On Wednesday 25 Feb 2009 6:27:48 am Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote: > Its not the rate at which the society has changed. Manipal has this huge > number of engineering colleges that attract a bunch of (mostly spoilt rich, > but generally far too 'modern' for a hick town) kids into the place ..
This may have increased exponentially - but it is not new. Manipal has been attracting rich foreign and Indian students since the 1970s at least. However I was told about the new rich BPO types in small towns like Sagar and the infrastructure to make them spend their money - pubs and malls. I might be wrong - but many of these kids (as has been discussed here) are trained to be American in every way in their working hours and (used to) get paid to match that feeling. All seemed well as long as they were spending, but with the downturn, the rabble rousers seem galvanized. Another data point. The BJP had come to power (at the centre) for a very brief while in 1996 or thereabouts. Sushma Swaraj - who was given Information and Broadcasting immediately demanded that the already modestly dressed women of Doordarshan should appear even more modestly dressed. The plan, along with the BJP disappeared until 1998 by which time this particular event was forgotten by all parties. But it's lurking in there somewhere. I went for at least one meeting organised by an out and out Hindutvadi group. I am currently on their mailing list but I am afraid to download their mails from the server lest they have a connection with Malegaon or some such thing :D I have a very deep sense of what "Hindu" means and I am amazed at what these people are promoting. No it's not merely what is usually discussed in the media - anti-Muslim, anti-Christian stuff. It is blinkers that go to a far deeper level. One guy gave a talk on what is wrong with society today: 1) Children not listening to parents 2) Children wearing non traditional clothes (Jeans and LOL-blow-me-down- salwar kameez - which must be a Muslim dress as per this Einstein. 3) Parents not objecting to children in non traditional clothes. 4) Temples and imagery being used for commerce eg "Lakshmi wines" (I don't suppose anyone asked him about "Ganesh beedis" in Mangalore) 5) Women not respecting their husbands 6) Free mixing of boys and girls, men and women 7) Women not wearing Jasmine flowers in their hair 8) Father and son sharing a drink The man feels that "naturally, when society starts behaving in this way - it goes astray". My suggestion? Go for where it hurts. They need a poll defeat. shiv
