Clinton's Karma-'A mild case of Indophilia'?
Hi Satish:
Here is little something I picked up from Times of India.
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(Source:Times Of India)
Clinton's Karma
The clearest evidence yet of the United States's keen interest in India may have come our way almost by chance. On holiday in Utah, President Clinton was unable to use an expired credit card to pay for a selection of books in a shop and had to take a short-term loan from a secret service agent. As usual with news trivia, the press became preoccupied with the presidential purchases and found a surprising list. Mr Clinton had bought Stanley Wolpert's India and Octavio Paz's In Light of India, along with a couple of thrillers.
The Indiacentric reading list could give pause for thought to those who accuse the US of riding roughshod over the sentiments of the world's largest democracy and inclining instead towards neighbouring Pakistan. The Americans have always denied this, but Indophiles charge them with protesting too much.
Now the US president, no less, has been caught with a mild case of Indophilia, something that should accord well with his stated intention of a year ago that he would seek ''constructive engagement'' with South Asia. Of course, it would not be particularly surprising if Mr Clinton were to have succumbed to a fascination with all things Indian. Despite the geopolitical strategy pursued by their government, the American people have long confessed to an admiration for what they see as Indian spirituality. It is no coincidence that most Indian cults, such as those of Rajneesh and Mahesh Yogi first became widely popular in the US. And it might even be fitting if Mr Clinton were to begin believing in the Hindu concept of Karma after all his recent troubles. But cynics say that Mr Clinton's reading list does not illustrate a sudden interest in India, or indeed anything else.
Like all things about the Clintons, the mini-drama over the presidential purchases is believed to be that golden paradox -- a carefully staged impromptu occasion. If so, this is no bad thing. After all, it was once said of Winston Churchill that he devoted the best years of his life to preparing his impromptu speeches, a nice bit of irony that only goes to underline the extent of preparation required to contribute quotable quotes to the world's speechwriters. Of course, some might overdo careful preparation, as did writer Katherine Mansfield, who recorded in her journal, ''Whenever I prepare for a journey I prepare as though for death. Should I never return, all is in order''.
timesofindia.com |
