Mallika Sarabhai's Letter to Amitabh Bachchan on endorsing Gujarat
5 views
Skip to first unread message
Constancio Rodrigues
Mar 2, 2011, 10:14:01 AM3/2/11
to NGOmanagement2010
Mallika Sarabhai's Letter to Amitabh Bachchan
by Kamayani Bali Mahabal on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 10:29am
Dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai, in an open letter to superstar
Amitabh Bachchan, has asked him what prompted his decision to endorse
Brand Gujarat.
She begins, "My dear Bachchanji, Greetings from a Gujarati. You are
indeed a fine actor. You are an intelligent man and a shrewd
businessman. But should I believe in your endorsements?"
"Let's take a brief look at what you proclaim you believe in (albeit
for huge sums of money). BPL, ICICI, Parker and Luxor pens,Maruti
Versa, Cadbury chocolates. Nerolac paints. Dabur, Emami, Eveready,
Sahara City Homes, D'damas, Binani Cement and Reliance. And now
Gujarat."
She asks if his house is built with Binani Cement, whether he really
likes Cadbury's chocolates and Dabar's hajmola, which pen he uses (the
upmarket one or the 'rather down'), and if he has ever been driven or
been driven in a Versa outside the shoot, and finally, if is aware
that the "Nerolac paint in your home (you do use it don't you?) has
lead in it that can poison you slowly as it does so many people?" She
questions if those decisions were monetary.
Sarabhai also wonders what prompts his endorsements, particularly
Gujarat, since there was reportedly no direct fees paid to the actor.
She doubts Bachchan has been following up on the state's progress. She
writes, "So, with no monetary decision to guide you, how did you
decide to say yes? Did you check on the state of the State? I doubt
it, for the decision and the announcement came from one single
meeting. And I somehow doubt that you have been following the news on
Gujarat closely."
"So, as a Gujarati, permit me to introduce my State to you. Everyone
knows of our vibrancy, of the billions and trillions pouring into our
State through the two yearly jamborees called Vibrant Gujarat. But did
you know that by the government's own admission no more than 23% of
these have actually moved beyond the MOU stage? That while huge
subsidies are being granted to our richest business houses, over 75000
small and medium businesses have shut down rendering one million more
people jobless?"
"You know of Gujarat's fast paced growth and the FDI pouring in, you
have no doubt seen pictures of the Czars of the business world lining
up to pour money to develop us. To develop whom? Did you know that our
poor are getting poorer? That while the all India reduction in poverty
between '93 and 2005 is 8.5%, in Gujarat it is a mere 2.8%? That we
have entire farmer families committing suicide, not just the male head
of the household?"
She adds, "You have heard of how some mealy mouthed NGO types have
been blocking the progress of the Narmada project, how the government
has prevailed, and water is pouring down every thirsty mouth and every
bit of thirsty land. But did you know that in the 49 years since it
was started, and in spite of the Rs.29,000 crores spent on it, only
29% of the work is complete?"
"That the construction is so poor (lots of sand added to the you-know-
which cement perhaps) that over the last 9 years there have been 308
breaches, ruining lakhs of farmers whose fields were flooded, ruining
the poorest salt farmers whose salt was washed away? That whereas in
1999, 4743 of Gujarat's villages were without drinking water, within
two years that figure had gone up to 11,390 villages? (I cannot even
begin to project those figures for today – but do know that the figure
has gone up dramatically rather than down.)"
She adds scathingly, "With our CM, hailed as the CEO of Gujarat, we
have once again achieved number one status – in indebtedness. In 2001,
the State debt was Rs.14,000 crores. This was before the State became
a multinational company. Today it stands at Rs.1,05,000 crores. And to
service this debt we pay a whopping Rs 7,000 crores a year, 25% of our
annual budget."
"Meanwhile, our spending on education is down, no new public hospitals
for the poor are being built, fishermen are going a begging as the
seas turn turgid with effluents, more mothers die at birth per
thousand than in the rest of India, and our general performance on the
Human Development Index is nearly the first – from the bottom. One
rape a day, 17 cases of violence against women, and, over the last 10
years, 8,802 suicides and 18,152 'accidental' deaths of women are
officially reported. You can imagine the real figures."
Sarabhai reminds Bachchan that he said the Somnath temple and Gandhi
inspired him to endorse Gujarat. But, she questions, "Somnath was
built for people. Gandhiji was a man of the people. Do the people of
this State matter to you? If they do, perhaps your decision will be
different. I hope you will read this letter and decide."
by Kamayani Bali Mahabal on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 10:29am
Dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai, in an open letter to superstar
Amitabh Bachchan, has asked him what prompted his decision to endorse
Brand Gujarat.
She begins, "My dear Bachchanji, Greetings from a Gujarati. You are
indeed a fine actor. You are an intelligent man and a shrewd
businessman. But should I believe in your endorsements?"
"Let's take a brief look at what you proclaim you believe in (albeit
for huge sums of money). BPL, ICICI, Parker and Luxor pens,Maruti
Versa, Cadbury chocolates. Nerolac paints. Dabur, Emami, Eveready,
Sahara City Homes, D'damas, Binani Cement and Reliance. And now
Gujarat."
She asks if his house is built with Binani Cement, whether he really
likes Cadbury's chocolates and Dabar's hajmola, which pen he uses (the
upmarket one or the 'rather down'), and if he has ever been driven or
been driven in a Versa outside the shoot, and finally, if is aware
that the "Nerolac paint in your home (you do use it don't you?) has
lead in it that can poison you slowly as it does so many people?" She
questions if those decisions were monetary.
Sarabhai also wonders what prompts his endorsements, particularly
Gujarat, since there was reportedly no direct fees paid to the actor.
She doubts Bachchan has been following up on the state's progress. She
writes, "So, with no monetary decision to guide you, how did you
decide to say yes? Did you check on the state of the State? I doubt
it, for the decision and the announcement came from one single
meeting. And I somehow doubt that you have been following the news on
Gujarat closely."
"So, as a Gujarati, permit me to introduce my State to you. Everyone
knows of our vibrancy, of the billions and trillions pouring into our
State through the two yearly jamborees called Vibrant Gujarat. But did
you know that by the government's own admission no more than 23% of
these have actually moved beyond the MOU stage? That while huge
subsidies are being granted to our richest business houses, over 75000
small and medium businesses have shut down rendering one million more
people jobless?"
"You know of Gujarat's fast paced growth and the FDI pouring in, you
have no doubt seen pictures of the Czars of the business world lining
up to pour money to develop us. To develop whom? Did you know that our
poor are getting poorer? That while the all India reduction in poverty
between '93 and 2005 is 8.5%, in Gujarat it is a mere 2.8%? That we
have entire farmer families committing suicide, not just the male head
of the household?"
She adds, "You have heard of how some mealy mouthed NGO types have
been blocking the progress of the Narmada project, how the government
has prevailed, and water is pouring down every thirsty mouth and every
bit of thirsty land. But did you know that in the 49 years since it
was started, and in spite of the Rs.29,000 crores spent on it, only
29% of the work is complete?"
"That the construction is so poor (lots of sand added to the you-know-
which cement perhaps) that over the last 9 years there have been 308
breaches, ruining lakhs of farmers whose fields were flooded, ruining
the poorest salt farmers whose salt was washed away? That whereas in
1999, 4743 of Gujarat's villages were without drinking water, within
two years that figure had gone up to 11,390 villages? (I cannot even
begin to project those figures for today – but do know that the figure
has gone up dramatically rather than down.)"
She adds scathingly, "With our CM, hailed as the CEO of Gujarat, we
have once again achieved number one status – in indebtedness. In 2001,
the State debt was Rs.14,000 crores. This was before the State became
a multinational company. Today it stands at Rs.1,05,000 crores. And to
service this debt we pay a whopping Rs 7,000 crores a year, 25% of our
annual budget."
"Meanwhile, our spending on education is down, no new public hospitals
for the poor are being built, fishermen are going a begging as the
seas turn turgid with effluents, more mothers die at birth per
thousand than in the rest of India, and our general performance on the
Human Development Index is nearly the first – from the bottom. One
rape a day, 17 cases of violence against women, and, over the last 10
years, 8,802 suicides and 18,152 'accidental' deaths of women are
officially reported. You can imagine the real figures."
Sarabhai reminds Bachchan that he said the Somnath temple and Gandhi
inspired him to endorse Gujarat. But, she questions, "Somnath was
built for people. Gandhiji was a man of the people. Do the people of
this State matter to you? If they do, perhaps your decision will be
different. I hope you will read this letter and decide."
by Kamayani Bali Mahabal on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 10:29am
Dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai, in an open letter to superstar
Amitabh Bachchan, has asked him what prompted his decision to endorse
Brand Gujarat.
She begins, "My dear Bachchanji, Greetings from a Gujarati. You are
indeed a fine actor. You are an intelligent man and a shrewd
businessman. But should I believe in your endorsements?"
"Let's take a brief look at what you proclaim you believe in (albeit
for huge sums of money). BPL, ICICI, Parker and Luxor pens,Maruti
Versa, Cadbury chocolates. Nerolac paints. Dabur, Emami, Eveready,
Sahara City Homes, D'damas, Binani Cement and Reliance. And now
Gujarat."
She asks if his house is built with Binani Cement, whether he really
likes Cadbury's chocolates and Dabar's hajmola, which pen he uses (the
upmarket one or the 'rather down'), and if he has ever been driven or
been driven in a Versa outside the shoot, and finally, if is aware
that the "Nerolac paint in your home (you do use it don't you?) has
lead in it that can poison you slowly as it does so many people?" She
questions if those decisions were monetary.
Sarabhai also wonders what prompts his endorsements, particularly
Gujarat, since there was reportedly no direct fees paid to the actor.
She doubts Bachchan has been following up on the state's progress. She
writes, "So, with no monetary decision to guide you, how did you
decide to say yes? Did you check on the state of the State? I doubt
it, for the decision and the announcement came from one single
meeting. And I somehow doubt that you have been following the news on
Gujarat closely."
"So, as a Gujarati, permit me to introduce my State to you. Everyone
knows of our vibrancy, of the billions and trillions pouring into our
State through the two yearly jamborees called Vibrant Gujarat. But did
you know that by the government's own admission no more than 23% of
these have actually moved beyond the MOU stage? That while huge
subsidies are being granted to our richest business houses, over 75000
small and medium businesses have shut down rendering one million more
people jobless?"
"You know of Gujarat's fast paced growth and the FDI pouring in, you
have no doubt seen pictures of the Czars of the business world lining
up to pour money to develop us. To develop whom? Did you know that our
poor are getting poorer? That while the all India reduction in poverty
between '93 and 2005 is 8.5%, in Gujarat it is a mere 2.8%? That we
have entire farmer families committing suicide, not just the male head
of the household?"
She adds, "You have heard of how some mealy mouthed NGO types have
been blocking the progress of the Narmada project, how the government
has prevailed, and water is pouring down every thirsty mouth and every
bit of thirsty land. But did you know that in the 49 years since it
was started, and in spite of the Rs.29,000 crores spent on it, only
29% of the work is complete?"
"That the construction is so poor (lots of sand added to the you-know-
which cement perhaps) that over the last 9 years there have been 308
breaches, ruining lakhs of farmers whose fields were flooded, ruining
the poorest salt farmers whose salt was washed away? That whereas in
1999, 4743 of Gujarat's villages were without drinking water, within
two years that figure had gone up to 11,390 villages? (I cannot even
begin to project those figures for today – but do know that the figure
has gone up dramatically rather than down.)"
She adds scathingly, "With our CM, hailed as the CEO of Gujarat, we
have once again achieved number one status – in indebtedness. In 2001,
the State debt was Rs.14,000 crores. This was before the State became
a multinational company. Today it stands at Rs.1,05,000 crores. And to
service this debt we pay a whopping Rs 7,000 crores a year, 25% of our
annual budget."
"Meanwhile, our spending on education is down, no new public hospitals
for the poor are being built, fishermen are going a begging as the
seas turn turgid with effluents, more mothers die at birth per
thousand than in the rest of India, and our general performance on the
Human Development Index is nearly the first – from the bottom. One
rape a day, 17 cases of violence against women, and, over the last 10
years, 8,802 suicides and 18,152 'accidental' deaths of women are
officially reported. You can imagine the real figures."
Sarabhai reminds Bachchan that he said the Somnath temple and Gandhi
inspired him to endorse Gujarat. But, she questions, "Somnath was
built for people. Gandhiji was a man of the people. Do the people of
this State matter to you? If they do, perhaps your decision will be
different. I hope you will read this letter and decide."
by Kamayani Bali Mahabal on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 10:29am
Dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai, in an open letter to superstar
Amitabh Bachchan, has asked him what prompted his decision to endorse
Brand Gujarat.
She begins, "My dear Bachchanji, Greetings from a Gujarati. You are
indeed a fine actor. You are an intelligent man and a shrewd
businessman. But should I believe in your endorsements?"
"Let's take a brief look at what you proclaim you believe in (albeit
for huge sums of money). BPL, ICICI, Parker and Luxor pens,Maruti
Versa, Cadbury chocolates. Nerolac paints. Dabur, Emami, Eveready,
Sahara City Homes, D'damas, Binani Cement and Reliance. And now
Gujarat."
She asks if his house is built with Binani Cement, whether he really
likes Cadbury's chocolates and Dabar's hajmola, which pen he uses (the
upmarket one or the 'rather down'), and if he has ever been driven or
been driven in a Versa outside the shoot, and finally, if is aware
that the "Nerolac paint in your home (you do use it don't you?) has
lead in it that can poison you slowly as it does so many people?" She
questions if those decisions were monetary.
Sarabhai also wonders what prompts his endorsements, particularly
Gujarat, since there was reportedly no direct fees paid to the actor.
She doubts Bachchan has been following up on the state's progress. She
writes, "So, with no monetary decision to guide you, how did you
decide to say yes? Did you check on the state of the State? I doubt
it, for the decision and the announcement came from one single
meeting. And I somehow doubt that you have been following the news on
Gujarat closely."
"So, as a Gujarati, permit me to introduce my State to you. Everyone
knows of our vibrancy, of the billions and trillions pouring into our
State through the two yearly jamborees called Vibrant Gujarat. But did
you know that by the government's own admission no more than 23% of
these have actually moved beyond the MOU stage? That while huge
subsidies are being granted to our richest business houses, over 75000
small and medium businesses have shut down rendering one million more
people jobless?"
"You know of Gujarat's fast paced growth and the FDI pouring in, you
have no doubt seen pictures of the Czars of the business world lining
up to pour money to develop us. To develop whom? Did you know that our
poor are getting poorer? That while the all India reduction in poverty
between '93 and 2005 is 8.5%, in Gujarat it is a mere 2.8%? That we
have entire farmer families committing suicide, not just the male head
of the household?"
She adds, "You have heard of how some mealy mouthed NGO types have
been blocking the progress of the Narmada project, how the government
has prevailed, and water is pouring down every thirsty mouth and every
bit of thirsty land. But did you know that in the 49 years since it
was started, and in spite of the Rs.29,000 crores spent on it, only
29% of the work is complete?"
"That the construction is so poor (lots of sand added to the you-know-
which cement perhaps) that over the last 9 years there have been 308
breaches, ruining lakhs of farmers whose fields were flooded, ruining
the poorest salt farmers whose salt was washed away? That whereas in
1999, 4743 of Gujarat's villages were without drinking water, within
two years that figure had gone up to 11,390 villages? (I cannot even
begin to project those figures for today – but do know that the figure
has gone up dramatically rather than down.)"
She adds scathingly, "With our CM, hailed as the CEO of Gujarat, we
have once again achieved number one status – in indebtedness. In 2001,
the State debt was Rs.14,000 crores. This was before the State became
a multinational company. Today it stands at Rs.1,05,000 crores. And to
service this debt we pay a whopping Rs 7,000 crores a year, 25% of our
annual budget."
"Meanwhile, our spending on education is down, no new public hospitals
for the poor are being built, fishermen are going a begging as the
seas turn turgid with effluents, more mothers die at birth per
thousand than in the rest of India, and our general performance on the
Human Development Index is nearly the first – from the bottom. One
rape a day, 17 cases of violence against women, and, over the last 10
years, 8,802 suicides and 18,152 'accidental' deaths of women are
officially reported. You can imagine the real figures."
Sarabhai reminds Bachchan that he said the Somnath temple and Gandhi
inspired him to endorse Gujarat. But, she questions, "Somnath was
built for people. Gandhiji was a man of the people. Do the people of
this State matter to you? If they do, perhaps your decision will be
different. I hope you will read this letter and decide."
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages