Jose Colaco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I was convinced that India was quite a democratic place. The following from Tehelka...does not make happy reading. > Mario replies: I'm not sure why we are confusing Tehelka with democracy. Tehelka is all about exposing corruption, and would be unable to functon if India were not a democracy.
India is a very democratic place, by any standard. In fact India is the only "less developed" and poor country that has such a strong commitment to democratic processes that it returned from the brink of a dictatorship back to a democracy through the electoral process (see comments about Indira Gandhi below). Is there institutional corruption, graft, bribery, etc? Sure. What does this have to do with whether India is a democracy or not? Democracies are chaotic. So is India. What does chaos have to do with whether India is a democracy or not? India several years ago, by a peaceful electoral process, tossed out of office one iconic Smt. Indira Gandhi when she decided to hold an election (Do such free elections take place in anything other than a democracy? I don't think so.) right after she had declared a state of emergency. India, a year ago, tossed out of office by a peaceful electoral process a powerful BJP party that had just declared "India shining", which it was. ************************************************************** Greet your loved ones in Goa with flowers! http://www.goa-world.com/goa/expressions/ EXPRESSIONS - The Flower Shop. World famous all over Goa! **************************************************************
