.... it is true that I have said that 90% Indians (not all) are fools. My intention in saying so was not to hurt anyone but to awaken people to the realities, that is, the widespread casteism, communalism, superstitions, and other backward traits in the mindset of a large section of our people which is blocking our progress and keeping us poor.
US is pretty communal (how many non Christians have won elections?)...that has not kept them poor. Christians are pretty superstitious about the number 13...that has not kept them poor..... I guess those things only affect us inferior Indians.
2. The figure 90% is not a mathematical figure, it simply means that in my opinion a large proportion of Indians (and again I repeat, not all) are fools.
Ah....This must be the famous scientific outlook and scientific temper you have referred too...not to mention mental attitudes.
4. I made this comment not to humiliate or harm anyone but because I love the Indian people, they are my people, and I wish them to prosper and have decent lives, which is only possible if the Indian masses develop the scientific outlook and scientific temper and give up casteism, communalism, superstitions and other mental attitudes which a large part (not all) of them presently suffer from.
Ah ...so you must be like the father who claims he loves his kids but abuses them, calls them names and beats them so that they get better.
I wish to see India in the front ranks of the advanced industrialized nations of the world, with our people having a high standard of living, instead of suffering from the present evils of massive poverty, unemployment, price rise, corruption, farmers suicides, child malnutrition, absence of health care and good education, casteism etc.
Narendra Modi wishes to see all of that too....but he actually does something about it rather than sit in his air conditioned house and call people fools.
So you see I made that statement not to harm the Indian people, whom I love, but to benefit them. The truth is sometimes bitter, but sometimes bitter medicine has to be given to an ailing person.
How lucky we are to have you, a pompous self certified doctor give ailing us bitter medicine.
Having said this, I may proceed to give a more elaborate explanation.
Lucky us..
1. When most of our people go to vote they cast their votes on the basis of caste or religion, not the merit of the candidate. What else is the meaning of vote banks? And this is exploited by some unscrupulous politicians who know how to manipulate and manage these vote banks. That is why many persons with criminal backgrounds get elected.
......gee...all this time foolish Indians thought that it was because our constitution institutionalised caste by making provisions for it in education and jobs, promotion and even reserving certain constituencies for dalit candidates.......We further foolishly thought that Indian Judiciary (of which you were a part for for a very long time) has abdicated its responsibility to delivery justice in time and put criminals behind bars.
2. Honour killings are common in many parts of the country. This is a barbaric practice, and shows how backward many of us still are.
Ya...mass killing for honour like war to avenge 9/11, to hunt for osama or war on terror is a much civilized behaviour. Killing others is honourable...killing our own is barbaric.
3. Dowry deaths are common in India, and as a former Judge I can tell you that our courts have a large number of cases of young married women who are murdered in a barbaric manner by their in laws for not getting dowry e.g. by pouring petrol on them and setting them on fire.
How about death due to malnutrition ? ...not as romantic and glamorous as dowry death. How about mortality during child birth ? How about any un-natural death all over the world ?
5. Female foeticide is common in many parts of India. Often when a male child is born the relatives are happy and distribute sweets, but when a female child is born often relatives get dejected. This is also a sign of backwardness among many of us.
This is a sign of unequal opportunities in a society with low physical security. China went through his phase too....or are they backward too ?
6. Communalism, which was almost non-existent in 1857, is widespread in our society today.
Cool.....dint know you were born before 1857 to give us a first hand account.
Muslims are often falsely implicated in bomb blasts and they have to spend years in jail though ultimately found innocent.
Hindus are also falsely implicated in crimes and spend years in jail though ultimately found innocent. Maybe you should have done something about it when you were a Judge. Strangely we have never found you speak out against other Judges.
As I mentioned, upto 1857 communalism was almost non-existent in India. There were no doubt differences between Hindu and Muslims, but there was no enmity between them. In the Mutiny of 1857 Hindus and Muslims jointly fought against the British.
.....by that logic ...since different caste fought against the British there is no casteism in India either.
5. Superstition is rampant in India. Most people believe in astrology, which is pure superstition and humbug. And it is not just the illiterates who believe in it, it is also most of the so called educated people in India. Many Ministers and Judges prefer to take oath of office at the auspicious time.
Most educated people believe Mary was a virgin and Muhammed spoke to Allah....or are only beliefs & superstitions of hindus a problem for you?
6. A large section of the media, taking advantage of the backwardness of a large section of our people, dishes out lives of filmstars, cricket, etc as if these are the real issues before the people, when the real issues are socio-economic.
I get it....news media should show only what you want them to show. We should see only what you want us to see ...what you want us to hear. You wish to make us not fools.
.................How lucky we are to have this incredible human walk among us.