Oh... good lord here we go again

BBC NEWS | South Asia | For and against Lord Ram's bridge

In the last few weeks I have come across a number of articles about religion in India. The Economist had a special feature about religion in which they referred to India as the most religious nation. I am not sure if that is good or bad but I guess the reference was meant to paint India in a bad light. Sometimes I feel that people who grew up with a religion of the book find it hard to understand the millions of gods and customs in India. They keep looking for the most "authoritative" religious book.

Around the same time when this BBC article on Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal Project was published I came across an interview with a Captain (retired) H Balakrishnan of the Indian Navy about the project. In the interview he presents a number of reasons why the project does not make sense. Now, since this guy spent his life on ships I guess he know what he is talking about when he talks about the distances and costs.

I wish BBC and Economist will try to present a balanced and informed view of matters. Instead, often it looks like they have formed an opinion and select people, facts and events that support their opinion. Maybe, they did not plan it that way but sensationalizing the event will sell. More people are likely to read an article about a "development project" that got cancelled due to "a bridge made by monkeys for a god" than an interview with a former captain of the Indian Navy.