Hi Jose, I have had my own brush with Indian Politics and Politicians in the late 70s.
When my hostel Nehru Hall at IIT Kharagpur was celebrating its silver jubilee, I took up the challenge of digging up records of the past residents and contacting them for donations. One old record I found was that of Ajit Singh (Electronics Engineering) whose address then was UP Chief Minister's Bungalow, Lucknow. Well, the father of this guy was Charan Singh who was now the Indian Dty Prime Minister. We also found that Ajit Singh was resident in the USA and that he was a Computer Industry Executive. When we leaked this into the Indian Press through the India Today magazine, Charan Singh said that he had disowned his son for living abroad and that he considered himself the father of only two daughters. When I mentioned this incident to a group of Jats while traveling through UP by train from Calcutta to Delhi, I nearly got beaten up by them - They wouldn't believe that Choudhary Charan Singh had a son ! Some years later, when Charan Singh was in ill-health, his son Ajit Singh returned to India - was given a rousing reception as the successor to Choudhary Charan Singh's Jat constituency in UP - he has since jumped through all the political parties in India and still carries his father's mantle for the Jats of UP! By the way the new Archbishop of Goa Felipe Neri Ferrao is a really very impressive and progressive intellectual - very different from the old guys like Gracias and Gonsalves - he shared with me some keen insights and his visions for the harmonious future of the Church in Goa when I met him in 2000 - They could'nt have fond a better Archbishop - he'll probably be fast-tracked to Cardinal! Best Regards, Carmo -----Original Message----- From: Jose Colaco [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 4:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Sonia Gandhi - COULD THIS BE TRUE? --- Carmo ..... <> wrote: <To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2004 3:35 PM Subject: FW: COULD THIS BE TRUE? <Bits of this have been circulated at various times in the past, this is the first time someone has sent me this (comprehensive) version - the bit about Sonia's having studied English at a sidey school in Cambridge (and NOT at Cambridge Univ as is generally believed) is borne out by her recent declaration at the time of filing her papers for election. As to the rest...read it for whatever its worth!> Dear Carmo, Good to hear from you. Greetings for the Easter Season. Let me say this upfront. Having watched a number of Indian politicians and politics in India from a VERY close range, I am pleased to have a very healthy DISrespect for them. I personally think that Maneka is a better politician than Sonia - BUT this anti-Sonia campaign is nothing BUT politics. Some of the biggest proponents of his anti-Sonia tirade are on RECORD as being anti-Mother Teresa, anti Francis Xavier & anti-John Paul II. AND .... we have Catholic Goans who specialize in writing anti-Catholic posts...but they will NOT balance it by writing FAIRLY about everybody...only anti-Catholics. Do you know WHO the anti-SFX, anti-John Paul, anti-Sonia and anti-Mother Teresa folks like to quote most? look it up....and you will know. So....just remember - it's about POLITRICKS and ANTI-CATHOLIC hatred!! (WHY....just think of what Catholics did to education in India & what education did to the wretched Caste System) Remember now..... politicians will do ANYTHING to get rid of the opposition. ANYTHING!!.....and then pretend to be SAINTS. This latest Sonia/Cambridge spat is related to a document typed out (by some clerk) in late 2003 to indicate that Sonia had an English Certificate from Cabridge Univ. When this error was pointed out - the Congress (corrupt as it is - like the BJP) corrected the error. Her OFFICIAL biography & other sites reveal that She WAS studying at a language school in Cambridge when she met Rajiv. Having said that, I strongly believe that Sonia should take her family OUT of India. Indian politics is not decent people. good wishes jc ================================> Sonia Gandhi was born in 1946 near Turin, Italy, to a working-class family, and spent her childhood in that region. Her connection with India developed when she met Rajiv Gandhi, the elder son of Indira Gandhi, at a language school in Cambridge, England. They were married in 1968, and Sonia settled in India with her husband. http://www.soniagandhi.org/Biography.htm Sonia met Rajiv Gandhi in Cambridge during 1960s when the former Prime Minister was studying at the famous British University. They were married in 1968 after three years of courtship which began in a Greek restaurant in the university town. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0820143.html Gandhi, Sonia, 1946-, Indian politician, b. Turin, Italy, as Sonia Maino. She met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965 when they were students in Cambridge, England. They were married in 1968 and settled in his family home in India. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3546851.stm Originally from Turin, Italy, she met her future husband when she was a language student in Cambridge, England. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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