[sacw] SACW #1 | 14 Mar. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 14 March 2002

* For daily news updates & citizens initiatives in post riots 
Gujarat Check: http://www.sabrang.com
** Also see new information & analysis section on the recent Communal 
Riots in Gujarat on the SACW web site: http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/

__________________________

#1. Text of Indian Supreme Court order - 'no religious activity of 
any kind by anyone in Ayodhya'
- Related Report: 'Deliberations in the Supreme Court'
#2.Help India Foster a Climate of Religious Tolerance (U.S. 
Commission on International Religious Freedom)
#3. Prevent Further Communal Violence in India (Human Rights Watch)
#4. Liberals, stand up to be counted (Shabana Azmi)
#5. 'We have met the enemy, and it is us...' (Shobha De)
#6. The silent majority speaks back on religion. (Mahesh Murthy)
#7. Journey for Peace, Harmony and Protection of the Constitution
14th - 15th March 2002 (lucknow, Barabanki, Faizabad...)
#8. Scholars of propaganda (Tarun J. Tejpal)
#9. Gravediggers get up-close look at the carnage in India (Kim Barker)
#10. I have filed a complaint with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's
Ombudsman about a CBC TV report from Godhra (Ali Kazimi)
#11. Gujarat: Hindu Rashtra In Action (Nalini Taneja)
#12. Public Radio Discussion on Hindu-Muslim conflict in India 
(Wednesday, March 13
9am, San Francisco)

__________________________

# 1.

Times of India

Text of Supreme Court Order
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2002 4:35:18 PM ]

NEW DELHI: The Bench comprising Justice B N Kripal, Justice G B 
Pattnaik and Justice V N Khare issued notices to the central 
government, Uttar Pradesh government, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and 
referred the petition filed by Mohd Aslam alias Bhure to a larger 
Bench. It admitted the petition and listed it for hearing after 10 
weeks. The order goes as follows:

"We direct that on 67.703 acres of land located in revenue plot 
numbers 159 and 160 in village Ramchandra which is vested in the 
Central Government, no religious activity of any kind by anyone 
either symbolic or actual including bhumipuja or shila puja, shall be 
permitted or allowed to take place.

Furthermore, no part of the aforesaid land shall be handed over by 
the Government to anyone and the same shall be retained by the 
Government till the disposal of this writ petition nor shall any part 
of this land be permitted to be occupied or used for any religious 
purpose or in connection therewith. This is subject to further orders 
which may be passed in this case."

0 0 0

Report below on deliberations in the Court:
'We do not want to repeat the past'
RAKESH BHATNAGAR
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2002 10:01:44 PM ]
http://203.199.93.7/Articleshow.asp?art_id=3691665

_____

#2.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2002 Contact: Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications 
Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

U.S. Must Help India Foster a Climate of Religious Tolerance, Commission Says

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 
has observed with great concern the rioting between religious groups 
in India over the past weeks that has taken more than 600 lives. 
Reports indicate that both Hindus and Muslims have instigated 
violence. In all cases, regardless of who the perpetrators are, the 
Commission unequivocally condemns such attacks and urges the U.S. 
government to press Indian authorities to exercise their power 
immediately to halt the atrocities and violence and bring the 
perpetrators to justice. [...] .

Full text at: http://www.uscirf.gov/prPages/pr0116.php3

_____

#3.

Prevent Further Communal Violence in India

(New York, March 13, 2002) - Human Rights Watch today called on the
government of India to take all necessary and appropriate measures to
prevent communal violence that may arise from a March 15 ceremony at a
contested religious site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

It also urged India to bring to justice those responsible for the recent
communal violence in Gujarat state, including police officers that
failed to intervene to uphold the law.

Since February 27, more than 600 people have been killed in Gujarat,
most of them Muslims. The violence began after a Muslim mob in the 
town of Godhra, apparently
angered by the hooliganism of Hindu activists, torched a train on which
the latter were riding; more than sixty passengers were killed.

The activists were returning from Ayodhya where a campaign led by the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad to construct a Hindu temple on the site of a
mosque destroyed by Hindu militants in 1992 continues to raise the
spectre of further violence. Riots in the city of Bombay in 1992 and
1993 following the destruction of the mosque claimed hundreds of lives.

"Those responsible for torching the train as well as those responsible
for revenge attacks on Muslim communities must be brought to justice,"
said Smita Narula, senior researcher for the Asia division of Human
Rights Watch. "A criminal investigation should also be launched into
possible complicity of officials in Gujarat in the killings, and for the
delay in taking action to prevent Hindu retaliation."

Human Rights Watch praised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well
as the National Human Rights Commission for their quick condemnation of
the killings, and called on the central and state governments to ensure
that impunity for campaigns against minorities - past and present - is
ended.

"The atrocities in Gujarat are a replay of events in Bombay in 1992 and
1993," Narula said. "Had the recommendations of the Srikrishna
Commission been implemented, we might have been able to avoid the
carnage of the last two weeks."

The Srikrishna Commission, under the direction of former Supreme Court
Justice B.N. Srikrishna, issued a report in 1998 on the Bombay riots,
much of it aimed at improving the behavior of police in handling
communal riots. 

Human Rights Watch also expressed serious concern about the condition of
makeshift camps in Ahmedabad, the state capital of Gujarat, where an
estimated 35,000 people remain after fleeing the savage clashes.
According to the findings of the Citizens' Initiative for Justice and
Peace, a human rights coalition, local authorities are preventing riot
victims from leaving the camps. The camps are desperately lacking the
most basic necessities, including food and medical supplies. Sanitation
in the camps is extremely poor.

Human Rights Watch called on the Indian government to provide needed
supplies, to improve basic conditions at the camps, and to take all
necessary measures to ensure that local and international relief
agencies are able to assist the riot victims.

Human Rights Watch noted that potential for further outbreaks of
communal violence in Gujarat and elsewhere remains high, given the
stated plans of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to hold a puja (a Hindu
ceremony) in Ayodhya on March 15. The Supreme Court will make a final
decision on whether the ceremony will be held in a less controversial
site on Wednesday, March 13. The issue of whether or not a Hindu temple
will be built on the site of the destroyed mosque remains bitterly
contested.

_____

#4.

Deccan Chronicle
Sunday, March 10, 2002 | Features

Liberals, stand up to be counted
By Shabana Azmi

The word Muslim was first hurled at me like an accusation after the 
demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. I grew up in a family where 
there was an extremely cosmopolitan atmosphere where we celebrated 
Holi, Diwali, Christmas, Id with equal enthusiasm.

Identity is many things to me. If you ask me who I am I will say 
woman, actor, activist, Muslim, daughter, mother, wife, etc, etc. But 
in India a concerted effort is being made deliberately to condense 
the identity only into the confine of the religious faith one was 
born into. But, the truth of India is its composite culture. Which is 
why the Kashmiri Hindu and the Kashmiri Muslim has more in common 
than a Muslim from Tamil Nadu despite the common faith they share.

What happened after the Babri Masjid demolition was accusations as if 
it was a crime to be a Muslim.I dug my heels in and said yes I am a 
Muslim what you want me to do. I am a Muslim whose parents chose to 
stay back in India when partition occurred because they believed that 
India was a secular and democratic country safeguarding the interests 
of the minorities and pluralism was the strong point. 

How can you then ask their daughter who was not even born to give 
proof loyalty to the country.? If a hundred misguided Muslims cheer 
when Pakistan wins a cricket match against India why should 15 crore 
be taunted? When Ashok Singhal and the VHP indulge in the activities 
they do are all Hindus hauled over the coals?

After partition the secular Muslims decided to keep away from the 
affairs of the community in a great effort to prove their secular 
credentials. They kept away even when Muslims were butchered in 
Mooradabad, Bhiwandi, etc.

The Babri Masjid demolition and the riots that ensued were a wake up 
call for Muslim liberals.who realised that until they came out in aid 
of the community when they were in distress they would not listen to 
them on other issues. 

So for the first time you had the Muslim intelligensia actually out 
on the streets providing relief and rehabilitation. But what happens 
is that these groups come together whenever a crisis occurs and then 
get fragmented because they cannot be in activist-mode always. Unlike 
the RSS and VHP which has a hate campaign targeted against a 
community with the long term goal.

Its time for both Hindus and Muslims to reject being used as cannon 
fodder by politicians. Hats off to the Hindus in Uttar Pradesh in 
spite every single bogey that was raised of war on border, ISI, 
Madarsas and POTO, to create a fear psychosis. 

The issues that concern average Muslims is the same that concerns the 
average Hindus, Sikhs and Christians - roti, kapda aur makan. Why 
should a Muslim look for a Muslim leader. In a functioning democracy 
a Muslim should be confident of any leader.

I think the failure has also been in not countering false propoganda 
systematically targetted at the Muslims. Because the liberal Muslims 
felt there was no need. I think it's time to counter.

We should stop taking it as a fight between the Hindus and Muslims. 
It's a fight between the liberals and fundamentalists. So you join 
hands with secular and moderates irrespective of whether it is Hindu 
or Muslim. And all of us must come together for a common cause. We 
fear what we do not know. 

Therefore, a conscious effort should be made to know the other.We 
have to nail the lie that all Muslims are invaders. We have to see 
the many rulers in history like Akbar have synthesized the diverse 
culture of this country.

Hindus and Muslims have for years lived together peacefully. My uncle 
tells me in Hyderabad when the Muslims take out the 'tazia' during 
Moharram Hindus wash the tazia with milk. In Rajasthan wooden 
(khadao) footwear worm by saints are made by Muslims. 

The dyeing of 'odhni's and printing are done by Muslims.When the VHP 
raised the cry for Kashi and Mathura along with Ayodhya temple, the 
people of Benaras got up and said we don't want communal riots here. 
Both Hindus and Muslims have to stand together.

(As told to Shubhangi Khapre)

______

#5.

Deccan Chronicle
Sunday, March 10, 2002 | Features

'We have met the enemy, and it is us...'
By Shobha De

I have always taken my "Hinduism" entirely for granted. And loved 
the idea that I could. For all these many years, it has been nothing 
more than a biological fact of life. I was born female. And I was 
born Hindu. That was it. 

Where was the need to define it further even to myself? I'm not sure. 
I 'felt' Hindu, but since I didn't 'feel' anything else, I assumed I 
was doing alright. Like millions of other urban Indians who also 
thought of themselves as 'Hindus' - modern-day Hindus - informed, 
progressive, liberal, educated, accepting. And were doing alright.

But suddenly, there is a turbulence in the placid lake of our minds. 
Things are clearly not as we assumed. We are both angry and puzzled. 
"This is not us," we say to ourselves. Till Walt Kelly's evocative 
line comes back to haunt our collective consciousness - "we have met 
the enemy and it is us."

I watched Barkha Dutt interviewing a bunch of hooligans in front of a 
burning factory in Gujarat. The arrogance and nonchalance of the 
rioters made my stomach turn. I thought, "This is insane. Why are we 
behaving like this?" I have to confess here at the time the "we" 
referred to "us Hindus" - supposedly the saner, softer, peace-loving 
"other" community. 

The one with a name. As opposed to the one that goes without a name. 
Because it is not wise to do so in a self-consciously secular nation. 
A nation that for years has prided itself on its broad-minded 
credentials. Suddenly, all that "we" stand for - have stood for - 
makes no sense, made no sense, at all. Sharpened trishuls, murderous 
expressions, belligerent slogans? All in the name of "backlash"??

That night, I asked myself a few honest questions. I recalled some 
recent conversations. Particularly one I had with a close relative 
whose daughter had announced her marriage to a boy from the irrrr... 
ahem... minority community. The father did not bother to conceal his 
shock and dismay as he exclaimed, "When my daughter went abroad, I'd 
told her just one thing - No Black boyfriends.... and no Muslim men," 
Well, now he had to deal with a fait accompli - and he couldn't 
camouflage his hurt. I wondered how the boy's family was dealing with 
the situation. In all probability, the same question was echoing in 
their hearts.

I remembered another incident at a friend's dinner party. She was 
telling everybody how she had defied her husband and employed a 
Muslim cook. "Nobody else can make good biryani," she proclaimed. 
Another woman "confessed" her unease when the company driver turned 
out to someone called Husain Ali. "But we haven't had any problems so 
far..."

All these scraps came back to me over and over again in wave upon 
wave of suppressed memories. I said to myself, "I am not one of those 
crazed people on TV. I'm different. Yes, I pray to the pantheon of 
Gods or visit the neighbourhood temple occasionally. Repeat the 
Gayatri mantra every night. And fall back on shlokas learnt during my 
childhood. when in a troubled frame of mind. That's about as far as I 
stretch my Hinduness. How dare they question my commitment? The depth 
of my feelings?"

I am not alone in outrage. There are countless others, of both 
faiths, who feel exactly the same way. At one point, I asked myself 
an obvious question: "Do you know what it feels like to be a part of 
a minority - any minority?" The answer came slowly. But come, it did. 
I recalled my visit to Lahore a few years ago, when I strayed into a 
crowded bazaar, draped in a saree, with a prominent bindi dotting my 
forehead. "Dekho, dekho... dushman, dushman," a little kid yelled and 
ran into his mother's arms. On the same trip, I was exceedingly well 
looked-after by a Pakistani surgeon, when I required a small 
emergency procedure.

Another trip. Similar experience. But this happened in India, at the 
Jagannath Puri temple in Orissa. I was clad in a casual salwar 
kameez, minus a bindi. Surrounded by aggressive temple priests, I had 
to "prove" my Hinduness since they were convinced I was an 
impersonator (read: Muslim). I was scared.

When I look back on both incidents, I can see the common factor. And 
it is lack of education. Whether it's the trishul-wielding Ram 
Sevaks, or the murderous mobs of Godhra, they are bound by the same 
threads of ignorance and fear. An uneducated mind is incapable of 
reason, but capable of murder in times of crisis. If the government 
were to make education a one-point agenda, there'd be less blood on 
the streets.

In any case, the present 'Dil chahta hai' generation does not 
identify with the mess it has inherited. These are global kids with 
global ambitions. Religious bigotry does not figure in their priority 
list. The 'Dil maangey more' crowd knows what it wants - and that's a 
better life. It would be easy to dismiss their aspirations as being 
too 'materialistic', too 'westernised', too 'frivolous'. But at least 
they aren't picking up sticks and stones to kill their neighbours. 

They are free of this disease. Let us not infect them. Besides, one 
very important quality keeps things in perspective for Gen Next, and 
that's a sense of humour. Unfortunately, it is my generation that's 
neither here nor there. Take me, for instance. I eat beef. I drink 
wine. I do not observe any religious fasts. 

My bindi is more a fashion statement. than a mark of faith. And yet, 
there is nothing ambiguous about my religious identity. I am a Hindu 
simply because I feel Hindu. That's enough for me. Or used to be. 
After Godhra, I've started to question everything - including my 
faith. Or rather, the perverse interpretation of it by the 
politically manipulated scum of our 'civilised' society.

What happened last fortnight doesn't strike the targeted community 
alone, it strikes at the very heart of civilisation. If I were forced 
to choose between being a good 'Hindu' (as defined by rampaging mobs) 
and being a good person, I know what I'd pick.

As would any sane human being. The point is - don't force me to make 
that choice. It was never an 'either/or' situation. Nor should it 
ever be. All we have to do is look ... and love. Redemption will 
follow.

_____

#6.

March 13, 2002

The silent majority speaks back on religion.

Mahesh Murthy, <mahesh@p...>

I was reading through the ten commandments of evil, passed down not 
by some Moses on some mountain, but by some small-thinking mouse of a 
VHP operative in Ranip, Gujarat.

"Wake up! Arise! Think! Enforce! Save the country! Save the 
religion!" it exhorts the pamphlet-reader, who chances upon the 
headline after seeing this horrible piece of work prefaced by a 
"Vishwa Hindu Parishad", a "Jai Shri Ram" and a "Satyam Shivam 
Sundaram" - an unconscious ode, if there was ever one, to the 
not-very-Hindu Zeenat Aman.

"They buy arms!", it shrieks, "they molest our sisters and 
daughters!". It goes on with the proposed solution "The way to break 
the backbone of these elements is - an economic non-cooperation 
movement". And if that was not enough, the little Goebbels who penned 
this dirty propaganda then commands the reader to enforce the 
economic blockade thus:

"Resolve", he asks you to promise (for it must be a he - I cannot 
imagine a lady penning such barbarisms), "that I will not buy 
anything from a Muslim shopkeeper, or sell anything from my shop to 
such elements. Neither will I use the hotels of these anti-nationals, 
nor their garages."

The rabid frother goes on. Just to make sure, he asks you to promise 
again "I shall give my vehicles only to Hindu garages", making me 
think - was he a VHP mouthpiece, or just a not-too-well-off garage 
owner? But the next commandment erases all doubt. "From a needle to 
gold, I shall not buy anything made by Muslims, neither shall we sell 
them things made by us!"

It's not just trade the evil man wants to change - but entertainment 
too. "Boycott, whole-heartedly", he tells you, "films in which Muslim 
hero-heroines act! Throw out films produced by these anti-nationals". 
Right, so now we're condemned to a future with Tusshar and Abhishek 
as our fixtures. A thought - not just films, but what would the cola 
wars be without a Khan at the helm of each one? What would we drink? 
Campa? Lassi?

The monster goes on. Commandment six says "Never work in offices of 
Muslims! Do not hire them either!". Not content with taking away the 
livelihood of 200 million of my fellow citizens, he wants to uproot 
them from their homes too: "Do not let them buy offices in our 
business premises, nor sell nor hire out houses in our housing 
societies and colonies!", he admonishes us.

Having made his point about economic blockades, the fundamentalist 
goes on to ensure his own livelihood - his politics. "I shall 
certainly vote", he wants me to promise, "but only for him who will 
protect the Hindu nation". Ah, do things become clear now - are there 
any other more insecurities this impotent gentleman has? Yes, it does 
seem so - as commandment nine wants me to "be alert to ensure that 
our sisters-daughters do not fall into the 'love-trap' of Muslim boys 
at school-college-workplace." So that's what really makes him feel 
neglected?

He ends with a lateral VHP attempt to saffronise education: "10. I 
shall not receive any education or training from a Muslim teacher."

It's not just the reader of the leaflet that message was for. Adept 
in the principles of viral marketing (or maybe he's seen Amway work) 
he says: "Friends, begin this economic boycott from today! Then no 
Muslim will raise his head before us! Make ten photocopies of this 
leaflet, and distribute it to our brothers."

A not-too-subtle incentive is tagged on at the end: "The curse of 
Hanumanji be on him who does not implement this and distribute it to 
others! The curse of Ramchandraji also be on him!" It is signed off: 
"A true Hindu patriot."

By reproducing the contents of this vile piece to all of you perhaps 
I have avoided the curse of Hanumanji and Ramachandraji - whatever 
those may be. But I'd like to send a louder message back to this 
little vile man - and to all others like him who claim to represent 
me, my family, my friends and hundreds and thousands and lakhs and 
crores of us. Here is what I want to tell him:

Dear 'true Hindu patriot', you disgust me.

I will have nothing to do with your ten evil commandments, and I will 
ask every Indian I know to treat it like the dirt that it is.

I am an Indian, and I believe in the pledge I used to say aloud in 
school every day - all Indians are my brothers and sisters.

Your burning of Muslims to "avenge" the burning of Hindus or razing a 
mosque to avenge a razed temple make no sense to me. Each act is as 
despicable as the other. All you have proved is that you are as 
inhuman and as evil as the other person.

Gandhiji's saying that an eye for an eye only makes both people blind 
was never so apt. I wish the law of my land condemns both you blind, 
warring parties to punishment that is just and fair.

Dear supposed Hindu patriot, you should know this: I care little 
about who invaded whom in the past - whatever happened, happened and 
I cannot change it. The end result of all that history is a country I 
am proud of today.

I am proud I live in a secular nation and I will fight every attempt 
by you to turn it into anything else. My constitution guarantees me 
freedom of religion - and every Indian has a right to worship any God 
he desires, or none, if he so desires - without fear or favour, from 
you or anyone else.

The constitution guarantees my Muslim friends as much of a right to 
live, work hard and prosper as I do. It does the same for my 
Christian, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist, agnostic and atheist friends, all 
of whom love this country like I do.

Your leaflet incites citizens to discriminate on the basis of 
religion. This, as you will know is patently illegal, yet, I have 
heard with horror some of your ilk say that they are above the law - 
as they have decided what their God wants, and no court ruling will 
stop them.

With greater disbelief than horror I have heard some others of your 
ilk say that you represent the vast majority of India, some 70 crore 
of the 100 crore, you say, and hence your word will be law.

You know what? I want to tell you something very important: so please 
listen carefully.

You do not represent me. You do not represent my family. You do not 
represent my friends. You do not represent the people I work with, 
live next door to, talk with, relax with, smile with, laugh with or 
otherwise enjoy life with.

It is also likely that you do not represent the vast majority of 
people who are reading this. Nor their friends, or families and 
extended circle of acquaintances. You do not represent the vast 
majority of Indians who believe in fairness, justice and equality - 
and simply want a peaceful existence, free of the strife you create, 
so they can go about their lives.

For too long this vast majority has remained silent. Today I, for 
one, will be silent no more.

You have used publishing technology and photocopying to get your 
message of hatred across. I will use all means I can to get this 
message across - one is this article in print and email form, and 
another is the website 
<http://www.secularindian.com/>www.secularindian.com . And there will 
be many more, I hope, from many others.

You have said you are above the law. I am requesting my elected 
representatives to ensure that law is abided by in the days, months 
and years to come.

You have said it is a fight to the death. Perhaps it is, but to the 
death of such misplaced bigotry, fundamentalism and terrorism.

Dear 'true Hindu patriot', I remain yours truly, an Indian patriot.

_____

#7.

Journey for Peace, Harmony and Protection of the Constitution
14th - 15th March 2002

The various organizations, people's movement and concerned 
individuals have decided to challenge the communal forces and stand 
up for the secular values of the Nation.

To forward this, 15th of March has been declared as the National day 
for Peace and Communal Harmony. 

The groups have also decided to start their Journey for Peace, 
Harmony and Protection of the Constitution from Vidhan Sabha on the 
14th morning, at 11.00 AM and proceed to Chinhat and thence to Maati 
Village, Devaa to the Quami Ekta Darwaza, Devaa Sharif. Local 
populace will be addressed right along the route, and a meeting will 
be held at Maati Village.

The journey will be conducted on foot as well as by transport.

An evening Vigil will be held at Devaa Sharif, from where the 
citizens for peace will proceed to Barabanki, where they will take 
out a Prabhat Pheri the next morning on the 15th March.

The citizens for peace will proceed for Faizabad on the 15th March, 
to take the message of Peace and Communal harmony to the people.

The citizens for peace are committed to Harmony and Peace, and as 
such will not engage in any confrontation with anyone, including the 
administration, and will halt at any point they are asked to and 
conduct a peaceful satyagrah. The citizens for peace are seeking to 
register their opposition to the manner in which the Ayodhaya issue 
is being dealt with by the state. They are demanding that the 
Constitution be applied, and the secular values of the country be 
ensured, by ensuring that no religious ceremony is conducted on 
Government or disputed land in Ayodhaya.

Contact:
Tulika/Shalini
AALI
407, Dr. Baijnath Road, New Hyderabad, Lucknow
Phones: 782066, 782060

_____

#8.

The Hindustan Times
Thursday, March 14, 2002

Scholars of propaganda
Tarun J. Tejpal
http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/140302/detide01.asp

_____

#9.

Chicago Tribune

Gravediggers get up-close look at the carnage in India
By Kim Barker
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 13, 2002
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0203130358mar13.story

____

#10.

Subject: "Little India/Little Pakistan in Godhra" reports CBC
From: Ali Kazimi

I have filed a complaint with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's
Ombudsman about a CBC TV report from Godhra on March 6. They have promised a
response...

You can see it on this site using RealVideo or Quicktime

http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=World&story=/news/2002/03/
06/india020306

You might also want to see this report
CBC Newsworld's Dennis Trudeau speaks with Rajanikanta Verma, India's High
Commissioner to Canada about political optimism over Hindu-Muslim clashes in
India
http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=Canada&story=/news/2002/03
/05/india020305

Please do send your own comments to

David Bazay
CBC Ombudsman
<ombudsman@c...>
_______________________________________________

Dear Mr. Bazay,

I am writing to lodge a formal complaint against one of your reporters on
CBC Television,

On March 6, Celine Galipeau reported on the aftermath of the violence in
Godhra, India. The report has assertions presented as fact, which are not
only misleading but also incredibly provocative and inflammatory both in
India and Canada. (This report can still be accessed on the CBC website.)

While doing her stand up from Godhra, this is what Ms. Galipeau says,
"The torching of the train already added to the bad blood that existed here
for years. In fact these two communities are literally separated by a
street. This is little India and on the other side is little Pakistan,
hardly the model integration that Gandhi had hoped for."

By little India, one is to infer that Ms. Galipeau is referring to a section
of the street where she feels only Hindus live and by little Pakistan, she
is referring to an area where, according to her, only Muslims reside.

Hindus are Indians and Muslims are Pakistani - this is a FACT presented by
your reporter who has years of experience and a tremendous amount of
credibility with a Canadian audience.

In fact, India is a secular, democratic republic-- multicultural,
multilingual and multireligious. Of the one billion citizens, over 125
million are Muslim. Perhaps the CBC should also know that India's Muslim
population exceeds that of Pakistan or Bangladesh. It is the second largest
Muslim community in the world, after Indonesia.

So how are Canadian audience members who don't know the background to the
violence expected to respond to the interviews with Muslim survivors that
follow or those of Hindu survivors that precede it?

If they go to your website to search for background material, this is what
they will find about the creation of India and Pakistan.

"While Mahatma Gandhi and his followers were spreading non-violent
resistance against British rule, another movement was making headway in
India. Muslims in India were demanding more say in government. Hindus were
the majority and therefore held most of the political power. In August 1947,
a solution came for both causes. India won independence from British rule,
and a new state, a Muslim state, was created. This new state was given the
name Pakistan, which means, "land of the pure."

This background material intended, I assume to give your readers' insight
into the story is shockingly silent on the make up of India.

To deconstruct the phrase "For both causes" used on the website: Pakistan
did grow out of a Muslim separatist movement. However, what was the other
cause for which a solution called India was found? Since no information is
given, the reader is left to deduce that since Pakistan was for Muslims,
India must be for Hindus alone. This is especially the case, if they check
the CBC site after seeing Ms Galipeau's report. Only by going to the CIA
link mentioned on this site, can one learn about the nature and
composition of India as a country!

Has the CBC recognized India as a Hindu state and has it declared all
Indian Muslims to be Pakistani? Do Ms. Galipeau and the CBC subscribe to
the notion that India is a Hindu country? If so, it must make a public
declaration and become one of the first organizations to endorse those who
would like to see India cleansed of its Muslims.

Ms Galipeau's reportage is lazy, dangerous and potentially inflammatory. It
gives tacit support to the supporters of the Hindu nationalists in Canada.
For tens of thousands of Canadians, whose families are among the Indian
Muslims, these frightening times are made worse by the inexcusably sloppy
and irresponsible reportage of the CBC.

sincerely,

Ali Kazimi
cc
Robert Rabinovitch, President and CEO, CBC
Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star
Rick Salutin, The Globe and Mail
Professor Hari Sharma, SFU

_____

#11.

People's Democracy:
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Gujarat: Hindu Rashtra In Action

Nalini Taneja

IN typical Goebelsian fashion, and in order to create a truth, the Union
Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sushma Swaraj, recently withdrew from
circulation all facts relating to the anti-minority pogroms in Gujarat. The
purpose of this intervention appears to arise from the fear that these facts
might be construed as explaining the immediate context of the torching of the
four bogies of the Sabarmati Express in which 58 people, including karsevaks,
were killed by a Muslim mob at the Godhra station.

In this manner the RSS version of the events, which packages images of
stereotyped fanatical jehadi Muslims with ISI links, who cannot but kill
"innocent Ram bhakts" as part of their evil designs in Hindu India, is integral
to the explanation for what is happening there.

Full Text at: http://pd.cpim.org/2002/march10/03102002_gujarat_hindurashtra.htm

_____

#12.

KQED Public Radio, San Francisco
Wednesday, March 13
9am
Forum looks at the history of Hindu-Muslim conflict in India
an hour long discussion with Guests: Shashi Tharoor, Ashutosh 
Varshney , Aslam Abdullah, Manzoor Ghori, Anand Patwardhan,
The show is available online. http://www.kqed.org/radio/forum/index.html

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