A good article indeed ! I and most Biharis, I am sure, share the author's sentiments. I must say, however, that when I read the suffix 'ji' to Lalu Yadav's name, I began getting suspicious. As I read further, I realized that the author was just being courteous. I am reminded of an incident of 30 years ago. A fellow went to the jyotishi at the street corner to find ways to improve his 'kismat'. After the 'tota' routine, the Jyotishi opened the envelop and proclaimed, "Kutta ko pera khilao. Kismat ban jayegi". The poor fellow bought pera that day and was feeding it to the stray dogs of the mohallah when I asked him what the purpose of his unusual activity was. It was then that I came to learn of this hilarious story!

The author was, similarly, offering the verbal 'pera' to the dog! I think being courteous is a force of her habit. I must admit that is a very good virtue and I myself find myself deficient in that. It is very hard for me to say, "Saanp ji ne mujhe kaat liya."

Whether you add a "ji" or an "a" (as most Biharis would do) to Lalu's name, the fact remains that his rapacious destruction of all the institutions of Bihar were so plunderous that he set Bihar back by decades. Many non Bihari elite (who are secretly jealous of their Biharis compatriots) may try to elevate this scumbag politician by comparing him to Ronald Reagan. If you ask me, a comparison to Nadir Shah or Mahmud of Gazni would be more apt. Even there ! these two scoundrels, did not destroy their own land. This guy did not only eat the food of Bihar, he ate the plate and the person who offered him the food.

I can not end this comment without offering an explanation about the success of the Railways. It so happens, that Lalu with his crass "charwahapan", is the fish of his own pond. He lives in it, he defecates in it and he eats in it. This pond is Bihar. Once in Railways, he found the Bureaucracy to be comprised with people from all over India. It wasn't the spineless bureaucracy of Bihar where the Caste equations would be more popular than Einstein's energy equation. There was no fawning bureaucracy of Bihar at the center. The railway officials, by their diversity, must have scared this grouch and forced him to conduct the ceremonies and provide the entertainment by showing up at a station un-announced and punish absent officials. It was a good face the railway bureaucracy could live with. They fixed the place up. Without the politicians many agendas, things always seem to work. - Aarcee - Oct. 6, 2006

If Lalu Yadav is the Ronald Reagan of India then Mohammed Shahabuddin is Mother Teresa, Sadhu Yadav is Mahatma Gandhi, and I am married to Cameron Diaz!

Just because Lalu surrounds himself with able men to run Indian Railways does not make him Ronald Reagan who was a true visionary and help bring down communism in many parts of the world. What has Lalu done in Bihar besides causing animosity between different castes while filling his own coffer with stolen public money?

The author of the article Gurcharan Das was either joking, drunk, or needs to get his head examined. - Anil Kumar - Oct. 6, 2006

I hope Lalu Yadav - the so-called management guru - will teach at Harvard how to embezzle money and get away scot-free, how to promote ruffians to hold power and how to promote nepotism and favoritism to ruin a company. - Satya Prasad - Oct. 6, 2006

The sudden success of long time struggling Indian Railway gives me feel of severing-chill and the nightmare of another 'Fodder Scam' in making! Can't think much more about Mr. Lalu, the Management Guru, stamped by IIM-A. Phew!!

Once done with the Railway Ministry too, he should take a permanent position at IIM-A.

I think we should leave Mr. Nitish and his team alone for at least one another year. It's too early to analyze this NDA group of workoholic politicians. Sounds like, they are working day and night. One thing I will say for sure that Mr. Nitish and Mr. Modi and every one of their team are working very smart so far. Thanks to them!

Talking about education in Bihar in general (of Mishra-Yadav era)? Forget about it! I ran away my self from Patna to Allahabad (1985). But I think as far as UPSC exams were concerned, the Patna'ites (Biharis) always performed much much better than Delhi'tes and Allahabadis even during the dark age (1985-2004) of Bihar. The talenting spirit of Bihar remained impact free during this dark age. Amazing!

If everything goes well till next year, I am going to convince my nephews to move back to Patna from Delhi. I do sense the beauty of educational spirit coming back at Ashok Rajpath near PMCH, Novelty Book store (double story), Khuda Baksh Library, Khajanchi Road and the Big Temple at the bank of Ganga. - Naren Singh, India/USA - Oct. 6, 2006

Laloo Ji is the best leader Bihar has ever produced. He is on par with Chandragupta Maurya. He is role model to me in a way that even son of a poor father can become successful and goes on to become a ruler. Of course he chose a different profession and I am into different profession but the spirit of success in itself is inspirational. A book can be written on reasons behind backwardness of Bihar and blaming Laloo Ji for everything will be dishonesty towards true introspection. I sincerely hope that after four years Rabri Devi Ji will again become Chief Minister of Bihar under the great leadership of Laloo Ji and Laloo Ji himself should become Prime Minister of India. Even with the ultimate explanation of Mr Aarcee for railway’s success, there will be no spineless bureaucracy with caste equation at Prime Minister Office and bureaucracy will comprise of people from all parts of India and the way Railway became successful even India will become successful. There will always be people who will not like great leader like Laloo Ji and there will always be people like me who will always have great faith in the leadership of Laloo Ji. If IIMA, Harvard and LBS can be impressed by great Laloo Ji then why can’t I be impressed by him? If GE CEO comes and gets excited by Laloo Ji’s Railway success then no wonder even I am impressed and inspired by this great person. - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Oct. 7, 2006

Shiv Shankar Sharma Ji: What inspirations do you get from Laloo? GE CEO gave him credit. True. But hundreds of business gurus and CEOs cursed him. Didn't you read that? It's 1:100+ ratio. Simple math. - Vinod Kumar - Oct. 7, 2006

Sharma ji, it's Friday here in the U.S. and many of us would be heading home soon and enjoy the weekend. Your joke just cracked me up. Needed that laugh after a tough week. Thank you so much. - Arun Mishra - Oct. 7, 2006

Shiv Shankar ji, what's your take on 'chara ghotala'? - Anil Kumar - Oct. 7, 2006

Arun Mishra Ji with all due respect to you neither I cracked joke nor IIM, Havard, LBS and GE CEO were cracking joke rather they meant some serious business and as a business man myself I find Laloo Ji quite inspiring specially his skills to apply ‘Saam’, ‘Daam’, ‘Dand’ and ‘Bhed’ to achieve his means. Of course discussion on extent and purpose of these skills will not go well on a public forum so I will not venture into this area. You hate him or love him depends on you. If you don’t like him surely you must be having sufficient and valid reasons for that and if I find him inspiring then I must be having sufficient and valid reasons for that. Let us leave it at that.

Anil Ji, sorry I have no take on ‘Chara Ghotala’.

Vinod Ji, is there any harm if I don’t want to be part of the crowd of 100s?

Arun Mishra Ji, Anil Ji and Vinod Ji thank you for your comments. I am very sorry that I could not agree with you on this issue. May be later on some suitable topic we will agree.

Sorry friends have no more comments from my side. - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Oct. 7, 2006

This debate over Laloo is more a debate over the changing value systems. In today's world the ability to outwit people, the ability to cheat ignorant people and take advantage, the ability to lie without feeling awkward or guilty, the ability to usurp wealth and power etc are much more applauded qualities than simple, plain values like morality, patriotism, simple living and leading by setting good examples. Leaders like Gandhiji or Bhagat Singh are no longer role models for the modern day politicians. Their role models are people like Laloo who took political birth under JP and then, once successful, turned 180 degrees on values like honesty, selfless service etc and had their names associated with a number of scams.

The fault does not lie in the leaders, the fault lies in lack of education which prevents people from making the right choice and allows them to be swayed by cheap gimmicks of caste, creed, money for votes and the likes. How many Indians today think of values like morality, patriotism, simple living and leading by setting good examples when they choose their leaders? The solution to this problem lies in educating the masses fast and that is what some political leaders of regional parties have been stone-walling for decades now. They would rather have fools clapping at gimmicks than an educated electorate asking tough questions.

If we want to see a change, we must pressurize the central government to build a new system to fast track education in the villages (especially of UP and Bihar). This system must be directly controlled by the President of India and no political party should be able to touch it's controls even with a yard long pole. - Rajesh - Oct. 7, 2006

Dear Aarcee Ji (He/She?) bahut gussa hai aapke ander, should come out.. good for health. But apart from that your comment had some good content.. thora Bihar par aapne kuch jyaada bol diya, Indian railways has people from all parts of india.. same as most of the IAS who were part of Laloo's corrupt regime were from South India. - Sharad - Oct. 7, 2006

Shiv Shankar Bhai, You want to know the truth? Lalu did nothing for the poor of Bihar. Instead, he and his family members sucked the blood out of them. Again and Again! If he could have done anything to them the Bihar wasn't going to be in a situation where it is now.

The so called great Lalu's great work for Indian Railway. Here is how:

In Railway 'lakhs and lakhs' of employees have been retired in recent years. He is making no or minimal recruitment to replace them at any level hence saving big bucks for Railway by keeping it under staffed. You know the consequences of this managerial glitch!

There are no good new projects/funding for the upliftment of existing maintenance garages of railway coaches, engines and other essential facilities at railway divisions level (saves lot of money temporarily). He is not spending money on employee training either. It's the few skilled railway employees/officers who are some how running the Indian Railway show. If the poor funding for the maintenance facilities stays on course as it is now for few more years, the Indian Railway will get broken like the mighty Bihar of once upon a time broke.

He increased the weight limit of the freight trains therefore reducing the overhead of running more freight trains but at the same time increasing the probability of day to day accidents of these overloaded 'Mal-Gaddis'.

So, what we have been seeing in Bihar for 15 years, it's happening in Indian Railway now - slowly but surly!

Why GE-CEO praising Lalu? I think GE has been perusing Indian Railways to buy it's engines for many, many years instead of getting it developed at BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited). ABB has been also in the fray. - Naren Singh, India/USA - Oct. 7, 2006

Love him or hate him but you can't ignore him. So many comments in such a short span; such is the appeal of Lalu ji. Had it been in positive direction, he would have made history. Indeed he made history but in the wrong way. Let's see, is there any real change in heart which I seriously doubt. - Archana, Bangalore - Oct. 7, 2006

Mr. S. S. Sharma's eulogy of Laluji gives me chills. It is always the superficial aspects of leadership that seems to attract the admiration of our novice and misled citizens. Mr. Sharma contention is that LY was a poor man from humble family who made it big - isn't it the formula that made Big B's movies so successful?

Nothing wrong with that picture except that one conveniently forgets that behind the veil of humble beginnings lies the face of wealth amassing, selfish leader. It amazes me that we are in 21st Century and while most of the countries around the globe are moving towards a more educated and humane society, we Biharis accept leaders with little or no knowledge of governance and limited ability to make informed decision. I would have hoped that Mr. Sharma would reflect on what the man of humble beginnings did to ravage the state for 15 years while living in comfort and providing shelter to those who have been declared criminals by our justice system. I am hoping Mr. Sharma will also enlighten us and point out 5 major POSITIVE changes that were accomplished under LY's government.

It is just shocking how many Biharis refuse to see how the state and the people were pillaged for 15 years; refuse to accept that 15 years of goondagardi took a toll on human psyche; refuse to accept that education system suffered turning off youths to emigrate from Bihar; refuse to accept that industry and agriculture alike were neglected.

Mr. Sharma, personally I admire your unfettered admiration for a person who is certainly a politician but in my opinion NOT a leader. I believe in democracy and accept our rights to express your opinion. I simply hope that there are fewer people like yourself who cannot rationalize and are caught by the glitter of false success or are duped by the story of 'poor me - I suffered during my childhood and guess what I am going to make all of you suffer now'.

Leadership is to care for one's people. Comparison to Chandragupta Maurya - well, I am no historian but from what little I know - Chandragupta Maurya's leadership was to bring prosperity for the people NOT himself. The monarchy cannot last for too long if it abuses its subjects.

I sense that the new government has brought hopes for the youth and is truly interested in brining prosperity. But it is too early to jump to conclusion. Only time will tell. - Kumar Karan, IndiaAbroad - Oct. 8, 2006

Lalu Yadav -the management guru- is the biggest joke of the century. He suspended railway staff for doing their duties. When they threatened to go on strike, he reversed his decision. But one does not have to quarrel with the new epithet bestowed upon him. After all, life would be dull without a joker or two. - Satya - Oct. 9, 2006

Just two comments

1. Lalu Yadav is a master politician and tactician. The moment he realized that Nitish indeed means development and is committed towards it - he wanted something to ride upon to remain in the game. Time will tell how people of Bihar will judge his tactics.

2. We give too much of credit to Lalu Ji for ruining Bihar. In my opinion the process had started much before - may be from Sri Krishna Sinha times - which picked up speed during Jagannath Mishra-Bhagwat Jha Azad times and got further accelerated during Lalu-Rabri regime. We should not forget what the leaders before Lalu did. Because of such forces only Lalu came to power. And if we forget that - he can come back again. We need to be clear and vigilant about it. - Naveen Kumar - Oct. 9, 2006

Do not get personal with Shiv Shankar Sharma. It is not his fault. He suffers from Stockholm Syndrome, wherein a kidnap victim develops sympathies for his captors and hates the cops who try to rescue him/her. He does not want to look out the window at the sunshine, but wants to be in the dark cellar. Time to walk free Shiv Shankar ji. Look around, there are no chains to stop you, and there is no padlock to hold you back.

If GE CEO makes a beeline for the Railway Minister's cabin, there are commercial considerations. Read that news item carefully. If he praises Lalu, he knows that nothing works better on the politicians than some bit of ego massage.

Robin Hood or Ronald Reagan, the fact remains that Bihar went from bad to worse during the time it was ruled by Lalu-Rabri duo. You need to have all your five senses dead to make a statement to the contrary. - Rajesh Kumar - Oct. 10, 2006

I thought there is no need for me to comment on this topic anymore because I had explicitly expressed my view that Laloo Ji is an inspiring leader for me.

Rajesh Ji I must make it clear that I have not taken any comment personally. If you are expressing certain views then you must be convinced about that. Laloo Ji is a public figure obviously his deeds are open for scrutiny. For some he is good and for some he is bad. According to me he is a great leader and these are my personal views. Existence of Laloo Ji or no Laloo Ji has not affected me personally and I would have been doing exactly what I am doing today. Having said that I have stressed on two things with respect to Laloo Ji and that is sprit of success with all the odds against him and his skill of applying ‘Saam’ (negotiate your way to success), ‘Daam’ (buy your way to success), ‘Dund’ (Punish to achieve your success) and ‘Bhed’ (Divide and conquer). I have already said that these are quite materialistic things and a discussion on these will not go down well on a public forum. However I have met many people who said, “le ke kya aaye the, le ke kya jaoge”- close the topic, success means nothing. Fair enough, this is also a view and can’t argue with that but if there is someone who has the ambition that someday some GE CEO will have to apply ego massage to him for economic consideration, he will exactly understand what I am trying to say and that too when he knows that given the opportunity everybody will like to finish him off. As an entrepreneur what I don’t want to discuss is politics of Laloo Ji is corrupt and Pramod Mahajan Ji was honest with his 4000 Crore khajana and that is why I have clearly said that I have no take on ‘Chara Ghotala’. I don’t want to be drawn into extreme views that Bihar minus Laloo Ji is equal to California. I mean to say here we have got a life, Papa had a Bajaj scooter and still I can’t make my wife CM of Bihar though I made my wife secretary of my Company. How many times we have heard that CM should act like a CEO but when CM acts like real Rupert Murdoch promoting his son/wife we start crying ‘FOXIFICATION’. However offensive it may sound but those who are in business know very well, “in business trust no one including your break even numbers”.

I have already said that Laloo Ji is a public figure and his actions are not only open for scrutiny but will surely invite mixed opinions but as an entrepreneur (not manager!) to run the enterprise I find skills of Laloo Ji quite inspiring and useful. As I said above these are my personal views and are open for criticism however even you know that my business is none of your business.

I respect all the views expressed here and have no desire to comment any further on this issue. I just wanted Rajesh Ji to know that I have not taken any criticism personally. All opinions expressed here are quite valid. - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Oct. 11, 2006

In my humble opinion, lets read this Gitanjali piece together and then decide what is the contribution of Lalu or any other politicians to Bihar has been so far.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

Rabindra Nath Tagore was probably describing utopia when he wrote this piece but I always dream if one day Bihar and India could be like this. Isn't it the ultimate goal of public service and democracy? If we are honest, we will realise how good Lalu, other politicians and even all of us on the forum and otherwise has been toward politics and public service. Before we question Lalu, lets ask ourselves whether our own lives is an example of the morals that we expect from others. If we are corrupt and devoid of morals then our leaders are naturally going to be so since they flourish in the very society that we lead our daily lives. Do we expect that if Lalu was all honest, then Bihar would have been a heaven ? Just look at Manmohan Singh.... - Ravindra Kumar - Oct. 11, 2006

This latest piece from Shiv Shankar Sharma was rambling and incoherent. I read it twice but could not make head or tail out of it. Only thing that I learned was that Mr. Sharma owns a business and that his wife is the secretary.

Nitish's Bihar is a lot better than Lalu/Rabri's bihar. At least, auto dealerships are not raided and vehicles commandeered for a son/daughter's weddings. If your car gets stolen, now you may go to the Police Station - not the CM's residence to pay to get it back. Nitish's relatives do not go committing crimes like Sadhu and whatever-his-name Yadav.

And yet, there is Mr. Shiv Shankar Sharma who sees an empty glass as a full glass. I smell an agenda here. - Aarcee - Oct. 11, 2006

I am appalled by Mr. Sharma's logic. I guess when you are a fan (or should I say fanatic?) of someone, even if that person murders your own children, you'll continue to be his fan and apologize on his behalf.

Apparently Mr. Sharma is trying very hard to avoid a debate (maybe because deep down he knows what kind of creature Lalu is) and he sure has the freedom to do so but if we were having a face to face discussion, I would have asked him where was Lalu's managerial ability and skills that, according to some, has "stunned the GEs, the IIMs, and the Harvards of the world", during his 15 years of rule in Bihar?

Even businessmen need some ethics. It's NOT okay to rape the state for 15 years and then one day proclaim yourself as a sadhu. Sau choohey kha kar billi chali haj ko... Sam dam dand bhed is not a weapon to justify wrong deeds! - Anil Kumar - Oct. 11, 2006

Dear Mr Aarcee by going through your comments, I guess you are angry man. So angry that you don’t even know the name of all the persons on whom you are angry, ‘and whatever-his-name-Yadav.’ You are so convinced about the justification of your anger that without even understanding my comments (your own admission) you smell that I have an agenda.

Relax Mr Aarcee there is no agenda, do not feel insecure and press the buzzer I have no intention to challenge your passion against Laloo Ji. It is just that I am looking at things differently and I have clearly said that these are very much my personal views which are open for criticism. Laloo Ji is in public life, he is Railway Minister of India, President of a political party and he may be a big NO-NO for you but you can’t expect this from everybody and I simply failed to understand- ‘I smell an agenda here.’ What agenda? This is Great Indian Brand Laloo Yadav we are talking here who receives 22 comments instantly. Jab tak scene me rahega Laloo Ji tab tak tumhara TV rahega Chaloo Ji. Pro-anti does not matter, whether glass is still filled or you dropped all the water and then started calling glass empty does not matter. If and only if you could have stopped people of India from discussing Topic-e-Lalooji. There he is, this time in his new Avatar as Railway Minister of India where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has to find special place for him in his heart, GE CEO has to get excited for commercial consideration and the ‘Ullu (Owl)-Money’ also had to pour into Indian Railway’s fund during regime of Laloo Ji only. Isn’t it that he was supposed to be finished? And what are these IIMA, Harvard and LBS, they all have agenda. Why even for formality recognising him? Why not those who are really behind Railway’s success? Don’t they know that Biharis have suffered under Laloo Ji’s 15 years of dictatorship - he raped the state for 15 years? I smell agenda. Go on press the buzzer again. OK, feel good remove my name from the list of Laloo Ji apologist, what you are going to do about this new list of IIMA, Harvard and LBS, who have simply ignored your passion against Laloo Ji. I think best way will be to ignore or find some alternate explanation, the way you found Spineless Bureaucrats from Bihar versus Bureaucrats from other Indian states for Railway’s success under Laloo Ji. You could have done the same in my case too, what was the need of pressing the buzzer without even understanding my comments -‘I smell an agenda here?’

Anyway forgive me if I have hurt your deep sentiments against Laloo Ji. Unfortunately for me Laloo Ji is a great leader and I am looking at his achievements exactly from the same perspective from where these world famous business schools are looking. If they have an agenda then you should worry about them more then worrying about my agenda, or shall I say Kutte ko pera khilao Laloo Ji bhag jayega? - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Oct. 12, 2006

There are people of Bihari origin who, like tomato ketchup, are "different". They hold "different" theories and project that they have a "different" understanding. Now if someone says he wants his kids to be as honest as Lalooji, you would be shocked. You would infer that either that person is a genius who knew plenty of stuff you were ignorant about or he is hmmm..."not so much of a genius".

There are three kinds of people. Ignorant people who have seen a skunk from the front only, ignorant people who have ventured behind it and people, like me, who have read what a skunk can do and stay away from it. To ignorant people who have seen a skunk from the front, it appears to be a cute, furry, cuddly animal. The ignorant people who have ventured behind it know it very differently.

Similarly there are three types of Biharis. The Biharis with the "different" perspective are generally people who have earned their livelihood out of Bihar and have no personal experience of the misrule of Lalooji. They have no stake in Bihar and to them it is all a big joke. Then there are the people who have had first hand experience of Laloo raj but are under the influence of the caste based Stockholm Syndrome. Finally there are the the vast majority of people who have also experienced Laloo raj and have pulled out Bihar from the grips of a rule that took it to stone age. Opinions are bound to be different. - Rajesh - Oct. 13, 2006

Time for Gandhigiri! Get well soon from your thoughts Mr Sharma. - Sonali Sinha - Oct. 13, 2006

Discussion on this topic is now closed.