India is hypersensitive when it comes to diet talk

Washington Post:

A brief comment by President Bush about the role of India in the world food crisis has set off a firestorm of criticism in this country.

Speaking to employees at a high-tech firm in St. Louis over the weekend, Bush noted that much of the developing world was prospering and that U.S. businesses could benefit. As an example, he cited India, where the "middle class is larger than our entire population."

But "when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food," he said. "And so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up."

Overnight, Indians reacted with outrage at what they saw as a suggestion that they were to blame for inflation. Politicians lashed out at Bush. Newspapers excoriated him.

"India is not a net food importer. It is a food exporter. The assumption that prices are increasing because of a changed India is completely erroneous," said Manish Tewari, a spokesman for the ruling Congress party.

Defense Minister A.K. Antony called Bush's remark a "cruel joke," while an opposition member called the president the world's new "bread inspector."

In an attempt to clarify Bush's remarks, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Monday that it was a "good thing" that countries are developing and that "more and more people have higher standards of living." Stanzel also said growing demands in India and China were causing the price of oil to rise.

To Westerners, Bush's comments might seem innocuous. But after decades of slow national growth and forced austerity, middle-class Indians are now extremely proud of their newfound prosperity and are quick to react if they feel picked on by affluent nations.

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The remarks were not only innocuous, they were just a simple, non judgmental restatement of the laws of supply and demand. Take a breath India. If anything it was a complement to your growth. Now show some maturity to go along with the growth and quit being so sensitive. We like you, and are glad to see you are doing better.