Stock market crash

Trading has been stopped twice on the Bombay Stock market as stock prices have crashed by over 700 points. It's an ominous start of the Congress government. Although news is just filtering in, that the stocks have recovered about 300 points. Interesting to note that the brokers are now blaming the media for the mayhem! I think that's a bit rich, considering how many of them have been lamenting the fall of the BJP government and saying in public that reforms will stop. Honestly, the media is such a convenient scapegoat...

Some more on Arundhati Roy, who predicts that the attacks on Sonia Gandhi will continue. Again, some hyperbole from her, but I thoroughly agree with her on one point. If we welcome with open arms, those Indians who have given up their nationality, and make life so much easier for them, why do we find it so hard to accept someone who has willingly taken on the citizenship of our country? Look at the newsreports in the aftermath of the death of Kalpana Chawla- the government was quick to jump on the bandwagon and celebrate her 'Indianness'. I am a huge admirer of Chawla for many many reasons, but I am also conscious that she choose to give up her Indian citizenship, and if she hadn't I am not sure if she would have found a place on that NASA crew. So, when we are willing to claim as our own, those who have voluntarily renounced the country, why all this hostility to Sonia..is it because she is white?

On a completely unrelated note, this is a gruesome story. It's not wonder that we've begun to lost faith in our medical profession. I would argue that doctors in India, in many areas, do an admirable job under much stress. But what is lacking completely are ethics. Especially in rural areas, where the doctor is akin to god, the powers that can be abused are enourmous. I will never forget the letters that poured into the Anandabazar following the Kunal Saha decision, that has since been tragically reversed. So many poor people from the villages had tales to tell about their apathy at the hands of doctors- the callousness is mind numbing. And doctors will always stand up for their own ilk, even if they are wrong. You could perhaps argue that there is no ethical training imparted to doctors in India- they are taught their medicine well, but they are not taught to be good doctors, or how to deal with patients humanely. This case however, has nothing to do with that. Dr Ravi Kumar is a criminal, and deserves to be treated as such.