I would like to share an incident of my friend, Beni (Not his actual name, friends call him Beni as he is from Benipatti). After completing his Masters from a prestigious engineering college, he was jobless for some time, due to the slowdown in IT industry then. One day, as usual, an 'Uncleji' from his neighbourhood came to his house and started telling examples of some of the successful boys in that colony. He asked him, "Look at them and look at yourself. What are you doing here?". Beni replied, "I am breaking rotis in my father's hotel. Do you have any problem?". He got a slap from his elder sister for this rudeness. Later, when he got an offer from one of the best Indian company, he did not call his father first to tell the good news. It was the 'Uncleji' whom he called. Beni is now in US, and has started a sort of consultancy to help Bihari and Jharkhandi students to get a job in US.

The reason behind telling this incident to the readers is - we either don't react at all or we overreact. There are n-dimensions to see something. I stop here, or I will be overreacting myself. - Kumod Jha - Jan.30, 2006

A month back, I wrote my first article to PatnaDaily, complaining of the poor quality of discussions in this forum. Then, some old writers of PD told me, "Babu, kahan ho tum? Write an article here before preaching others and then talk of quality". Those who are writing articles are not professional journalists and they do not have a wish to become one either. We just express our concerns which are relevant to us. If you go through the archives, you will find that the articles which caused heated arguments, were mostly those which could have better been avoided. Many good articles died uncommented. We bother to write only when it is a controversial topic or a provocative comment.

Recently, people have started appreciating well-written articles for a good change. If we want to improve the quality of the articles, we must appreciate good ones to encourage the author. I have observed an unfortunate trend of supporting/opposing the author himself instead of his views in the article. The reasons are beyond my comprehension.

I expect people to write on diverse topics of interest, for instance, the recent statement of US ambassador, the SC verdict on the dissolution of assembly, and positive topics like Sister Sudha Varghese being awarded the Padma Shri. And such articles should bring positive discussions, not a mere outburst of sentiments.

I personally do not crave for any appreciation for my articles. I am talking about many other authors who write far better than me. Some of them have stopped writing these days. Not everyone has a 'moti chamri' (easy-going) like some of us. To speak bitter truth is good only till it starts giving us a pleasure. - Kumod Jha - Jan.30, 2006

Kumod Jha had made a very good observation in his comment. It indeed is true that some people just write in opposition or "go after" the author personally. Sometime they are caustic in their opposition and sometimes they are civil but very persistently on the other side of the fence on any issue being discussed.

But, one must realize that, though this is disheartening, this is the system we have to live and function in. You can choose your friends, but your relatives - God chooses them for you! Similarly, our community has been given to us and we have to work with that 'given'. Still, we can express our unhappiness about issues pertaining to how some in the community participate. Kumod Jha had done just that and I agree with him completely. - Aarcee Jan. 30, 2006

Good is good and bad is bad, by this I mean Good is what is acceptable to the majority in this forum and bad is something which is irrelevant and something presented forcibly to all of us to swallow.

We have a host of talented writers like Kumod Jha, Aarcee and other names I don't remember but i do appreciate their views in all their articles. Their articles are very honest their subject matter is also very relevant and the presentation is widely acceptable, barring the uncle and the chapati, and the consulting company, hard to believe example of Kumod Jha in the above comment on this subject.

If the article is good people generally don't comment but its a silent admiration. However, if the article is malicious and the author has tried to ignore the simple norms of this forum, we all see a strong reaction and which is quiet right also.

If the food is bad people vomit and this is what happens here also. If any article is a great work, people will admire and if its malicious people will react and that "go after" the author happens because readers are sensible enough to figure out the intentions of the author. People read the lines and in between lines because here no one is dumb and nobody should be expected to be a dumb as few people think.

The difference between democracy and dictatorship is - in democracy the people are ruled as per their wish and in dictatorship one person tries to rule others against their wishes, so is this forum if any author who has the opportunity to speak his mind should be careful enough to understand the general moods of all here, if he tries to impose like a dictator, he will face strong objections.

The freedom of speech does not allow anyone to say anything but only what is within the line of others peoples acceptance. There is going to be reactions by some of us here if we do find people trying to use this forum for self interest and if they try to sell their own business venture here. This is not the Maurya Lok of Patna on net, but this is a readers forum for a range of enlightening issues. If people have something to share we all welcome it with good spirit.

I appeal to each one of us here to be more understanding and think twice people putting views on net, coz its read by a range of people from all part of world and it should not hurt anyone's sentiment.

I guess this debate will give a positive message to everyone that 'PATNADAILY is read by wise people and wise subjects will be appreciated and a majority of readers will reject any junk. Instead of fighting amongst us and teaching others, we need to come back to where we started by penning down good articles on this forum and forget that author and the business plan which featured few days back.

Looking forward to more interesting and enlightening debates on this forum in future with respect and apologies to all. - Ashutosh Singh, London, UK - Jan. 31, 2006

I wonder what would have happened had Ravi Pandeyji not been an NRI and had he been residing in Patna. The lynch brigade would have promptly declared him a cheat and banished him from writing any further on this forum. Had he persisted to write in, his articles would have been read with biased minds "Here comes the cheat. Let us see what plan he has this time." I am sure the meaning of all his writings would have been distorted out of recognition. Why did the lynch brigade back off when Pandeyji announced that he was an NRI? NRIs are the very same Indians (the same wine in different bottle). The globe trotting half Indian Charles Shobhraj was a criminal, was'nt he? There are many pure Indians like him. Changing countries does not change the man. Let us continue the tirade against Pandeyji. He was trying to swindle you. Similarly had a Caucasian sounding name made a similar appeal as Shri Pandey, had we been equally caustic? Now that is slave mentality.

We praise the systems of foreign countries and say "See how much they trust people. They have a returned goods counter where things are returned without questions being asked." Then, with a cynical smile we add "Had it been in India, Indians would buy clothes only ones in their life time and wear new clothes everyday."

We are cynical about our own people all the time. How do we develop trust. India and Pakistan have been exchanging CBMs for decades now and still no trust could be generated. Hunt for CBMs within our own people will be an equally endless and futile exercise. There are many good people for every thug in the Indian society. Sometimes we have trust the goodness of people. We can invest small amounts and identify the good people and the thugs. I agree that, in spite of our carefulness, some money may be lost. But that is the price for moving ahead - making some headway. While we develop systems to control the thugs, the same systems should reach out, trust and help other people. A blanket cynicism towards everything Indian will get us no where. Remember, our pride and respect world over is stuck to the respect India commands. Let us find ways to shun the cynical, slave mentality and move ahead. - Raj - Feb. 1, 2006

I sincerely think Ravi Pandey made an honest misjudgment in approaching the readers in the manner he did. I am not willing to accept that he was out to swindle people. He was, in my opinion, trying to challenge people to express their commitment, but he became overzealous.

There was a king who wanted his subjects to pour a cup of milk in a dry well in an attempt to see how much his subjects were behind them. People came all night and poured. In the morning the well was full of water. I think Mr. Ravi assumed the role of the guy going around with a flashlight trying to see what the people were pouring in the well. No wonder he got attacked. One thing emerges from this all. Most readers are not willing / capable of investing in Bihar. Let's face it and let the sleeping dogs lie.

Instead of being negative and saying "Lets keep the attacks going on Mr. Ravi", we must recognize that he, at least had the galls to write a few original articles. As Kumod Jha rightly pointed out, we must try to keep our guns pointed away from people who care to write on diverse topics. They are assets. Let's not lose Ravi for a misjudgment. We all grow up making mistakes. We must forget it all and move on. I am hoping to see another article by Ravi soon. - Aarcee - Feb. 1, 2006

I was not being "negative". I was being "sarcastic". I just wanted to highlight the fact that the waters of PD have become shark infested. I like the analogy - Mr. Ravi pointed his torch at guys pouring water and was verbally lynched. He had not asked for any money. He was just suggesting a line of action that came to his mind. Instead of going into the merits / demerits of his idea, the only thing that the sharks saw was that he talked of real action and money. In a way Mr. Ravi had unwittingly challenged the "diarrhea of words and constipation of action" or the "Crocodile tears for Bihar" and found himself swimming in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with sharks encircling him.

Raviji must be wiser now. The golden rule is on this forum never ever hint at any action or make budgets to make it look so simple and you are safe. The safest thing to do is advice the CM, lament over the filth / crime in Bihar, talk of the weather, talk of literature, art or anything under the sun except the topics for which PD floated this forum.

You escaped this time because the sharks do not like the taste of NRIs and they spat you out. Next time they may come with more evolved taste buds. Watch out next time. The sharks here are so clever they do not even show their triangular fins. The waters look so placid - no sign of them. When you see nothing you can attack nothing and they can chew your rear anytime. - Raj - Feb. 1, 2006

I apologize for any ruffled feathers. I failed to catch the sarcasm in Mr. Raj's article. My mistake.

Mr. Ravi should not feel 'down' about this incident. On prior occasions he should have seen a reader by the name of Nidhi Singh come after my jugular. This is what life is. You have got to ride with the waves and roll with the punches. I hope Ravi and other readers who have gotten chewed on, keep on writing - just as soldiers brave enemy fire keep fighting. - Aarcee - Feb. 2, 2006

I think Mr Raj and Mr Aarcee have hit the nail on the head. I am appalled the way "lynch brigade" has targeted Mr Ravi for his honest attempt to do something constructive for the people of Bihar. I was the first to comment on that article spilling my effusive encomiums for the gusto that his article deserved. I was extremely happy that someone was here to dispel the hollow voices that clamored for Bihar Development. In fact I remember mentioning sending your "Goodwill" through your NRI accounts to your immediate family and let them reroute it into trusted hands. That way you are assured that your money is not leaking through the holes. And I said that exactly knowing the pulse of this forum where trust is a fad for the showing but when push comes to shove these sharks are stealthily lurking for a pounce of your flesh. Moreover Raviji's invitation did not stretch out to the sharks of this forum but to everyone who sincerely wishes for the welfare of Bihar and is ready to join the "Bihar vikas abhiyaan". And like I said each one of us can do our bit in our little way. It need not be an official establishment that one needs to operate from.

An article need not be perceived in literal absoluteness but rather assimilated for the goodness that it conveys. - Siddharth Verma - Feb. 2, 2006

I appeal to the constructive readers / writers on the PD forum to protect enthusiastic people like Mr. Ravi from the sharks. If this is not done and the trend continues what will be the result? PD will have no one writing in for fear of lurking sharks. All the constructive writers will disappear. The life of the PD forum will go away and it will end up being abandoned. Ultimately the sharks, finding nothing to attack, will leave too.

When Mr. Ravi was attacked I purposefully resisted the urge to go to his rescue immediately. I could sense what was going to happen. I wanted the sharks to become fully visible to all before I wrote these words. I hope people have now been sensitized about the problem. Let us keep the environment clean so that readers like Mr. Ravi can write in without fear. - Raj - Feb. 2, 2006

Discussion on this topic is now closed.