Boo Hoo Mr. Bo

Without citing India or the majority of Mumbai's population that lives in slums or the shanties ringing the conference venue, Bo referred to "some developing countries" that cram their poor into "clusterings of shantytowns" where life is too bleak for freedom to mean anything.

"Some people in those places cannot even have a shower for years on end. And these people - most of them have no access to education," he said. "So how can you imagine that these people are in a position to talk about democracy when they are simply illiterate?"

That was Chinese commerce minister, Bo Xilai responding to Manmohan Singh's swipe at China. I cannot agree more with Mr. Bo, but I would like to point out, what good does it do when you lock up your well-educated citizens in a 1x1 foot cell with no one to talk, for years together; forget means to a decent shower or a shot at Democracy!