A View of Malik from an Indian Posting in the NY Times

Comment 12.

I am not a supporter of Mr. Malik. He should have known what is considered a luxury in his country.

Here in India, flat screen TVs and massage chairs are not considered a luxury by the employees who owe their jobs to outsourcing from Western countries. In fact, flat screen TV and a car are the first things they buy when they get their job. The other day, I saw two massage chairs in the waiting hall of a new movie theater in this town - available for free use when your turn comes.

There is something wrong with the citizenry of what used to be a mighty empire. If I were a legislator, and travel frequently between the capital, and far away home constituency, my bottom will definitely hurt, and I would crave to use a massage chair, particularly if I were young. If I were a new legislator and furnishing a second home, I would rather buy the TV with current technology at a somewhat higher cost than the cheaper one with outdated technology.

So there is some problem with Mr. Malik who does not know his country well. But there is a bigger problem with the country which had elected him, and now trying to pull him down.

In my view, instead of complaining about his choices, he should be required to pass those items on to the next legislator who succeeds him.

— RMK, Hyderabad, India