Shouldn't Indians eat good food?
66President Bush's remark
Not many days are lost since Mrs. Condolizza Rice expressed her golden finding that-'Indians are responsible for the rise in the price level of food commadities in the world', her boss, Mr.George Bush has stated 'Indian middle classs is now eating good food. SO they are responsible for the rise in prices of food commodities in the world.'
At Missouri
It is a matter of wide and painful discussion now in Indian news papers and electronic media.It is reported that Mr. Bush , during a discussion at Missouri recently, has stated that-'Now a days the income of the middle class in India has increased.As a result, they are now desiring to take good food. As a consequence, the food prices are on the rise.'
Meaning
Above statement, if true( white house has not denied it so far), gives the following meaning:
1 Prices of food was sofar low(?) in the world not because of the price controlling policies of concerned national governments, but because of the fact that Indians were not consuming good food.
2. If Americans and other countries should get food for cheaper rates, the Indians should remain poor!
Inhuman view
Out of the above mentioned views, the first one clearly indicates the failure of concerned governments to control the prices. It only says the govts. simply depended on poor countries' poverty, to get good food for themselves at cheaper rates.The second meaning is fully inhuman.
Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Congress spokesperson in India has reacted to Bush's sttement saying"Mr. Bush's statement is the result of false understanding. He doesn't know economics at all!" Left parties in India have also criticised Bush for such a statement.
Indian defence minister A.K.Antony has catagorically rejected Bush's remarks and stated-"This is a cruel mockery.Food prices are rising because agricultural lands are now being used for commercial purposes. American president should rectify his defects first, before criticising others".
Food wastage in America
Now , reports are being quoted on how much food is wasted in America and other countries . Some points are quoted below.(source:Indian EXpress-dtd 4-5-2008)
1. 1600 lakhs tonnes of food is thrown into dustbin every year.
2. To produce bio-fuel, America is burning lakhs of tonnes of foodgrains(especially jawar) every year.
3.That apart, U.S.A. has reduced subsidy to the farmers as a result of which the cost of production has come to be borne by the common citizens there.
Situation now
While re-editing this hub now,in october now, the government in U.S.A. has changed.Mr.B.H.Obama has taken the seat and many months have passed. Surprisingly to himself, he also has been awarded nobel prize for peace.He has expressed respects for india on every occassion.
But what is the practical benefit to India? His government is also sanctioning lot of funds to Pakistan.If it were in the form of food, clothing, buiklding materials, medicines, hospital equipments, etc, we were not worrying. But it is cash.Every time Pakistan has misused American help, against India, and America knows it. Now, conscious indians are thinking that America is making Pakistan, its base, to control India.So, India hasn't got any help from America, even after power change
The world problem
Price rise now is a world problem.It is for different reasons in different countries. It may be due to collapsing of housing indusrty in Amarica, in India, it is due to rise in oil import prices, etc.
Food expenses in diifferent countries
It is reported that food expense(familywise,) is much higher than In india, in many othr countries.For eg: in Germany it is Rs.25,000/week.(1$=Rs.40 approx) .In Japan, it is Rs13000/week;in Italy, it is 13,000,in U.K., it is Rs-12,650 etc. Where as in India, it is around Rs.300/week and in Bhutan, it is-Rs 250/week.
'Don't grumble at others for your diplomatic and economic failures'-we wish to say Mr. Bush.
An opinion
The world famous environmental Institute, 'world Watch Institute' had one expert Prof.LesterJohn, as its chairman till recently. Acoording to his opinion,if mutton consumption in America is reduced by 25%,the groceries that could be saved can supply food to all malnutritioned people in Asia continent.Food products used to nurish one child in America can feed 36 children in India.( it doesn't mean american children should give up eating good food to help Starving children in other parts of the world. It only points out at the extravegence.Even then Indians are blamed.)
For details ,please read the book 'A DIET FOR NEW AMERICA' by John Robins. .
A Rejoinder
One week after the publication of this article, White house has nowcome forword to patch up the issue, seeing the protest the statement has received. Again, here also, officials are not behaving honestly.
The officer,Mc.Komarck of the white house , has appealed to the people'not to take Bush's statement in the negetive sense,but to concider it in the positive sense'.
Mr.Bush or Mr. Komarck alone should explain what this 'positive sense' means!
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Comments
Thank you mrs. Patty,Such a remark is really amazing.But-truth is stranger than fiction!
It is not a surprise Mr. Bush making such a comment. After all probably he cannot even locate India in a worldmap !!!
Thank you Princessa.For the past two decades we have experienced American people are more sensible than its presidents.
I am one of those people who believe that human beings should help out their neighbors. The U.S. has a long history of giving food and other things to people, but I am convinced that under the current administration, these gifts are being portioned out only to those who President Bush's advisors deem to be friends. For some reason, I don't know why, the current leaders of our government seem to think India is not a friend of ours. I beg to disagree.
India is the world's largest Democracy. I believe that we need to be mindful of our obligations as a powerful nation to the welfare of other people. One never knows but that someday we in the U.S. may be in need of food from India. I advise Mr. Bush and his friends in the White House never to forget our true friends, such as India, and to be more careful about how they speak when concerning other nations.
Yes Mr. Chef,
Elders like me remember how good was the relationship when Mr. John .F.Kennedy was the president.then India was not self sufficient in food. Then America provided that help Through its rule P.L.480.But later the tendency of American govt. went on becoming bitter against India,especially when we entered into 20 years friendship agreement with Soviet Union.U.S.A. shouldn't have thought that as a prestige question, as we had liberty to enter into such agreements.Now American administration is trying to curb India as we are growing stronger.But we can not stop our progress and accept to remain dependent on someone else.
Since more than two decades we are self dependent in food production.
Thanks for your good feelings.
It looks like a nightmare! In 21st century we see people like George Bush and colleagues, Ahmadinejad and his followers, Bin Ladan and his gang, (to many relationship between these people is impossible but I can see direct link between them all! In fact they act in a same direct and out come of their action bring more wars, haterate and animosity between mankind !) All of them see the world from their own narrow point of view & don’t tolerate other point of views, they claim they are doing the goods will (one says he is follower of Christ, other one say's he is follower of Mahdi and the last one says he his following prophet Mohammad), they are mean and dangerously fanatic who can put entire earth life into a disaster because of their dark ages view!
PLEASE STOP THIS INSANITY!
Unfortunately, we live in a world that seems to be going deeper and deeper into the insanity, Siavash. I hope we can put an end to the insanity in our part of the world next November.
So Bush has done it again<sigh> not surprising. He is so limited and so narrow and he and his cronies are such bullies here at home--why wouldn't he be the same abroad? There are 12 billion of us on this planet of ours and we have really got to figure out how to live together. Time is getting short. Thanks for this prasadjain
very funny, Mr Bush
Thanks to all.
The foolishness of white house residents has not yet stopped. Again another senior official in the white house has commented-"As Indians are using more vehicles now- a-days, oil price has sprouted up". Experts like Arindam Choudhary(Director of IIPM) has eloborately pointed out how after Bush taking up Iraq war, prices of oil have soared!
Let’s hope this happens on this November Chef
Jeff! I sincerely hope so .
Bay the way be very careful with their dirty tricks !
I wouldn’t be surprised if before that date something dramatic happens to change the course of election there ,like capture of Bin Laden or some “good evidence" to start another war somewhere else like the one which they used to start a war in Iraq a few years ago remember ? (This time for Iran ) ,because as I said before these people are the same stuff and connected ! They are dangerous for mankind .
Please Stop Them !
A very good point! However, if we speak about American President George W. Bush we need to see - to look all events from the perception of OIL. He is an Oil Warlord of the World. India hasn't given him enough oil concessions there and that is the cause of his activities.
Food could be much more powerful than a real military weapon, if there is a lack of it. But, that is a very dirty business, of international politics and diplomacy. It is all about interests. And here we are talking about the very interest of OIL LOBBY.
I am out of touch a bit with US politics so I didn't even hear this. I'm glad though, I can't sink into any more of a depression.
@Princessa, Geoerge Bush probably couldn't find India on a map of South Asia.
I just came back from a market here in France. It is a real producers market, the farmers that grow the food also sell it, no middleman. They were complaining about their costs and explaining why the prices have gone up. No one mentioned the Indian middle class, but everyone mentioned the cost of fuel. If relatively uneducated farmers in France can understand this economic concept, why can't Bush?
As an American, I've always had fond thoughts about India and its people. I was shocked later to learn that India "isn't our necessarily our friend". What!?! The wierd thing was that I only found that out during the Bush administration. How can a democratic country like India not be our friend/ally? I was floored.
I love India even more now than I did before, and have seen a lot of web sites talking about life in India, met people from India that I've truly liked, and have eaten their cuisine (I especially like spicy things, and Indian food has plenty of that going on).
I think the point that Bush was trying to make, that maybe didn't come through too well, is that as more people in these countries like India and China become better educated, the better off they're going to be as a country. The better off they're going to be, the more they're going to want better things in life. This is good for everyone! It's good for India and its people, because they'll have more (good) food in their bellies, and enjoy more free time. It's good for the US because even though we're outsourcing more than ever before, the more expensive it will become to outsource in India and China (because of rising standards of living), and then the more these jobs will come back to us because the outsourcing jobs to India and China will become too expensive for us. India's economy will be strong, China's economy will be strong, and our economy will be strong IF WE COOPERATE and create synergistic relationships with each other.
Great post! And I hope my statements aren't offensive or arogant! Please let me know if they were, or I will never know and won't change.
Dear Jim,
First part of your explanation was given as answer by white house officials later. But a public person should use his tongue very consciously.Mathew Arnold states it very beautifully when he says-'control of mind is the begining of knowledge.Control on tongue is consumation of knowledge'
Your response is not at all arrogant.It is full of decency,like of many Americans who have responded here.
Patty Inglish, MS says:
2 years ago
Amazing!
In Ohio alone, we have 6 years' worth of corn in silos and we did not know what to do with the corn crop of summer 2007! We should sell or give it to people that need it.