In India, obesity carries conviction and credibility among the politicians (Oh!, Aug 14). Basically, it symbolises material prosperity. Not surprisingly, the public at large generally believes that you are not moneyed if you’re not fat. By the way, how many of our good docs are of healthy weight?
Narendra Vasireddi, Boston, US
India’s upper middle class always hates physical work. Lawmakers tracing back to Manu have warned against it.
Ramesh Raghuvanshi, Pune
HOW come pizza was missing from your Red List Foods? One can’t ignore that a vegetarian pan pizza contains 2,200 calories—that’s 400 calories a slice!
R. Rajeev, New Delhi
People getting fat just by eating more—not choosing food wisely—deserve ridicule by society (Fat Isn’t Funny). It’s understandable if there’s some medical factor that makes metabolism extremely slow and cannot be remedied by exercise. Interestingly, in the West, it’s the lower classes of society who get fat—presumably owing to their unhealthy eating habits. The middle and upper classes there are image-conscious, and loathe gaining weight. Inversely, in India, as your income goes up, your waistline catches up.
Akhil Rahul, Chicago
The layers of fat are relatively easy to negotiate; the layers you acquire to combat ridicule is what’s impossible to shed.
Rajalakshmi Iyer, Bangalore
"Inshallah, Kashmir will become part of Pakistan" (Aug 14). Asiya Andrabi’s views are chilling, frightening and archaic. I hope governments all over the world realise that the battle against fanatics who want to establish a world order based on Islam will not be won through force alone. The presence of radical elements within Islam marks a clear and present danger to Muslims living all over the world. As more and more Muslim countries bungle economic growth, the unemployed youth of their countries will turn towards the only remaining option—fundamentalism.
Aanand K., Santa Clara, US
The whole idea of creating a 10,000-strong force to counter disasters sounds ridiculous (When Hells Fall, Aug 14). Do we seriously believe 10,000 men can deal with floods, earthquakes, war or terror attacks?
Abhishek Prakash, on e-mail
I wasn’t surprised to read the Outlook report on the wto Doha Round (No, It is Not as Dead as Doha, Aug 14). The media as also those economists who go ga-ga over the multilateral trade agreement are trying valiantly to flog a dead horse. The fact that the Doha Development Round has nothing to offer to the developing countries is being quietly buried under the rhetoric. Projections of global gains from full trade liberalisation were initially put at $832 billion, of which the developing countries’ gain was estimated at $539 bn. These projections were later scaled down to $287 bn; with developing country share coming down to $90 bn. Before the 2003 Cancun Ministerial, the World Bank had projected the gains at more than $500 bn for the developing countries. Post- Hong Kong Ministerial 2005, the projections showed a "likely Doha scenario" of just $16 bn, out of a global total of $96 bn. According to a paper by Timothy A. Wise and Kevin P. Gallagher of the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University (Medford, US), adjusting for special and sensitive products in agriculture, the gains of 110 developing countries come to just $6.7 bn out of a total of $38.4 billion. This is less than the annual budget of the rural development ministry in India.
Devinder Sharma, New Delhi
The whole mole saga (Phantoms of the N-Opera, Aug 14) goes to show that even in the time of terrorist attacks, politicians can’t think beyond petty politics. As for the name of the mole, it seems only the powers-that-be do not know who he is. The New Indian Express eight years ago and S. Gurumurthy recently have revealed the names—spare Outlook the libel, revisit those sources.
S.R. Prabhu, Alappuzha
In the entire spy controversy, the PM has drawn his first ‘political’ blood, leaving the leader of Opposition in the RS highly embarrassed. One now hopes there’d be no looking back for the good doctor and his political instincts would see the country through on more important issues. For one, he could put his foot down to stop the haste in implementing reservations. Secondly, he must stop any dilution of the rti Act. If anything, it should be made stronger. Otherwise we could see Manmohan and Jaswant switching positions after the next election.
Pranav Sachdeva, New Delhi
"Jaswantji, aapne yeh kya museebat mole li hai?"
Soli Canteenwala, Mumbai
Being the next Warren Buffet and all that is very fine (Boss, Can U Spare Some Change?, Aug 7). But can we first rein in Socialist and Marxist zombies like Beijing Bidwai who stifle entrepreneurship, hate capitalism (but don’t mind its profits). Instead of minding their own business, these sticks-in-the-mud poke their grubby fingers in others’ affairs.
Raj Shah, New Jersey, US
A few questions to Milord, Golu Dev (Aug 7). Can one write a petition to the lord in any Indian language or only in some specific language? Does he get back to petitioners if they have written in Spanish, French, or any other foreign tongue? Is the petition to be in his/her own handwriting or are typed and computer printed documents acceptable? And finally, is the lord’s area of jurisdiction only in India or does it extend to the entire globe?
V. Pandy, Tuticorin
Your article Boss, Can U You Spare Some Change? (Aug 7), though interesting, is misleading in more ways than one. Bequeathing one’s fortune to charity is not unique to the West, nor is it unknown in the East. What seems to have overawed you is the size of the charity the two richest men in the world have pledged. It may be said, without undermining the quality of their gestures, that having nothing more to expect from this world which has given them so much, they’ve decided to give all of their riches away to the society in an inner urge for self-actualisation. But giving away whatever wealth one has is nothing new here. The late M.P. Birla and Priyamvada Birla too bequeathed their Rs 5,000-crore fortune to charity. That brings us to your disappointing omission of the Birlas’ name either as family groups or as corporate chieftains in their commitment to csr or espousal of social causes. The whole of India is dotted with Birla edifices of technological, artistic and scholastic education and public worship. There is bits at Pilani, a branch in Mesra, Ranchi, and it’s spreading out in Goa and Hyderabad. There are hospitals, schools and colleges galore and museums—technological, industrial and artistic—across the country, all created and continuing to be created by the Birlas in the heyday of their lives, and not when they have nothing more to expect from this world.
B.D. Bose, Calcutta
Editor’s note: The Birlas are mentioned in a box titled Other Major Givers, but they refused to divulge their CSR spend.
Omkara is indeed a brilliant act by Vishal Bharadwaj (Moor of Meerut, Aug 14), with a string of super performances by all. I love the UP colour he’s brought into Indian cinema and hope others follow him. Can’t agree more with Naseer in the film when he makes that immortal suggestion to the TT—‘Gaadi ghumaye lo bhaiyya.’
Moin Sattar, UAE
Having been a regular reader of your magazine right since the first issue, I can’t help but comment on "the epistolary paradox" of Outlook. It’s perplexing how a journal so steadfastly liberal in orientation attracts such a preponderance of right-wing mail. It’s almost as if entire schools of letter-writers are being marshalled into going at the mag full tilt, with the editor by far the favourite target. If this is truly indicative of Indian public opinion, one can’t but feel a sense of despair. For, if this reflects the mindset of our English-speaking intelligentsia (with nris in the vanguard), how much hopeless must the larger picture be? However, the upside is that here’s a magazine which has held its ground, issue after issue: and like it or not, the Right (as also the doctrinaire Left) is forced to take note of it and respond.
S.A. Hussain, Hyderabad
Obviously, Mr Mehta, you relish the hate mail you get very often and in bulk. It’s a strange chemistry that your readers want to bash you up for your opinions but can’t stop subscribing to Outlook either. As regards your ardent secular views, sometimes stretching to absurd limits, it’s probably because of your growing up in Lucknow. I fervently wish though that you outgrew the feelings that I too once harboured and nourished, as the ground realities are different with the new generation. Besides, let me remind you that it was the landlords and zamindars of Oudh who demanded Pakistan, not the landowning Punjabi Muslim gentry who actually opposed it.
Ajit Mishra, on e-mail
To be on the same side of the fence as Vinod Mehta is a new experience for me, as I find his perceptions on various issues very different from mine. However, his concern over the electronic media’s unethical invasion of our drawing rooms, 24/7 (Delhi Diary, Aug 14), struck a chord in me. The level they stoop to so as to increase their viewership is gaining frightening proportions. More frightening for me though is Mr Mehta’s lack of hope in the print media in maintaining standards. God forbid, if it ever so happens—who shall we turn to, for respite?
Roopam Dubey, Patna
Mr Mehta is right in saying that the Indian media is not like that of Great Britain or US—arrogant, intrusive, celebrity-obsessed, vulgar, partisan.... Except one.
A.N. Paranjape, Bangalore
Whatever the reasons for the Editor (not the pet but the Outlook supremo) to have appeared without a break, I for one, take it as a matter of great joy. It may sound like sycophancy, but I cannot think of any other writer whose scribbling (or column if you like) I like reading more than that of Vinod Mehta. Not even that of Khushwant Singh, the darling of the masses as far as expressing plain but hard-hitting views are concerned.
Amitabh Thakur, Lucknow
Agreed that a senior editor like Mr Vinod Mehta is entitled to blow his trumpet. He and his ilk periodically disrobe our rogue netas, keep our self-seeking babus in check. It’s done with aplomb when a high-profile individual or a P3P is affected. But does anyone have time for a Ram, Rahim or a Bhoop Singh—an aam aadmi who is murdered in cold blood but which the policewalas call a suicide? His property is snatched away by the karyakartas of political goons, and he is beaten mercilessly. And if he so much as makes a noise, his wife, his sister or a daughter is brutally raped. Do you hacks ever spend time to get him justice? Sounding an alarm is not enough, Mr Mehta. You have to wield your mighty pen to show the netas, babus and the corrupt cops that poor Joe Sucker on the street is not alone!
M.L. Banerji, Lucknow
‘Sensationalism, hype... phoney scoops, contrived drama...have all combined to do the damage’. This is media messiah Vinod Mehta’s take on the electronic media. One only has to turn the back page, to Glitterati, to an item titled Sly Lakshmi. Vinod Mehta is caught guilty on every count of the abhorrent evils he lists. These two pages symbolise the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde roles Outlook and its editor play. It cuts deep into my heart as my grand-daughter who has made all of us feel proud with her achievement is targeted for defamation.
Nandagopal, Hyderabad
A little too full of ourselves, are we, Mr Mehta? So easy it is to take all the credit for the real/presumed good in the media and blame TV for the rest. The media needs to get off its high horse and this pretence of being "fair". Personally, I am OK with just free—I don’t think fair is even possible—there will be a tilt, a bias, an alignment. Nothing wrong with it except when there are pretensions to the contrary.
Arun Maheshwari, Bangalore
To quote from a Reader’s Digest feature, Laughter, The Best Medicine: "Q: What’s the difference between God and a journalist? A: God doesn’t think he’s a journalist." In our country, two classes get away with the belief that they are above reproach and regulation: the politicians, and the mediapersons. On the flip side, both the print and the electronic media in India are victims of two developments: strong political partisanship and over-dependence on coporate advertising. The causes of erosion, as listed out by Mr Mehta, are more of ‘marketing’ gimmickry. It’s the survival of the fittest, mate.
R. Raghavan, Chennai
I congratulate Mr Mehta for trying to be fair in this very unfair world. In the US, UK and Europe, the media is controlled by rich and powerful magnates a la Rupert Murdoch or the ruling party or political lobbies. Independent media entities like yours are rare. I wish you success in your endeavour!
K.V. Sadasivan, Bharuch
Outlook and its Editor should be the first to be listed in Journalism’s ‘Hall of Shame’.
Vidudala Prasad, New York
With the kind of support base you have here, Mr Mehta, you can happily start an Outlook-e-Pakistan. You wouldn’t even need to change content, writers or affiliations.
Narayan, Zurich
I relished reading Vinod Mehta’s Delhi Diary this time (Aug 7). I sincerely agree when he says the Mumbaikar is tired of being called ‘resilient’. Ask the family and friends of the hapless victims. Do they feel resilient? Why can’t the media get off the ‘The Great Mumbaikar’ story and focus on asking the government some tough questions.
Srikanth S., Chennai
Surely someone better than Khushwant Singh, who’s no more than a gossip columnist, could have reviewed Mulk Raj Anand’s book (Jul 31). A serious evaluation of his book is necessary if your book reviews are to be read at all, unless, of course, you think they’re part of the entertainment pages!
M.C. Gabriel, Secunderabad
While nothing should be done to demoralise those investigating the 7/11 blasts, some transparency is in order. Scores of youth of a particular community are being indiscriminately detained across India; some of them even arrested. We need some measure of public accountability. If we start suspecting our own people, we’ll only make the terrorists happy.
Pranav Sachdeva, New Delhi
In the story ‘He is of this soil’ (Aug 21), teri should have been referred to as The Energy Research Institute. We regret the error.
