to see that the country of Israel is removed from the face of the world map.Has it happened, and do you see it happening in the near future?. Have you ever pondered why they are able to survive?. It is pure determination and will power. They have a slogan, which is \"Arm for an Arm\", unlike Jesus Christ who said\"Show your other cheek, when you are slapped on your cheek\". If you study the history of Israel, you would be amazed how systematically they have worked at building the country and also building arms technology. There are a few series which you can watch on the History channel about the history of Israel from the last 2000 years.

Hence for their future, if this community has to survive in this world they have to follow the Israeli model. If not they would be extinct like the Dinosaurs!.

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Nikhil Swami,

Nanage Kannada chennaki barathathe. Namma Annavuru Sivaloka prapthi aki thare.

Nanage Kannada mathadeke barathate, barioke barothila.

Susvagatha!

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"