Wow, has anyone seen Ambani's latest stunt?
The left-wing Guardian may be into psy-ops, but still, this really looks like wretched excess on the part of the Ambanis.
If they're looking to sour the public, particularly the poor, on economic reforms and associated income disparities, then flaunting your wealth like a stuck-up jerk is the first way to spark revolt.
I'd recently read about a Japanese minister who committed suicide out of embarrassment for an ethics scandal. Rest assured that no Indian politician would ever suffer the same fate. I also remember a story about an interview a Japanese news network did with the founder of Toyota Motor Corp. They showed up at his address, but found only a small tiny house, where an old housewife answered the door. They were shocked to find that this wasn't the servant's house, but rather that the industrialist and his wife lived a very humble lifestyle in very meager lodgings.
This is why our counting-eggs-before-they're-hatched Indians will never equal Japan. We're already yapping about our superpowerdom and assured success while the the streets still smell of human excrement. And meanwhile, Ambani is wanting to parade around like a Maharaja. I don't like this at all. What the hell could he be thinking? "How can I re-elect my friend Lalu?"
If pride comes before a fall, then Indians better pad up their body fat, in order to soften all the impacts ahead.
21 comments:
San
I think the consternation about Antilla is unnecessary.
Sure the house is obscene, garish and out of place in a decrepit city like mumbai. But it is Mukesh's money, so he can do what he wants with it (leaving aside, for the moment, other debates on the legitimacy of his wealth and why Mumbai should not have fancy buildings).
Manmoron Singh is behaving like a a true Nehru/Indira vassal when he says that corporates should "eschew conspicuous consumption". It is not the conspicuous consumption that is the root cause of the problem -- it is the total incompetence of the State and the UPA that is causing it. If you don't make roads and utilities and ignore national security, the poor will continue to suffer.
MMS's statement is a classic cop-out. By diverting attention to admittedly absurd expenses, he's succeeding in making more people anti-wealth generation -- the only recipe for India's development.
We should not fall for such deviousness!
Yep, I agree... we should learn to come out of the Gandhian mentality that austerity is superior to materialism. For heaven's sake, he's an industrialist, and a very successful businessman. I'm sure he would have thought more about flaunting wealth than any of us, before coming to this decision. Atleast he's enjoying his wealth instead of 'donating' it to political/terrorist causes.
people in glass houses throwing stones. politicians make obscene amounts of money, so do their spouses, in-laws, nephews, great-aunts, neighbors, typists, gardeners.
let them put a lid on this before going after conspicuously-consuming businessmen. the businessmen possibly pay at least some nominal tax. the pols do nothing of the sort.
I hope there is a boom in luxury building construction for the super rich. After the boom is over, the government should introduce a property tax of 2% and use that money for improving the quality of our roads.
If the rich want to spend money, we should not complain. We will also be getting some of it.
"Counting your eggs before they are hatched mentality of Indians"..very well said San...
Thats excatly the problem with Indians.. we either are servile or go to the other extreme of acting as if we have reached there.
Superpowerdom seems to be the most abused term in Indian lexicon after Secularism. Nobody in india knows the meaning of it but everybody uses it.
Manmohan Singh's rant was from a previous age, nor do politicians have the right to pelt stones (as Rajeev said), However that does not mean, Indian industrilaists act like Maharaja of yore. Liberalisation and wealth generation are relatively new things in India. It behoves of the lucky few ppl who made it rich to flaunt it without jumping overboard.
Anil's construction of this obscence house is a symbol of crony capitalism that India can do well without. Industrialists like Ambani's have a huge responsbility to ensure real capitalism, liberalisation and wealth generation gets actually entrenched in the Indian system. There needs to be some responsbility from Indian capitalists else we would see us shooting ourselves in the foot once again with re-emergence of Nehruvian socialism.
Although I agree with Rajeev,I would like to point out that most of Ambani's wealth is ill-gotten;wealth gotten by looting the country,evading taxes,flouting rules,bribing poweful people etc.
So Ambani is a looter of equal,if not greater measure compared to the politicians
Right said >>>> wealth gotten by looting the country, evading taxes, flouting rules, bribing powerful people
Ambanis are not ethical businessmen but that does not justify your accusations.
Right said >>>> wealth gotten by looting the country
I don’t recall reading anywhere that Ambanis looted the country. Last time I checked they did not hold any public office nor were ever trusted with protecting the public property. So how can they loot the country?
Right said >>>> evading taxes
I give you this. But then again in a country where you have to pay 30% tax and another 30% as bribe what do you think businessmen will do? Will they pay taxes and wait in the queue or pay bribe and get ahead?
Right said >>>> flouting rules
What rules, ridiculous license and quota raj system? With these ridiculous rules nobody can do business without flouting the “rules”. These ridiculous “rules” would only lead to cronyism and it turned out Ambanis are masters in exploiting them. Whose mistake do you think it is then, Nehru/Indira/Rajiv’s or Ambanis?
Right said >>>> bribing powerful people
If we still have the British ICS system, only renamed as IAS, where officers salaries are less but are officially allowed to play favorites in return for commission what do you expect will happen?
So lets not blindly blame Ambanis for everything, even though they have their fair share of guilt. In this twisted Indian system only people like Ambanis can be successful.
Let the CONgress party of India that created and are running system change it and make it fair then they can pontificate and sermonize.
Look who is criticizing Ambani in the main article? It is PraFOOL Bidwai, the commie sympathizer of Maoists who are responsible for murdering thousands of Indians in cold blood. Bloody hypocrite.
I have to agree with San 100%. Indians ALWAYS count their chickens before they hatch. This is a nation that is wrapped around the finger of a high-school dropout...
When you rail against Ambanis you guys sound like losers. You mean if you had 1000 crores, you wouldn't flaunt it? Come on man, whom are you trying to fool? You have one blog for yourself and look at the arrogance with which you are flauting your opinion, forget about flaunting wealth. The reason his 'conspicuous consuption' hurts you SO MUCH is that you dont have it.
Ambanis have generated wealth in a poor country, employment, build infrastructure, inspired a generation of Indians to think big. What have you done, talk big? Let us know.
Indians are this Indians are that, yes when you talk like that you again show a bad Indian trait which is to say 'Indians are like this and like that', you see it is a conundrum, no one wins by saying that.
And you talk as if the whole of India has no luxury buildings and Ambani is doing something uniquely spectacular. You think India has only slums and excrement, people here havent seen opulence? Which India are you living in man?
And all this talk about 'poor getting agitated by seeing luxury' is a new stupid argument going around. Do the poor in this country still need more proof after what they have been subjected to? If they havent done anything, it is because the poor are not sitting around waiting to revolt. They dont think like that. Do you think the poor are some communist bozos? The poor are weak, they struggle for survival,they live and die in dejection. Do you think they have the will to get together and play out your communist doomsday fantasy? And hey, if it helps the poor realize their sorry plight, why are you guys shaking in fear? Let them know where they are, how long are we going to hide the festering wounds of inequality?
Abhishek, a BIG AMEN. Totally agree with all that you said. Couldn't have put it better myself. Do stick around and keep posting. I see nothing wrong in Ambanis "flaunting" their wealth. They made it from rags to riches in a lifetime, with Reliance being the only private-sector company in India to make it to Fortune 500 in 2006 with a rank of 342. And more importantly, Reliance contributes about 3.5% to the Indian GDP, not to mention the emplyment it provides to thousands.
The Ambanis exemplify the power of the Human-Will to succeed against all odds, like no one else. (I dont work for Reliance, nor do I own its stocks)
Contrast them with almost every other Business house in India, whose bosses were born with a silver spoon. But not so the Ambanis.
Let there be more Skyscrapers and more Ambanis in India...
And San, you keep harping about 'Industrialization', 'Wealth-Creation, 'Blue-Collar Job Creation' etc. in India.
Well how are you gonna do it if you don't have Capitalists. And whats wrong in Capitalists enjoying their hard-earned money?
Look around in the land of the sole-superpower which you are so fond of mentioning quite often. See their Capitalists and their life-styles. Do you expect them or those in India to sit in a hut like Mr. Toyota?
You can't have it both ways, San. Get Real!!
Siva
>>Last time I checked they did not hold any public office nor were ever trusted with protecting the public property. So how can they loot the country?
Don't understand what you're getting at here.Do you mean that only public servants have a right to loot?
Ok,i might have generalized a lot more than I would have like to.
But my power bills have doubled(I'm not kidding) since Reliance took over BSES in Mumbai.
>>What rules, ridiculous license and quota raj system?......
Look buddy it is perfectly possible for someone to do business without flouting rules.Ever heard of the Tatas?
>>If we still have the British ICS system, only renamed as IAS, where officers salaries are less but are officially allowed to play favorites in return for commission what do you expect will happen?
You're actually justifying bribing?
The deeds and achievements of the Tatas have proved wrong whatever you have said.
I am afraid that I do not concur with many views that Abhishek has posted here..
Without getting into discussions whether Ambani's wealth was ill gotten or not, I think it is important to understand that Ambani's and others have a responsibility to our nation.
It is perfectly true, that Ambani's have every right to spend their money in whichever way they deem fit. But in a country like India perceptions do matter a lot. Capitalism is still in its infancy, and public opinion is crucial in building a viable economic system in our society.Such pompous, ugly display of wealth only breeds resentment which India could well do without.
Please do not compare India with US, UK or more more mature capitalist societies. We are not there yet, however much we might want to think otherwise.
How nice it would be if we saw Mukesh and Anil Ambani create headlines for philanthrophy and in the process set an example. Capitalism cannot exist in vaccum. One of the reasons many Indians looked upto Dhirubhai Ambani inspite of his suspect ways, was because Dhirubhai pioneered the way of sharing his wealth with the common man (through stocks and shares). It was that public support that helped him weather many a battle with politicians and media.Unfortunately the current generation of Ambani's can never bank on such public good will whose support is crucial.
India needs industrialists who can think beyond building 60 storeyed building to pamper their ego.
Right said to Siva>>> it is perfectly possible for someone to do business without flouting rules.Ever heard of the Tatas?
Hey Right, please talk to countless number of ex-TCS(Tata Consultancy Services) people who have been to the US through them. Ask them if they got all their money back from the tax-returns that TCS files on their behalf.
Your perception is not binding for all, dear Harish. People's perception about the Ambanis and their building will be radically different tha what you fear, and for good reasons.
The perception about Ambanis is that they are true sons of the soil and have made India proud. People admire them, and feel they have every right to build a house for themselves in keeping with their phenomenal achivements (in case they even bother about it, it all seems a lot of loud noise about a timepass newspaper article). Ugliness lies in the eyes of the beholder. No one other than some of you is burning blood over the building, of the likes of which we already have 100s in this country, so please relax.
What is 'pompous'? Are they dancing around the streets showering money? 600 people will be employed at the place, I am sure it will serve as a business center too, numerous others will earn livlihood in its construction and upkeep. That in my opinion is a thousand times important in a 'poor country' about which you are so worried, than pleasing people who are happy to beat thier breasts about a damn building but have no ways to provide alternative employment to the same people.
If you have a magic wand kindly wave it, so that we can have the 'right' kind of industrialists, or maybe have Dhirubhai come back from the dead, because looks like we are just not producing saintly businessmen anymore. Ambanis are thinking light years beyond a building, maybe its time you started doing the same.
I would also like to know who in this country of 1 billion plus is 'philanthropic'.
Right Said >>> Look buddy it is perfectly possible for someone to do business without flouting rules. Ever heard of the Tatas?
Tatas are not the holy cows of Indian business houses. They made their money, just like other Bombay Parsis of British time, benefiting directly from the British ICS policy of playing favorites. So they are not as ethical and clean as you suggest. Even recently they were in the news for all the wrong reasons, remember Nandigram.
What Tatas did in their early years Ambanis only did it better!
Right Said >>> You're actually justifying bribing?
No I am being practical. When you have a system that encourages bribe, no actually demands it and makes it the norm, then to expect our business houses to be ethical does not make any sense, that’s all.
You want a corruption free India, then change the system by first getting rid off the IAS, who have vast powers but are accountable to none. In fact it is the IAS that is chocking our country for its survival and is responsible for the bloated bureaucracy. Get rid off it and many things will fall in place.
May I add that Tatas attempt to grab farmland from poor farmers through a predatory communist state is not ethical by any stretch of imagination.
You can say that Tatas are only going by the books because this policy of land grab was sanctioned by our system – by our enlightened Indian CONgress party and the twisted Indian bureaucracy. But if they were as ethical as you suggest they could have chosen not to cash in on this policy, right?
I hope you get my point.
Wel yeah Mr.Abishek.. there is a a "magic wand".. Its called being a responsible corporate citizen..
The only issue about the magic wand is that i cannot wave it at these people.. Ambanis and others have to wave it at themselves..
Well as for philanthrophic capitalists.. have u heard of ppl like Gates, Buffet or our very own Azim Premji..
Of course since in u r world.. where 600 people working in a 60 storeyed house is an example of 'business centre'..
Anyway I am in no real mood to get into a slanging match with u.. Seems there is no possibility of a common middle ground either..Guess we all here have a right to our opinion!..
good luck bud!!
Gates and Buffet are not Indians. As you yourself said lets not compare India with US and UK.
My question is what is the credential of 1 billion Indians to seek exclusive philanthropism from Ambanis? Do the people of this country give an impression of being interested in building a great nation? And whoever said Ambanis are not involved in charitable causes?
As for us critics did we give up our flat, car or parties or bank balances to work in the slums? Have you driven into a poor village in a car and seen their expression of wonder? Don't our possessions qualify as 'conspicuous' consumption to the straving millions, or does the privilege for being scorned belong solely to the Ambanis? For the starving millions totally ignorant about our social/corporate pecking order, all the well-off people are stinking rich, they are not splitting hairs about who is a billionaire Ambani or who is a millionaire Thandani. So what are we going to do about it, are we willing to sacrifice something starting today?
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