@GEORGE - "Bengalis in WB believes seriously that there is no such city in India,or in the entire world, like kolkata."

And thank god for that. BTW, That opinion is shared by everybody in India.

Bengalis in WB believes seriously that there is no such city in India,or in the entire world, like kolkata. They will verbally abuse you at the top of their voice should one express displeasure at anything about that city. As soon as you come out  of the airport,you can guess what  is waiting for you in the city. Hundreds  of private taxi drivers will be shouting to attract customers with higher price even though there is a pre-paid taxi counter. 

Public transport is little better but the credit should go to the previous government for letting more private operators to ply in the city. But when you visit any government department, you see a pathetic scene everywhere. People in Bengal have resigned to their fate. Without paying bribes, nothing happens and it will not happen, as all CPM people have now joined TMC. Being a political party member is a useful tool when one is in trouble,whether one is a doctor or a corporation sweeper.

The CM wants to beautify city,but she does not have any idea where the money will come from. She is always after cheap popularity. So she wants SRK as its ambassador. But investors do  use their brains, and they do not get carried away by their emotions. Bengal has no work culture. Many working days are  lost  due to bandhs, strikes and God knows what.

Funnily enough, Bengalis in foreign organizations in Calcutta are always in time and the same bengalis in government  jobs arrive late and depart early. It is the atmosphere in bengal which makes people casual. Rights without responsibilty is a recipe for disaster.

Why only SRK, the entire Bollywood cannot change the lethargic culture ingrained in the Bengali psyche in the last forty years.

"..we get the government (leaders) we deserve. They may represent more than a fair share of the worst in us but they are us."

Arun Maheshwari
Bangalore, India
 

Unfortunately the Bengalees living in Calcutta  do not either understand or accept this reality. They  conveniently blame either the Left Front or the Trinamul party for all their problems. But the truth is that these parties came to power through people's mandate. All political parties in Bengal irrespective of political ideology follow the same modus operandi - agitations, bandhs, gheraos, political violence, populism, reckless management of public finances, anti business policies, politicization of all institutions, neglect of appalling work culture, etc. That's because they belong to the same  political culture which differentiates inhabitants of Calcutta and West Bengal from the residents of many other parts of India. Nothing will improve in West Bengal  unless its residents accept personal responsbilities for its sad state of affairs and develop a consensus about the need for cultural reforms..

WB probably is on it's way of finding, that it is hosed - the messiah like all messiah promising to be one might not be much of a messiah after all. It might be the case of WB finding itself having "jumped from the frying pan (the communists) to the fire (TMC)". She might prove herself fit for the adage of "a rebel without a cause".

Of course as always remember, we get the government (leaders) we deserve. They may represent more than a fair share of the worst in us but they are us.

" ... image as a decaying has-been ..."

The reference is to SRK or Kolkata ? Eitherway, made-for-each-other.

A case of pandering to a particular community or because SRK danced on top a railway train that an ex-Rly Minister liked?
A failing state run by a Hitler'sque C.M., and a tumbling (going by his series of flops) star representing it! A nice combo indeed.. 

>> "Much of what is dished out in Bengali movies and television serials in the name of comedy is nothing but ‘bharramo’ – a Bengali word loosely meaing ‘clowning’......"

Bengali movies are so realistic and reflective of the life in Poschim Bongo!!

It really pains to hear that SRK is the Brans ambassador of WB.  My simple question is  how is he qualified to  represent WB, other than being an actor, is he of any use to the society. Acting is is profession, which he does for money. There are thousands bengali/Indians who are more than qualified /genuinely intrested in theDvpt of the state. Cant she find find one such person. We  , Indians  have no priorities, or to be precise we have no real life heros. Actor has a placein the  society and that  is all no need to elavate to a higher pedestal than the one he deserves.

It really pains to hear that SRK is the Brans ambassador of WB.  My simple question is  how is he qualified to  represent WB, other than being an actor, is he of any use to the society. Acting is is profession, which he does for money. There are thousands bengali/Indians who are more than qualified /genuinely intrested in theDvpt of the state. Cant she find find one such person. We  , Indians  have no priorities, or to be precise we have no real life heros. Actor has a placein the  society and that  is all no need to elavate to a higher pedestal than the one he deserves.

>> "Much of what is dished out in Bengali movies and television serials in the name of comedy is nothing but ‘bharramo’ – a Bengali word loosely meaing ‘clowning’......"

Bengali movies are so realistic and reflective of the life in Poschim Bongo!!

A case of pandering to a particular community or because SRK danced on top a railway train that an ex-Rly Minister liked?
A failing state run by a Hitler'sque C.M., and a tumbling (going by his series of flops) star representing it! A nice combo indeed.. 

" ... image as a decaying has-been ..."

The reference is to SRK or Kolkata ? Eitherway, made-for-each-other.

WB probably is on it's way of finding, that it is hosed - the messiah like all messiah promising to be one might not be much of a messiah after all. It might be the case of WB finding itself having "jumped from the frying pan (the communists) to the fire (TMC)". She might prove herself fit for the adage of "a rebel without a cause".

Of course as always remember, we get the government (leaders) we deserve. They may represent more than a fair share of the worst in us but they are us.

"..we get the government (leaders) we deserve. They may represent more than a fair share of the worst in us but they are us."

Arun Maheshwari
Bangalore, India
 

Unfortunately the Bengalees living in Calcutta  do not either understand or accept this reality. They  conveniently blame either the Left Front or the Trinamul party for all their problems. But the truth is that these parties came to power through people's mandate. All political parties in Bengal irrespective of political ideology follow the same modus operandi - agitations, bandhs, gheraos, political violence, populism, reckless management of public finances, anti business policies, politicization of all institutions, neglect of appalling work culture, etc. That's because they belong to the same  political culture which differentiates inhabitants of Calcutta and West Bengal from the residents of many other parts of India. Nothing will improve in West Bengal  unless its residents accept personal responsbilities for its sad state of affairs and develop a consensus about the need for cultural reforms..

Bengalis in WB believes seriously that there is no such city in India,or in the entire world, like kolkata. They will verbally abuse you at the top of their voice should one express displeasure at anything about that city. As soon as you come out  of the airport,you can guess what  is waiting for you in the city. Hundreds  of private taxi drivers will be shouting to attract customers with higher price even though there is a pre-paid taxi counter. 

Public transport is little better but the credit should go to the previous government for letting more private operators to ply in the city. But when you visit any government department, you see a pathetic scene everywhere. People in Bengal have resigned to their fate. Without paying bribes, nothing happens and it will not happen, as all CPM people have now joined TMC. Being a political party member is a useful tool when one is in trouble,whether one is a doctor or a corporation sweeper.

The CM wants to beautify city,but she does not have any idea where the money will come from. She is always after cheap popularity. So she wants SRK as its ambassador. But investors do  use their brains, and they do not get carried away by their emotions. Bengal has no work culture. Many working days are  lost  due to bandhs, strikes and God knows what.

Funnily enough, Bengalis in foreign organizations in Calcutta are always in time and the same bengalis in government  jobs arrive late and depart early. It is the atmosphere in bengal which makes people casual. Rights without responsibilty is a recipe for disaster.

Why only SRK, the entire Bollywood cannot change the lethargic culture ingrained in the Bengali psyche in the last forty years.

@GEORGE - "Bengalis in WB believes seriously that there is no such city in India,or in the entire world, like kolkata."

And thank god for that. BTW, That opinion is shared by everybody in India.