Sulekha.com

Sujeev: I am taking the liberty to address the issues you have raised. You are right that very few Hindu “activists” have come to the aid of the ASI report. As I remarked once before, what we are facing is a multi-front war. It needs contributions from so many of us. But there are only a few contributing at the moment. It is also important for others who just post here in Sulekha to take the initiative and become “experts” in one area and act “proactively”. If you some of you do that you will find it far more gratifying that have run-ins with jihadis such as Zafar, Sadna, Shan, etc.

My dear Yudhishtir I haven't seen or gone anywhere near 'Hawa' If you had seen my earlier article in this column titled "Son of Pather Panchali" you would know that I am a devotee of the 'Parallel Cinema" and dislike Masala Movies. I gradually gave up watching the latter over 15 years back, with a few exceptions like Devadas and Lagaan,and others of that type, which I have seen more than once. "Hawa" is certainly not one of these exceptions.. Maybe it's due to old age, I get far more fun out of watching old favourites like 'Padosan" or 'Arth' or Benegal movies like 'Ankur' 'Bhumika' again and again. As mentioned in my reply to comments 1 & 2, the idea of a 'Demon Lover' attacking a wife is a very old one , which has been used by a number of authors. Best regards ---------- Prem Kumar

Whos kanu, lord krishna ? im not much of a poet or a reader of poems. But since i've seen posts of the similar kind for the past few weeks, i thought of checking them out.

Is this a conversation btwn arjun n krishna ? was a nice read but couldnt relate it to the context which it was meant.

Rgds
Pz

Narayanan, Let me state again that I am not at all happy that you found nothing wrong in using Indian research for developing American defense capabilities, while at the same time pleading helplessness in sharing your findings with Indian scientists. Anyway, that LCA stuff is another matter altogether. The issue at hand is IDRF bashing, and my problem is that people coming to IDRF's defence (such as yourself) view it (IDRF bashing) as a stand-alone issue, totally unconnected with other attacks on Hindus, Hindu organizations, and Hindutva. Haven't you read Edward Said's "Orientalism", or Dharampal's works, or even Rajiv Malhotra's many essays on Sulekha? In my opinion, any victory in the IDRF battle is bound to be temporary, and ultimately irrelevant, if you do not join hands with other defenders of Hindus, be they rabble rousers like Narendra Modi, Praveen Togadia & Bal Thakre, historians like Dharampal & Claude Alvares, exponents of the arts like MS Subbulakshmi & SwapnaSundari, etc. As for your emotional outburst about the tone of your posts, I think the problem is that you are reading between my lines so much that you are not actually reading the lines. I was only trying to say that in this IDRF battle, as also others, there is a place for academic contributors, as there is a place for those who use the findings of the academics to actually jostle with the attackers - in the newspapers or in the streets. If academics decide to fight all the battles themselves, they will only end up wearing themselves out, and in the process end up discrediting the entire (IDRF) defence process. Hope this clears things up. Thanks. Sujeev PS : I would appreciate it if you could remove the quotation marks from "Sujeev" in your posts. It is not a pseudonym. It IS my actual given first name! I have no need to hide my identity.

"Remember Mother Theresa - isn't she catholic? Haven't we forgotten all the conversions she performed for Hindus on their deathbed? Should we not acknowledge her motive? " I don't know about you but I heard that she also did a lot of good in Calcutta. (Maybe, I've been reading the p-sec press and textbooks.) Most Indians (and for that matter, people of the world) respect her for her cause towards humanity, and not for being Christian. So, if she wants to convert Hindus, that too on their deathbed, I say, let her (and selfless people like her) have it, if it makes her happy. I don't want to start another flamefest here on Sulekha (considering that it has been especially condusive to it in the recent past), and I myself am quite opposed to it (you could dig up Col. Shridaran's article and read the comments if you like), but I don't know why you need to drag into this, someone who has been considered a saint, even before it was made official.

Satya “In my last two posts, I have made it clear why opposing VM is a bad social practice.” Yes. “You would have to counter that argument to make your case for the Mullahs.” That is correct. But since I am uninterested in making a case for ‘my’ Mullahs (‘my’ Mullahs – my Satya, how kind of you. I’m really impressed. How would you like an expectation that you defend ‘your’ Dr Muthuswamy?) “As you yourself say -- reasons not arbitrary opinions make for solid debate.” So debate them. Why are you trying to argue the case with ME on sulekha when I DON’T support the opposing viewpoint? “According to you, it all comes down to what is considered a good social practice, right? The question is who gets to decides that?” Social consensus, reached via debate, expressed electorally. “Maybe we ought to put issues like cow slaughter and Ayodhya to a nationwide plebiscite and let the people decide...” Satya, when these issues are seen as important enough to decide elections, they will be endorsed/disendorsed by the people in the ballot box. Till then, I’m afraid it is a minority viewpoint pretending to be widely representative of the majority. (Btw, in a recent India Today-Marg poll the proportion of people who said that Ayodhya would affect their voting decisions was less than those who said that it would not. Interesting.) “As an aside, there is yet another inconsistency in your argument. If using a song "as a ready calculator of good Bharathiyata" is not a good social practice, why do you require it in the case of the official national anthem?” I don’t say that treating national symbols with respect is a measure of being a good Bharathiya. It’s a matter of showing respect to India. (That’s WHY, in a country as diverse as India, we pick symbols which are as widely and uncomplicatedly acceptable as possible. You still haven’t given me a good reason to replace our current National Anthem with another song, no matter how respected, meaningful to the majority of us, etc. What is wrong with Janaganamana?) Yennyways - as I’ve said before, plennnnty of anti-nationals mouth the right platitudes and then turn around and discriminate against certain groups in India, spread communal disharmony by their words and deeds, justify hatred and mistrust between groups – and (maybe even) cheat on their taxes! (Are there no limits to their perfidy?) There is nothing about any of this that makes someone a good bharathiya. “If there is a challenge for India today, this is the biggest one: how to reject religious intolerance in whatever shape or form it takes.” Yup. Most insidiously it is often served wrapped in pseudo-nationalist garb. Exhibit 1: Thackeray. Exhibit 2: Modi. Exhibit 3: Togadia. “Unfortunately, I am inclined to say that our system of governance, under the guise of secularism, countenances all manner of religious intolerance.” It’s a fine line between ensuring a secular state (acceptable, admirable) and mandating a secular people (how? realistically). Regards

To sankar & Raj Mehta However much we are disgusted with our present politicians and the state of affairs in our country, emergency or dictatorship are not the answers. History shows us that no dictatorship remains benevolent. In recent history only the benevolent dictatorship in tiny Singapore produced results. Look at the record of our princely states. Barring perhaps some degree of good governance in Baroda, Mysore, Travancore and Cochin, in the other princely states the rulers were interested only in themselves. Their life of debauchery is well documented. I have spent time in Saurashtra and seen for myself the opulence and lifestyle of the rulers of the tiny states and the abject poverty of the population. The Nizam’s legendary wealth came from fleecing his subjects. The unspeakable poverty of his subjects is well-known, When a Ruler assumes dictatorial powers, as in the case of Indira Gandhi, it is the policemen at the bottom rung who go berserk. There is no alternative to democracy and the Rule of Law A strong Public Opinion, an independent judiciary which is reformed to dispense speedy justice and a free press are the answers. Results may be slow in coming Satyameva Jayate.

Ardra, Thank you dear. twins or not i would love to be a father one day to these lil creatures. n take care of em' n love them... It is a lovely feeling to be a parent. I guess i just have to wait to find out all about it !!!

Rgds
Pzie

Ps:The prelims still hold a good portion of my interest.

P.S. I see that one of the most prominent Furniture among the South Asia Faculty has honored us with its presence. Thanks, Rasmon, for giving us that valuable glimpse into the intra-cranial cavities of the Sabrang/FOIL Faculty.

The two things that impressed me about IDRF early on are: 1. No-nonsense. 2. The emphasis on "enabling people to help themselves". These, of course are both anathema to the Commie-Pakis. Yes, Rameshji, my home town is in Kerala and I have my share of opinions, good and bad about Marxists, formed from childhood experience. There are dedicated Communist Party members whom I respect for their unselfishness and honesty. A few. Those are people with mental strength and depth, who were not afraid to stand up and fight for the weakest people around them. Peope who died as poor as they were born, but gave opportunity and hope to others. And I can state with absolutely no doubt that none of them are involved with the FOIL/FOSA fatcats with their "Inquilab Zindabad" Designer T-shirts and their $180 rooms where they stay for their Conventions at the Santa Clara Marriott to curse India on behalf of Pakistan. So - no fear of generalization in condemning the Commie-Pakis, and at this point I have no fear of generalization in associating these commies completely with the Pakis - the indisputable proof is already there, with their "Kashmir Forum" pandering to global terrorism. But that's not why I posted this. *************************** Folks, to get a better understanding of IDRF, do what I did, fortuitously: explore the links here. Its not really about IDRF, as about the PEOPLE they help. See if you can remain unemotional as you read how very brave people - who look like you and me, move forward step by painful, little step. But never give up. The compilation was started in late Nov. 2002 to find out the real facts and start developing a rebuttal to the Sabrang /FOIL's lies. But it turned into something much bigger - I for one had my eyes really opened to what "charitable" work at its best is all about, and I came away utterly humbled by what I found. Ultimately, the donors are the ones who are really inspired by the sheer courage and determination of these people. And you may see why these commie-pakis are about as sigificant as flies buzzing a cow's tail. Life is too short to spend immersed in hate like the commie-Pakis do. Here you go: http://www.geocities.com/charcha_2000/essays/foilies/ What you see there beats the heck out of anything I've seen in the Bollywood movies about real, everyday heroism. Check out the Vatsalya Trust. Or the Vivekananda Medical Mission. Or the Kushta Nivaran Sangh, (yeah, "Sangh Parivar", all right!) or the Muni Seva Ashram. Or the Balasaheb Ambedkar Vaidyakeeya Pratisthan. Think of a day in the lives of the people who work there - as compared to the very minor difficulties that most of us have to deal with. Just reading these things has changed me so much in the past year. Of course, to the Commies, with their pretences to in-depth knowledge of India (as so-called South Asia Faculty) and their vast experience of defrauding their readers, this was a terrific opportunity. They took any organization with an Indian-sounding name (like "Pratisthan" as opposed to "Establishment") and called it "Hindutva Fundutva Fascistva" etc. and declared it to be "set up to promote hatred". You'll see their "Classification System" given there. May the Almighty have mercy on these black-hearted buzzards' souls. After S(HE) is done dealing with them for their deeds. :)