[sacw] SACW | 19 Feb. 02

Harsh Kapoor aiindex@mnet.fr
Tue, 19 Feb 2002 12:36:16 +0100


South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch | 19 February 2002

[INTERRUPTION NOTICE: Please note, there will be no SACW posts on=20
20th & 21st Feb 2002]

------------------------------------------

#1.Pakistan: The state's involvement in the religious domain needs to=20
be abandoned (Hussain Naqi)
#2. India: Not in the Name of God : Secularism's forward march (Praful Bid=
wai)
#3. Pakistan - India: announcement for the second of a series of peace vigi=
ls
#4. India Pakistan Arms Race & Militarisation Watch (IPARMW) # 69 | 19 Feb =
2002
#5. India: "Science and Revanchism" a talk by Prof. S.G. Dani (New Delhi)
#6. India: Historical Baggage - An interview with Prof. Bipin Chandra=20
(Mahendra Ved)
#7. India: Bajrang Dal Men Attack Catholic Church in Mysore
#8. South Asian Sexuality Survey- please help!
#9. India: Bombay events, discussions and exhibitions at the Kala=20
Ghoda Art Festival 2002
#10. India: Basant festival celebrated by Hindus and Muslims (new Delhi)

________________________

#1.

Weekly Independent
February 14-20

Reforming the seminaries
The state's involvement in the religious domain needs to be abandoned=20
and the religion should be entirely a personal affair

by Hussain Naqi

The US-led International Security Alliance (ISA) campaign against=20
terrorism, that had earned worldwide approval while focusing on the=20
terrorist perpetrators of September 11 tragedy, is threatened with=20
degenerating into a US ploy to impose its diktat over those nations=20
who disagree with it and resist its hegemonism. The use of phrase as=20
'axis of evil' for three Asian nations who have longstanding=20
differences with the United States, and that too without any=20
consultation with the European allies, not to mention others, is sure=20
to confuse the issue. It may even be counter-productive and harm=20
international consensus against terrorism. For Pakistan, which is in=20
the ISA frontlines and has to deal with the elements at home, which=20
are supportive of terrorism, President Bush's bullying outburst=20
against our brotherly and friendly nations can only add to this=20
country's problems.
It was expected that with the successes in combating terrorism, the=20
international community would put its heads together to evolve a=20
clear definition of "terrorism" that could be acceptable to the=20
international community. It cannot be left to the whims or arbitrary=20
perceptions of a single or a few powerful countries of the world to=20
damn even the legitimate struggle of any people as terrorism.
It needs to be understood that all violence is not and cannot be=20
termed terrorism. Non-violent struggle for rights when curbed through=20
excessive misuse of state's coercive power is often answered with=20
counter-violence. All freedom struggles, including that of the US,=20
against colonial powers have witnessed the same and cannot be=20
bracketed with terrorism. Many people in the Third World face=20
oppressive regimes, which deny them even the most basic of=20
universally acknowledged human rights. They are not left with any=20
choice but to resort to counter-violence.
If the objective of the continuing fight against terrorism is to=20
include popular counter-violence, then the world community will have=20
to ponder over and evolve peaceful instruments of coercive power the=20
legitimate state authorities can use. The international community has=20
been extremely slow in that regard, the reason being promotion of=20
self-interest by all means including massive violence and war=20
particularly to protect economic interests of the big power. Of late,=20
some of the developed nations are inclined to acknowledge the need=20
for expanding the definition of self-interest to include pluralist=20
political structure, but only as a secondary aspect of promoting=20
economic self-interest.
The present universal consensus against terrorism is based on the=20
widely shared view that no cause can justify inflicting massive=20
collateral damage on the non-combatants and especially the innocent=20
who were not directly responsible for any wrongdoing by the perceived=20
or real adversary. Furthermore, resorting to different forms of=20
violence by any person or group to intimidate and coerce peaceful=20
civilian population to obey their self-righteous command, that was=20
not subscribed to by the vast majority whose cause they claim to be=20
promoting, has also been acknowledged as terrorism worldwide. Had it=20
not been so, the Muslim majority countries and their people would not=20
have supported the international action against terrorists, their=20
protectors and harbourers.
Majority of people in Pakistan rejected the pleas of so-called jehadi=20
organisations, which tried to fan rebellion both by the armed forces'=20
personnel and the people. Much against the expectation of rabid=20
bigots, few tears were shed when the jehadi and sectarian=20
organisations were banned. Even a substantial segment of=20
conservatives, opposed to liberal and progressive thinking, supported=20
the ban and crackdown against those who spread terror while operating=20
under holy covers.
In fact, it was after a very long period of wasted decades that the=20
shaky elements in the country's misruling establishment of the=20
country recognised the bogey of popular support for the so-called=20
jehadi militias and the political outfits using religion to peddle=20
their obscurantist agenda. What the military dominated establishment=20
refuses to acknowledge is its folly of patronising and promoting=20
misuse of religion in politics that was accentuated with the=20
introduction of trained armed militias.
The establishment patronised both the bigots and the tribal-feudal=20
combine to serve as its surrogates. Off and on it has acted against=20
them but stopped at dumping them for good for that would mean=20
providing and expanding space for the progressive people who would=20
challenge the establishment stranglehold on the power.
Now it is the task of the progressive and liberal democratic forces,=20
which have been at the receiving end, to step up their efforts to=20
make the military dominated establishment realise the harm it had=20
done to the country till the corrective steps were forced upon it. It=20
should now retreat and let the people decide about their governance=20
themselves under an unfettered democracy. The establishment should=20
better serve the representative governments as was envisaged by the=20
Quaid-e- Azam. Much damage has already been done to the state and=20
people's interests by deviating from the ideals set forth explicitly=20
by the Father of the Nation.
The most damaging of them all was induction of religion in politics=20
and thereby in the affairs of the state. Both the state and the=20
religion were the losers, as it proved divisive and harmful to=20
national progress. Religion and the modern state cannot gel. The more=20
it was tried the more problematic it became. The only outcome over=20
the past decades was promotion and practice of sycophancy and=20
hypocrisy with devastating impact on Pakistan's social fabric that=20
has distorted beyond recognition. A daring dismantling of structures=20
imposed upon the state in the name of religion is required to be=20
undertaken instead of imposing a fresh dose of the so-called reforms=20
as are being proposed by incorrigible obscurantist elements within=20
the reigning establishments.
The state's involvement in the religious domain needs to be=20
abandoned. The same principle should be followed vice versa as=20
religion should be entirely a personal affair for one's spiritual=20
elation. Take the case of religious schools, places of worship and=20
other religious institutions. The state should discharge its=20
responsibility of regulating them like any other activity involving=20
public interest. These should be prevented from being nurseries or=20
sanctuaries for spreading hatred, violence and sectarian bigotry.=20
Encouraging and even assisting the seminaries to broaden their=20
syllabi to include other subjects of modern learning is also=20
desirable. Even more rewarding would be assisting them in introducing=20
vocational training in learning different crafts and acquiring modern=20
skills to enable them earn their livelihood instead of being a burden=20
on the community.
The state should refrain from adding religious subjects of studies to=20
the education system because they will only add to the number of=20
unemployed under-graduates, graduates and post-graduates from=20
seminaries who despise physical labour and regard craftsmen and=20
skilled labour as lowly vocations. The Rs16 billion outlay on=20
seminaries educational reforms as proposed by federal minister=20
Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi should not be wasted on pampering some publishing=20
houses already engaged in promoting sectarianism. It should better be=20
spent on technical institutions to which groups of seminaries should=20
send their students to learn skills and crafts etc.
The author is Director Human Right Commission of Pakistan.

______

#2.

The Praful Bidwai Column for the week beginning February 18

Not In The Name Of God
Secularism's forward march

By Praful Bidwai

Is India finally emerging from the long, dark tunnel of=20
religion-based "identity politics" in which it has been trapped for=20
one and a half decades? Several recent developments suggest this may=20
be happening. Significant here is the poor response that the Vishwa=20
Hindu Parishad's strained Ramjanmabhoomi campaign is evoking in Uttar=20
Pradesh. The sants and sadhus who staged a chetavani (warning) yatra=20
to Delhi last month comprehensively failed to attract crowds, leave=20
alone enthuse them. In no UP town did the audience, including the=20
sadhus themselves, exceed a pitiful number of 4,000. Even in eastern=20
UP, building the temple is not an issue that evokes resonance.

Indeed, going by numerous field reports--including surveys by JNU=20
political scientists, and spot stories by journalists, including some=20
sympathetic to the BJP--the temple issue is "dead as a dodo". In all=20
but one opinion poll, it figures at the bottom of people's=20
priorities. The sole (partial) exception is an India Today (Feb 4)=20
poll, which claims that twice as many people want the temple to be=20
built as did a year ago. This is misleading because the question=20
asked in the two polls is not the same. Only two percent give top=20
priority to "religious and caste issues", as against 38 to "rising=20
prices", 32 to "unemployment", and 10 to "corruption."

No wonder the VHP's effort, launched with the BJP's connivance, to=20
impart urgency to the temple construction schedule has failed to=20
politically help the party. The VHP at Mr Rajnath Singh's behest has=20
announced it will start moving prefabricated pillars to Ayodhya on=20
March 15. This stepped-up stridency remains unmatched by the tempo of=20
the BJP's election campaign, with its thinning, listless, unimpressed=20
audiences.

Mr Vajpayee has been seriously toying with the idea of transferring=20
to the VHP-Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas the 67 acres of Ayodhya land taken=20
over by the Centre in 1993 under a special law--although that would=20
blatantly violate that law and would almost certainly be shot down by=20
the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. But even if it were to=20
go unchallenged, this diabolical plan is unlikely to make much=20
difference to religious-minded Hindus and to the BJP's unenviable=20
electoral fortunes.

At the other end of the spectrum too, religious Muslims in UP seem=20
equally unmoved by any communal appeal. By all available indications,=20
they will not--as they have never done--vote en bloc, but=20
choose--carefully, wisely and astutely--such secular candidates as=20
are best placed to defeat the BJP. Efforts to court UP's Muslims--a=20
fifth of the population--by making a religion-based or ethnic appeal,=20
or even by promising the reconstruction of the Babri mosque, have all=20
failed.

However, the so-called Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed=20
Bukhari, has struck a discordant note. Mr Bukhari, who considers=20
himself the "authentic" voice of North Indian Muslims--a category as=20
woolly as the claim, has called upon Muslims not to vote for any=20
particular political party. He contends that all parties are equally=20
inimical to Muslim interests. Although he takes swipes at the BJP,=20
the Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party, Mr Bukhari's ire is especially=20
directed at the Samajwadi Party, which was the choice of 68 percent=20
of UP's Muslims in the 1996 Assembly elections and three-fourths or=20
more in the last two Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Bukhari is of course entitled to his political opinions, which=20
don't impress many. But he goes further. He says the time has come=20
for Muslims to form their own party just "as the BJP [is] for [the]=20
Hindus, the SP for Yadavs, BSP for Dalits." Mr Bukhari is totally,=20
completely, disastrously wrong. The BJP is no more a party of "the=20
Hindus" than "Vande Mataram" is India's National Anthem. It does not=20
represent "Hindu" interests--even assuming that a population twice=20
the size of Europe has uniform "common interests". Rather, it has an=20
upper caste or bhadralok-oriented, parochial, sectarian agenda.

Mr Bukhari seriously misjudges the mood in the Muslim community.=20
North Indian Muslims have stoutly defied the widely prevalent trend=20
among ethnic-religious minorities to form their own political party=20
or forum of self-representation. Instead, as JNU political scientist=20
Professor Zoya Hasan argues, they have opted for assimilative,=20
integrative politics within a broadly secular-pluralist framework.=20
They have opted for a "voice" rather than "representation".

Thus, over the past 20 to 30 years, ethnic-Muslim parties like the=20
Muslim League--a purely South Indian formation--or=20
Majlis-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (confined to Hyderabad), have suffered a=20
decline. Even when faced with the shrinking of the Congress in the=20
1980s and 1990s, Northern Muslims didn't create a party of their own.=20
Rather, they opted for broad-based multi-ethnic "mainstream" parties,=20
led by non-Muslims. That they remained steadfast in their commitment=20
to non-denominational politics despite the trauma of the Babri=20
demolition and the pogroms that followed, is a tribute to the=20
political maturity of the community and its devotion to an=20
anti-separatist identity. By contrast, Muslims in many other=20
countries tend to form their own parties or pressure-groups. This is=20
true of countries as varied as the former Yugoslavia, Western Europe,=20
Nigeria, the US and Sri Lanka. It is also true of Arabs, Chinese,=20
Kurds, or South Asians living abroad.

My hypothesis is this contrast is related to some broader trends at=20
work among Indian Muslims, which favour the processes of=20
secularisation, the opening up of minds, and social-political=20
integration. At least three tendencies are discernible. First, a=20
strong current--some might call it "wave"of social reform,=20
modernisation and redefinition of identities is sweeping through=20
India's Muslim community. It is less and less preoccupied with=20
Islamic identities, icons and symbols. It questions orthodoxies and=20
conservative interpretations of the scripturers--on talaq, violence,=20
and the veil. It is rejecting the stereotype of the Muslim as a=20
devout, namaz-five-times-a-day, but "naturally" blinkered and=20
aggressive person steeped in old, feudal ways of thinking and quaint=20
rituals. The Indian Muslim's personal relationships are changing, as=20
are her/his food habits, proficiency in languages, and social=20
attitudes.

Second, although Indian Muslims as a group are socially,=20
educationally and economically disadvantaged, a new middle class=20
stratum has crystallised among them, which is rooted in modern=20
education, secular values, and the liberal professions. This stratum=20
is qualitatively different from the landed gentry or ashraf elite=20
that tended to provide leadership and role-models to the community=20
before Partition or until the 1970s. Today's role-models are modern,=20
forward-looking, progressive, secular: Azim Premji and Y.K. Hamied,=20
Javed Akhtar and Mohammed Azharuddin, Shabana Azmi and Imtiaz Ahmed.

Third, there is sincere debate and introspection within the community=20
on a range of issues: causes of social backwardness, gender justice,=20
secularism as separation between religion and politics, the=20
importance of modern education and of entry into the professions and=20
the bureaucracy. This introspection has been impelled by recent=20
events, some of them painful. Domestically, these include the eclipse=20
of Urdu, the Babri demolition, Hindu communalism's ascendancy within=20
the ruling elite, and the discrediting of the traditional Muslim=20
leadership. Internationally, they include the spread of=20
fundamentalism and religious intolerance, the end of the Cold War,=20
and Islam's growing vilification as the West's "Other", followed by=20
September 11 and the "anti-terrorism" war.

Whatever the causes, this introspection is a fact. It favours social=20
reform, modernisation and secularisation. Today, a Javed Akhtar can=20
go to Aligarh Muslim University and ask a young students' gathering=20
to forget about the Babri mosque and grapple with the real priorities=20
in life. Muslim women, many of them barely literate, can fruitfully=20
debate the injustices of "Triple talaq". And Reformist Bohras can=20
hold a convention in Bhopal to denounce both terrorism and the rule=20
of the super-orthodox clergy.

It may take some time before these tendencies culminate in the form=20
of a new social and political leadership. They will probably meet=20
with a lot of resistance. Under Hindutva's menace, some Muslims will=20
be impelled towards introversion. But the overall trend, and its=20
direction, is unmistakably positive--in contrast to the retrograde=20
evolution of the religious-minded upper-caste Hindu elite. The=20
dominant trend here is the closure of the mind, retreat from=20
modernist and secular goals, hubris rooted in jingoistic nationalism,=20
growth of superstition, obsession with "proving" that everything=20
worthy in the ancient period originated in India, indeed in the=20
Vedas. The utterly deplorable rewriting of school textbooks under Mr=20
Murli Manohar Joshi to falsify the past and inculcate vicious forms=20
of nationalism, is only one example of Hindutva's growing assault on=20
pluralist values.

Indian Muslims, and the vast majority of Hindus, have emerged as the=20
staunchest defenders of these values. Their assertive defence is=20
liable to put the communalists on the run. This may already have=20
happened in UP, where the BJP seems unable to capitalise either on=20
the "National-Security-is-in-Peril-because-of-(Islamic)-Terrorism"=20
platform, or on the temple. If the party is decisively defeated in=20
UP, a new opening could emerge in society and politics, which is=20
conducive to secularism and to reconciliation and peace with=20
Pakistan. That promises to be the end of the dark tunnel.--end--

______

#3.

dear friends,
I am enclosing herewith the announcement for the
second of a series of peace vigils, which is
synchronized with Simultaneous Peace Vigils
all over the world. The first vigil in Bay Area
had over 120 people and was synchronized with
vigils at 18 cities all over the world attended
by thousands of people.

For more information:
http://www.mindspring.com/~akhila_raman/vigil_main.htm

For signing the memorandum online:
http://www.petitiononline.com/ar_vigil/petition.html

cheers
akhila raman

______

#4.

India Pakistan Arms Race & Militarisation Watch (IPARMW) # 69
19 February 2002

contents:
[1.] Deployment fruitless, say Indian experts
[2.] Playing war! - Fauzia Asim
[3.] Peace building: a challenge for India and Pakistan - Nabiha Gul
[4.] Pakistan: Rockets 'aimed at Karachi airport'
[5.] Lengthening the nuclear fuse - Farah Zahra
[6.] War heroes and mourning hypocrisy - Mubarak Ali
[7.] Stephen Cohen on Pakistani President's
White House Meetings with President Bush
[8.] Indo-US military ties unprecedented: Myers
[9.] India: Armed Forces to scout Def-Expo for high-tech ware
[10.] US to send LCA engines, radars to India
[11.] India to test more Danush missiles
[12.] India set for military exercises

Read full text at : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IPARMW/message/80

______

#5.

Dear Friend,

You are invited to attend a public meeting titled: "Science and Revanchism"
being organised by the Delhi Science Forum and the JNU Science Forum. The
details are as follows:
Venue: School of Social Sciences Auditorium
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi - 110 067
Date: 19/2/2002 (Tuesday)
Time: 5.30 p.m.
The main speaker shall be:
Prof. S.G. Dani, School of Mathematics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Resea=
rch
Mumbai
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
(Amit Sen Gupta)

______

#6.

The Times of India FEBRUARY 19, 2002
http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=3D1401263

TODAY'S INTERVIEW
Historical Baggage
MAHENDRA VED
[ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2002 12:06:11 AM ]
"Governments behaved in a much more democratic way", muses the man=20
who wrote the first set of history school textbooks 35 years ago. The=20
doyen of Indian historians, Professor Bipan Chandra, tells Mahendra=20
Ved that people who advise human resources development minister Murli=20
Manohar Joshi should have "at least read our textbooks before=20
recommending anything":
For the first time, history books, including yours, have been=20
scrapped. But this is not the first controversy surrounding school=20
history books.
There were controversies, and questions were raised in Parliament in=20
the past. But they were dealt with in a democratic manner. The first=20
set of books was written by Kamlesh Tripathi, Barun De and me in=20
1966-67. The first by 'working historians'. Freedom Struggle had=20
critical references to Motilal Nehru. When it was raised in=20
Parliament, Indira Gandhi retorted: "What is wrong if there is a=20
critical comment about my grandfather?" When a Jana Sangh MP raised=20
the issue of beef-eating in ancient India, Jagjivan Ram rose to say=20
that millions of Hindus still do so. "Do they become non-Hindus or=20
non-Indians?" he had asked. In 1977, education minister P C Chunder=20
ordered removal of some passages. Chandra Shekhar protested. Desai=20
sent three books to separate panels. Most of the panel members opined=20
that these were the best books on the subject. Desai had the order=20
withdrawn. Issues were certainly raised. But they were debated and=20
they died a natural death. In the Bihar assembly, questions were=20
raised about why Romila Thapar's book on ancient India did not=20
mention the 'Ramayana Era' and the 'Mahabharat Era'. This pertains to=20
historiography. In the popular mind, it is difficult to separate=20
history from mythology and literature.
Text books have been reviewed earlier; nobody is opposing that. The=20
first revision was in 1969-70; another one in 1989. Books were up for=20
review again in 1998. But Joshi announced that they were going to be=20
scrapped altogether.
Joshi has charged that these books were written and revised=20
"stealthily, surreptitiously".
I am afraid he has no idea of past practice. Experts' committees were=20
appointed to select book writers. The first one had Tara Chand,=20
Neelkanth Shastri and Mohammed Habib. Later, S Gopal was on the=20
panel. The names of the people on the panel were published in=20
newspapers. Each page of a proposed book was discussed at the=20
manuscript stage, line by line. My book went into 70 sittings. To say=20
that these books were written stealthily is rubbish. The charge of=20
stealth lies on the other side. J S Rajput (the present NCERT chief)=20
has refused to reveal the names of those scrutinising the books.=20
Ravindra Kumar's name was bandied about. But he had criticised the=20
approach. Do you call that consultation? To me, the person who vets=20
the book is more important than the writer. Who is vetting the books=20
under publication, I would like to know?
How far is the charge of Marxist influence on history-writing valid?
I would challenge any historian or history student, even rightists,=20
who say that he or she is not influenced by Karl Marx. This has been=20
a worldwide phenomenon. Let us accept that Marx was among the first,=20
though not the first, to view history as a process of socio-economic=20
development and the role of the dominant classes. Much has been said=20
about Marx's views on India and how Indian historians have dittoed=20
them. But the most prominent Marxist historians, D D Kosambi, R S=20
Sharma and Irfan Habib, have all disagreed with Marx's views on=20
India. Sharma's book contradicts Marx's view that India had an=20
Asiatic mode of development, without slavery and feudalism. Irfan=20
Habib not only contradicts Marx, but also contradicts, with proper=20
sourcing and evidence, Kosambi and Sharma. It is not that Marxist=20
historians have a standard viewpoint on each issue.
The new history books are expected to say that the Aryans were=20
indigenous to India.
This is a question of historiographic debate. Joshi and Co have a=20
political position, not a historiographic one. The dominant view,=20
which has so far not been effectively contradicted, is that Aryans=20
came from outside India. To call Aryans indigenous is the only way to=20
show that Muslims and Christians are outsiders. Tell me, do the=20
British bother from where and how the Romans, the Saxons and others=20
came to England? After all, the human being evolved in Africa, the=20
home of the ape. We are all foreigners in the land to which we claim=20
to belong. Are we not going to teach our children how evolution=20
occurred? What we now have is an attempt to twist history. The issue=20
has become political. Lokmanya Tilak propounded the theory that=20
Aryans came from the Arctic region. In 1939, Rashtriya Swayamsevak=20
Sangh (RSS) chief M S Golwalkar, afraid to contradict Tilak, recorded=20
in his book We: "The Arctic home in the Vedas was verily in Hindustan=20
itself. It is not the Hindus who migrated... but the Arctic zone=20
which emigrated and left the Hindus in Hindustan". I agree I should=20
have a position as a historian on this issue. But I have no vested=20
interest in the Aryans being indigenous or foreign. At least, no=20
political interest. Let me assure all concerned that Romila, I and=20
others whose books have been scrapped have an open mind on the issue.=20
Once the Harappan script is deciphered, the issue will be settled=20
anyway.
Joshi has called your tribe the "children of Macaulay's education".
This charge should also rest on the other side. The British wanted=20
Indian history to be seen as that of kings and queens. Their great=20
rulers were mostly white; Ashok and Akbar were listed as a sop to=20
Indians. This is sought to be restored now, what with glorification=20
of the past. It is a sign of backwardness. To progress, a people must=20
view the past critically, only as much as it helps to build a better=20
future. Do Americans gloss over slavery? The status of women,=20
backward classes and tribals cannot improve by glossing over their=20
exploitation in the name of harmony. In 1931, Gandhiji raised the=20
question of untouchability and wanted caste Hindus to do prayaschit=20
(penance). He realised that unless wrongs are corrected, a society=20
cannot progress.
At the heart of this glorification is the bias against Muslims and=20
Christians. Hence, ancient India is glorified to show that the=20
downfall came during the mediaeval period. I say there was no break.=20
If art, culture, literature and science flourished during the ancient=20
era, it did so during the mediaeval era as well. The Kathak dance=20
form developed during the much-maligned 18th century, despite the=20
political disintegration. The better part of Maratha history=20
developed during that period. There is so much screaming over Romila=20
Thapar's book having ignored the "marauding acts of outside=20
invaders". See the Class VII book; it does talk of Mahmud Ghazni's=20
role. But then, the argument one hears is that he has not been=20
identified as a Muslim.

______

#7.

SAR News Feb 18, 2002

Bajrang Dal Men Attack Catholic Church in Mysore, Injure 7

Mysore: SAR News

A 70-strong group of armed activists of the pro-Hindu outfit, Bajrang=20
Dal, attacked a Roman Catholic church in Hinkal on the outskirts of=20
Mysore during a Sunday Mass, February 17 morning. According to=20
reports, the Bajrang Dal men, shouting anti-Christian slogans, barged=20
into the Holy Family Church at around 9.15 a.m. and indiscriminately=20
attacked the 400-odd Christian worshippers with clubs and stones,=20
injuring seven people including a four-year-old child.

They damaged the windowpanes of the church, besides ransacking f the=20
parish priest's room, the sources said, adding that the mob had=20
charged the local Christians with converting Hindus to Christianity,=20
before carrying out the attack.

According to the parish priest, Father William, the mob descended on=20
the church premises in a van and two-wheelers while the Catholic=20
children of the parish were attending Sunday catechism (Bible)=20
classes. He said the mob, led by some local Hindu leaders known to=20
him, stormed into the church following heated exchanges of words with=20
him over conversion.

Fr. William also identified some of the attackers as Keshavamurthy,=20
Nagendra, Kumar and Harave. Keshavamurthy is the district secretary=20
of the local unit of Bajrang Dal. The seven injured in the attack are=20
Wilfred, James, M.B. Suresh, Deepak, Varghese, Jayamma and Jayakumar.

On learning about the attack, the police rushed to the spot and=20
brought the situation under control. They are yet to make any arrests=20
in this connection. However, they are said to have registered a=20
complaint against four attackers and are on the lookout for Harave=20
and Keshavamurthy. They have also provided security cover to the=20
church.

According to the local Catholic leaders, the Bajrang Dal group had=20
earlier disrupted a carol singing programme during Christmas last=20
year. Kumar, involved in the Sunday attack, was wanted in the attack=20
on the carol singers too, they added. The Catholic community here is=20
of the view that the Sunday morning incident could have been averted=20
had the police taken action against those responsible for the earlier=20
attack.Vijayanagar police inspector, Mr. Marikale Gowda has promised=20
to initiate action against the assailants.

Meanwhile, the Global Council of Indian Christians has in a press=20
release February 17 condemned the attack and demanded action against=20
the culprits. The Council also urged the Karnataka Chief Minister,=20
Mr. S.M. Krishna, "to show courage to put down with iron hand the=20
religious fundamentalists trying to destroy the peace and tranquility=20
in Karnataka." "We demand the State Government to persuade the=20
Central Government, which has declared a war against terrorism to ban=20
Bajrang Dal and other Sangh Parivar activists perpetrating swadeshi=20
terrorism in India," the press release added. Several Catholic=20
associations and other Christian organisations have also condemned=20
the attack on the church.

Only Christian Cemetery in Port Blair Desecrated

Port Blair: SAR News

Vandals have damaged crosses and plaques in the only Christian=20
graveyard in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to=20
the Port Blair Diocesan authorities.

In a communique to SAR News, the Port Blair News Bureau stated that=20
on February 12 evening, when the members of the Church of North India=20
here went to the cemetery for a burial ceremony, they found that most=20
of the crosses at the graves were either uprooted or twisted, and the=20
plaques broken into pieces. The communique stated that it was=20
obviously an act of a group of anti-socials.

The diocesan authorities said the Christian community in Port Blair=20
had many denominations "but only one cemetery for the burial of our=20
loved ones, since the regime of the British or even earlier". The=20
United Christian Forum for Human Rights, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,=20
has filed an FIR with the police, aside from making a representation=20
to the Lieutenant Governor urging him to take steps to get the matter=20
investigated, locate the culprits and book them under the Law.

The Forum has also sought "all kinds of protection" from further=20
atrocity on the minority community from the anti-social elements.END

______

#8.

Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 18:50:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Leena Kamat <lrkamat@y...>
Subject: South Asian Sexuality Survey- please help!

www.geocities.com/genderstudy

Dear Community Members,

I am a Senior at UC Berkeley conducting research on
gender roles and sexuality, focusing on South Asian
youth between ages 18-25. Please take a moment to
visit the above link and fill out the survey, and post
and/ or forward this email to any lists or web sites
that cater to South Asians. All information provided
in the survey will be kept strictly confidential, as
outlined in the letter. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Leena Kamat
(510) 644-0784

______

#9.

Dear Friends:

Several of the Associates in PUKAR, Himanshu Burte, Quaid
Doongerwala, Abhay Sardesai and Rahul Srivastava, are participating
in separate events, discussions and exhibitions at the Kala Ghoda Art
Festival 2002. These are noted below.

We thank Nancy Adajania of Art-India and Rahul Mehrotra of the Urban
Design Research Institute for their help in organising these events.

Regards,
Arjun Appadurai, Director, PUKAR
and Shekhar Krishnan, Vyjayanthi Rao and Rahul Srivastava, Coordinators, PU=
KAR
_____

DISCUSSION: "Hutatma Chowk: A Space for and by the Public"with
Himanshu Burte and Sanober Keshwar, conceived and moderated by Nancy
Adajania

Date: Sunday 17 February 2002

Time: 4.30 p.m.

Venue: Bombay Natural History Society Auditorium (Prince of Wales
Museum Estate, at the intersection of Rampart Row and Shahid Bhagat
Singh Road, off Kala Ghoda)

PUKAR Associate Himanshu Burte will provide the social and political
history of this public site through a slide presentation. Lawyer and
activist Sanober Keshwar will discuss the impact of restrictive
legislations on the use of public spaces in the city. The session
will be accompanied by clips from various documentaries by the
film-maker Anand Patwardhan, which attest to the relationship between
organised public demonstrations and this site of public resistance.

_____

ARCHITECTURE: "Impulse: The Ideas Exhibition from the Pragmatic to
the Fantastic"

Dates: Monday 18 February to Saturday 23 February 2002

Times: 11.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.

Venue: Coomaraswamy Hall, Prince of Wales Museum

Sponsored by the Indian Architect and Builder and the Urban Design
Research Institute (UDRI), architect, urban designer and PUKAR
Associate Quaid Doongerwalla presents 'De-Control: Dissolution of
Boundaries', along with other architects and designers offering ideas
and imaginings for the Kala Ghoda precinct.

_____

READING: Poets from Mumbai Read from their Works

Date: Tuesday 19 February 2002

Venue: David Sassoon Library Gardens (Mahatma Gandhi Road, Between
Elphinstone College and Army & Navy Buildings)

Time: 6.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

In association with The Little Magazine, poets reading from their
work in this session include PUKAR Associate Abhay Sardesai, and
Arundhathi Subramanian and Jerry Pinto.
_____

DISCUSSSION: "Table for Two: Omelette and Bun Maska" with Sudhir
Patwardhan and Vikas Sharma, conceived and moderated by Nancy Adajania

Date : Wednesday 20 February 2002

Venue: Bombay Natural History Society Auditorium (Prince of Wales
Museum Estate, at the intersection of Rampart Row and Shahid Bhagat
Singh Road, off Kala Ghoda)

Time : 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

This discussion will revolve around the social life of the Irani Cafe
during the 1970s, made legendary by painter Sudhir Patwardhan in his
painting 'Man in Irani Caf=E9', and the Irani caf=E9 of the 1990s, in the
age of globalisation and consumerism, as recorded by the PUKAR
Neighbourhood Project in a video essay shot by Vikas Sharma, a
student at Wilson College. Patwardhan will present slides, while
Sharma will show clips from the PUKAR film "Aur Iraani Chai". This
session will express the concerns of the floating population that has
frequented and found refuge in the Irani caf=E9 through the decades,
forming a sense of community there.
_____

LECTURE: "Writing Locality: The PUKAR Neighbourhood Project" by Rahul
Srivastava

Date : Thursday 21 February 2002

Venue: Bombay Natural History Society Auditorium (Prince of Wales
Museum Estate, at the intersection of Rampart Row and Shahid Bhagat
Singh Road, off Kala Ghoda)

Time : 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

The PUKAR Neighbourhood Project is an attempt to get students in
schools and colleges to write ethnographies and histories of their
own buildings and localities. The project, which was started at
Wilson College and can serve as a model for other colleges, aims to
develop a complex understanding of the relationship between
educational institutions and the urban space in which these are
embedded. Rahul Srivastava is Coordinator and Associate with PUKAR
(Partners for Urban Knowledge Action and Research), Mumbai.
_____

PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action & Research)
P.O. Box 5627
Dadar, Mumbai 400014, India
E-Mail <pukar@b...>
Phone +91 98200.45529, +91 98204.04010
Web Site http://www.pukar.org.in/

______

10.

Subject: Basant festival celebrated by Hindus and Muslims

About Basant Utsav, a festival of spring celebrated at the dargah of=20
Nizamuddin at Delhi, by both Hindus and Muslims. More details can be=20
had from the following websites:
<http://www.cc-india.org/basant.html>http://www.cc-india.org/basant.html
<http://www.angelfire.com/sd/urdumedia>http://www.angelfire.com/sd/urdumedi=
a

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