[sacw] SACW #1 | 13 Mar. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 13 March 2002

* For daily news updates & citizens initiatives in post riots=20
Gujarat Check: http://www.sabrang.com
** Also see new information & analysis section on the recent Communal=20
Riots in Gujarat on the SACW web site: http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/

__________________________

#1. What Pakistan should do while India continues to threaten war (M B Naqv=
i)
#2 India Update - The latest on the battle against fascism (Sonia Jabbar)
#3. No Real Peace Till NaMo Rules Gujarat (Batuk Vora)
#4. It had to be done, VHP leader says of riots (Sheela Bhatt )
#5. A number of people's organizations including NAPM, WAMA, Fasiwad=20
Virodhi Jan Abhiyan, IPTA, Sampradayikta Virodhi Abhiyan, have=20
decided to come together out on the streets to protest against the=20
temple construction programme of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (14-15 March=20
in Lucknow)
#6. Misuse of voters list in Gujarat riots alleged
#7. 'Citizens against Communalism' congregation in Calcutta on 15 March
#8. Negotiating with the VHP is a bit like writing on water=20
(Editorial, Indian express)
#9. Ground for Future Shock (Ashis Chakrabarti)

__________________________

# 1.

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2002-daily/13-03-2002/oped/o4.htm
The News International Wednesday March 13, 2002-

How to stump Sushma -- and Atalji
by M B Naqvi

The PTV debate between India's Information Minister Sushma Swaraj and=20
Talat Hussain on Friday evening was high on entertainment and low in=20
utility. It heavily underscored the utter impasse into which the two=20
countries have stumbled into. Any diplomatic tete a tete between the=20
two countries' officials can, on present assumptions, scarcely=20
achieve anything more substantial. India remains determined to=20
prevent any mediation on Kashmir and until Pakistan actually does "on=20
the ground" what Sushma said Pakistan government has been precisely=20
told to do, India will neither withdraw its troops from the borders=20
nor restore the sundered communication links, enhance each other's=20
diplomatic presence or ease up on the visa regime. In fact, India=20
will continue to threaten war.

Past policies of Pakistan, especially on national security and=20
Kashmir, have ended into the blind alley, which is the current=20
eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation. All Islamabad can do, thus, is to=20
sit on its hands and wait -- for what? A war that may never come,=20
except as an accident or irrational decision of either side. Meantime=20
the hopes of expanding trade and investments, apart from the expense=20
of forward deployment, are unlikely to be fulfilled. Economic=20
turnaround, so necessary even for arresting the growing unemployment=20
and poverty, may remain an aspiration. Economic prosperity, whatever=20
this government means by it, will continue to elude. The regime is=20
required to legitimise itself through elections of some kind. That=20
requires normalcy and peaceful conditions and not war hysteria. These=20
conditions are being denied by India. War-like conditions and=20
electioneering do not gel; polls may have to wait for a quieter time.=20
But the regime does not have unlimited time at its disposal.

Pakistan's new or old foreign friends are of no avail. The UK has=20
spoken for the US, with EU and Japan concurring, that 'terrorism in=20
Kashmir has to end before India-Pakistan dialogue can be resumed'.=20
This is as good as saying: satisfy India that you have done your duty=20
by restraining terrorism in Kashmir -- the very thing Sushma said:=20
Pakistan knows what precisely to do. Islamabad, or rather CE Gen=20
Pervez Musharraf, is thus on the horns of a painful dilemma: if he=20
does restrain the Jihadis in Kashmir -- the true Indian demand --=20
which is the logical extension of what he did about Taliban, it will=20
set up a dangerous backlash. Or so he is likely to be advised. If he=20
refuses, he traps himself into the current quandary of the no war and=20
no peace, complete with all the impediments of an actual war for the=20
expected investments; and the regime's other political hopes might=20
become somewhat unrealistic or difficult to be fulfilled. The country=20
and its people are becoming perplexed and despondent about the=20
future, creating a troubled rear for the troops on war deployment.

Since there are no democratic institutions with authority, this=20
momentous decision has to be taken by one man -- on the advice of=20
perhaps 12 to 15 Lt. Generals. Others' unsought advice is likely to=20
be unwelcome. Even so, a duty devolves on political commentators and=20
indeed all aware citizens to pronounce on national issues, especially=20
in a time of crisis whether or not they are heeded. The only feasible=20
advice today, given the situation, is to bite the bullet and do as=20
the US, UK, EU, Japan and India are asking him to do -- a logical=20
corollary almost of his policy switch on Afghanistan.

There is enough reason for a radical rethink. The old policy on=20
Kashmir -- pursued for 54 years -- has not brought Pakistan any=20
closer to its real desire: Kashmir Valley becoming a part of=20
Pakistan. It was the result of misconceived militaristic approach.=20
Its only rationale was that when push comes to the shove there,=20
Pakistan Army can go in and administer a coup de grace. Later=20
Pakistan's possible nuclear punch provided the shield behind which a=20
Jihad could proceed in Kashmir. Well, the results of three regular=20
wars and the quasi or a third of a nuclear war going on in the minds=20
of the two general staffs since the Kargil skirmishes have ended in=20
what is mutual impotence. And Almighty be praised for it.

The point is that a misplaced imperial attitude that underlies the=20
militarist thinking has led to 70,000 young Kashmiri Muslims losing=20
their lives in pursuit of a basically unrealistic policy. Whatever=20
strength Pakistan can build India can do more. With an economic base=20
many times richer it can outspend Pakistan into insolvency, a la=20
USSR. It is time it is dropped. And a new Kashmir policy, more=20
reasonable and realistic, is not hard to be devised by insisting on=20
non-violence and Kashmiris waging their own political struggles for=20
their own rights themselves. That will be more effective. Remember=20
the Subcontinent's independence was won by a non-violent struggle.

But that change will not immediately or automatically dissolve the=20
current political and diplomatic impasse, being made worse by=20
increasing communal polarisation in India, not to mention the BJP=20
leadership's arrogant style. Pakistan government, both substantively=20
and tactically for the present, has to find an answer to India's=20
bilateralism mantra. Bilateralism suits a militarily strong player of=20
power politics, especially if it has imperialistic objectives in=20
view. Pakistan has tried to recruit support from powerful nations of=20
the west since 1954 -- and got some of it for a while. But whenever=20
Pakistan needed it most in crises, no one came to its aid. Even=20
politically involving third parties in its disputes with India has=20
just not worked. And yet it has to find an answer: logically, it can=20
only be unilateralism. Do what is right yourself and speedily and=20
hope for the best.

Pakistan thus needs to de-link all its policies from India. It must=20
do what it thinks is right and can be done within its own resources=20
and by its own strength. Islamabad must not ape the great powers,=20
thinking it is the legatee of the Great Mughals. No colonial or=20
imperial motives for us, thank you. Our chief priority has to be=20
domestic prosperity of our people -- actual common men, women and=20
children's concrete and verifiable welfare and amidst all human=20
freedoms. Peace and a good deal of actual disarmament are therefore a=20
must for Pakistan. The present military establishment is too big for=20
the size of the economy there is. So long as Pakistan goes on running=20
an arms race with India, avowed or un-avowed, there will be no hope=20
for the economy's true revival, what to speak of popular welfare.

What, leave India to go on with its military build up in all=20
conceivable fields and not to strengthen Pakistan's national=20
security! And yet the fact is that Pakistanis have been=20
unsuccessfully chasing the chimera of a 1:3 power ratio with India=20
all these years. What is the net result today? A decrepit debt-ridden=20
economy in which economic decision-making has been delegated to=20
creditors and World Bank Group. A Kashmir bleeding to death under=20
Indian jackboots, with Pakistan actually weighing how to slip out of=20
the foolish commitments. The political life has been ravaged by a=20
succession of self-important Men-on-Horseback, a weak and splintered=20
politics increasing provincial disharmony and with no democratic=20
institutions working. Most of it is because of an unsustainable and=20
militaristic Kashmir policy and the arms race that goes with it. Now,=20
it is clearly becoming impossible to keep up with the Indian Joneses.

Let unilateralism be Pakistan's watchword. If Ms. Swaraj says troops=20
cannot be withdrawn and communication links cannot be restored, let=20
the Islamabad policy be to restore those links, withdraw its own=20
troops to their formal stations, give maximum relaxation in the visa=20
regime for the Indians courageously and ask Indian High Commission to=20
increase their strength to as much as they like -- without asking for=20
any reciprocal action. National security cannot be seriously=20
compromised by troops returning to normal stations. Let India be=20
ignored in all our policy making. As for longer-term National=20
Security, if the Pakistanis are free and feel secure today it is not=20
because of Islamabad's military expenditures. The real reason for=20
that is: there is no cognisable external threat to Pakistan; the only=20
threat is from the inside for which the armed forces can provide no=20
solution, having been a part of the problem. An India dominated by=20
Hindutva adherents will, if necessary, invent a new Pakistan if we=20
stop giving them political ammunition.

The point is Pakistan must jettison needless baggage and restart the=20
journey to the goal of a happy and prosperous Pakistan in which the=20
people count and where all policies are made by them and for their=20
own well-being.

_____

#2.

Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 22:47:18 +0530
From: sonia jabbar
Subject: 12th update

Dear Friends,

The latest on the battle against fascism:

Tomorrow, March 13th, is going to be a great show of strength against=20
the Gujrat carnage, for peace, secularism & communal harmony. All=20
secular political parties of the Opposition are joining us in a march=20
from Mandi House to Parliament starting 11:30 am. We will reach the=20
Patel Chowk roundabout by 1 pm. We expect around 10,000 people or=20
more and request each one of you to drop what you are doing and=20
assert your belief in our secular democracy.

Today, after my meeting with the Samajwadi party leader, Mr. Amar=20
Singh, the party has decided to put aside his differences with the=20
Congress for the time being and join us in our struggle against the=20
fascists. Mr. Deve Gowda is catching the first flight from Bangalore=20
to join us. A host of other political luminaries will be present.=20
Sonia Gandhi has agreed to come out of Parliament to address the=20
meeting. I think it's been a while since Delhi has witnessed such a=20
show of strength and solidarity.

We also met the Congress president this morning and discussed the=20
latest machinations of the Sangh Parivar and what concrete steps we=20
could take to stop them. Till late last night the Vajpayee government=20
was meeting to try and figure out how to allow the bhoomi & shila=20
pujas. Yesterday, notwithstanding the thousands of security forces=20
(that Advani assured parliament was in place as "security=20
arrangements" made by the Home Ministry), Ashok Singhal, along with=20
top VHP functionaries was allowed to proceed to Ayodhya from Lucknow=20
unhindered, courtesy the Centre.

Today, to try and wriggle out of the possible judgement against them=20
in the Supreme Court on the 13th, the VHP has announced that they=20
will merely be handing over the carved pillars to the receiver on the=20
15th and that they had never wanted to have a boomi puja in the first=20
place. So far so good, but don't let that lull you into thinking that=20
its a climbdown from their original stand. It's just a clever way of=20
getting the Government to allow them to transport the pillars to the=20
disputed area. Too bad for them they have the irrepressible,=20
big-mouth Paramhans who let it be known to all that the handing over=20
of the carved pillars to the District Collector of Faizabad will be=20
done in the sanctum sanctorum of the proposed Ram mandir, ie. on the=20
exact site where the Babri Masjid stood!!=20

Unfortunately Vajpayee and Co. have enough resources to persuade the=20
likes of Soli Sorabjee to represent them in court tomorrow. Some=20
friends tried to make an intervention on the petition and found that=20
of the 10 senior Supreme Court lawyers they contacted not one would=20
represent them. Brace yourselves for a possible unfavourable=20
judgement in favour of a puja. So much for that.

However, there is a silver lining in these terrible dark clouds. We=20
managed to persuade Mrs. Gandhi today to put together a team of=20
senior Opposition leaders to go to Ayodhya on the 15th. They will=20
demand that the government facilitate their journey as they did Mr.=20
Singhal's. The composition of the team is yet to be announced but=20
will be done in the rally tomorrow. In the meanwhile, we are=20
gathering a few thousand in Lucknow to proceed to Ayodhya in a convoy=20
on the 15th morning. We will proceed with the leaders of the=20
Opposition parties along the Ayodhya road as far as we are allowed,=20
meeting NAPM friends from Lucknow who would have set out a day=20
earlier on their padyatra on the way. Then we will court arrest. We=20
are not sure whether the leaders will be stopped or not, but if they=20
are not allowed and are arrested with us it will mean egg on the=20
government's face.

Imagine BBC recording for the entire world how thousands of peace=20
activists and senior elected representatives of the people of India=20
are arrested while muderers and rioters roam free. A clear message=20
would be sent out that there is something amiss when the World's=20
Largest Democracy is run by fascists like a theocracy.

On the other hand if they are allowed I don't think the VHP or the=20
government will have the guts for a public standoff.

So=8A.cheer up! even if we lose this round we would have gone down fighting=
.

What we need from all of you in Delhi are volunteers for Ayodhya. It=20
is to be a peaceful Satyagraha and like I said earlier, we will=20
declare March 15th to be a day of Peace, Secularism & Communal=20
Harmony. We need to know by tomorrow at the rally how many will be=20
going from Delhi as we will have to make travel arrangements by=20
tomorrow evening. So do get in touch.

Programme: Satyagraha 14th March : leave by Gomti Express at 2:20 pm=20
for LKO. Arr. 9:30 pm. Overnight in LKO 15th: Declare this day as=20
'Day of Peace, Secularism and Communal Harmony.' Call all Indians to=20
celebrate it as such. Proceed to Ayodhya (we will arrange buses).=20
Probably be stopped in Barabanki where we will court arrest. When=20
released we will light candles.

warmest regards
sj

_______

#3.

[Full Text on South Asia Citizens Web site ]

NO REAL PEACE
TILL NaMo RULES GUJARAT

by Batuk Vora

Ahmedabad: March 11:

Can there be real peace in Gujarat after the gruesome communal frenzy=20
running riot following the Godhra carnage?
Can the historic amity between the two communities be revived? Can a=20
reconciliation be achieved?
Can the planned destruction of homes and businesses of minority=20
community be rehabilitated?
Can those 60,000 homeless-jobless refugees be kept alive through=20
massive relief and rehabilitation with a full sense of security? How=20
are those 20,000 Hindus moving out from their ?unsafe? homes to be=20
brought back? Can those near and dear ones of more than a 1500 people=20
burnt (official figure is 672) or stabbed alive in the cities and=20
villages be properly distributed Rs 1 lakh[100,000] compensation, as=20
belatedly declared by the government?
Can those Hindu fanatics of VHP-Bajrang Dal-BJP be curbed and stopped=20
from carrying on their nefarious design to implement the=20
'socio-economic boycott of the entire minority community'? (according=20
a leaflet distributed in nooks and corners of Gujarat- an anonymous=20
handout, of course)
Answer to all these questions in one sentence stands as follows:

NOTHING OF THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED TILL THE HARDLINE RSS SWAYAMKSEVAK=20
CHIEF MINISTER NARENDRA MODI (NaMo) WAS REMOVED FROM POWER. REPORTS=20
INDICATE HE MIGHT DISSOLVE THE ASSEMBLY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SO=20
CALLED 'HINDU WAVE.' BUT THE PRESIDENT'S RULE COULD BE CONTINUED FOR=20
SIX OR MORE MONTHS TO REALLY STABILISE THE SITUATION. [...]

Read Full Text at : http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/batukvora11mar2002.html

_____

#4

Rediff.com
Tuesday March 12, 2002

It had to be done, VHP leader says of riots
Sheela Bhatt in Ahmedabad

In a startling revelation, Professor Keshavram Kashiram Shastri,=20
96-year-old chairman of the Gujarat unit of the Vishwa Hindu=20
Parishad, told rediff.com that the list of shops owned by Muslims in=20
Ahmedabad was prepared on the morning of February 28 itself.

Shastri was replying to an allegation that shops in Ahmedabad were=20
looted on the basis of a list prepared by the VHP in advance and that=20
the violence was not a spontaneous outburst against the carnage in=20
Godhra.

A scholar of the Mahabharat and a highly respected literary figure of=20
Gujarat, Shastri said in a tape-recorded interview, "In the morning=20
we sat down and prepared the list. We were not prepared in advance."

Asked why they did it, he responded, "Karvun j pade, karvun j pade=20
(it had to be done, it had to be done). We don't like it, but we were=20
terribly angry. Lust and anger are blind." He said the rioters were=20
"kelvayela Hindu chokra" (well-bred Hindu boys).

He said there were two reasons for the inactivity of the Ahmedabad=20
police during the rioting. "They feared death," he said simply. "And=20
some of them were Hindus who thought, let the mob do whatever it=20
wants."

He agreed that the atmosphere in the city now is so charged that if=20
he were to go to the Muslim-dominated Kalupur area of Ahmedabad, he=20
would not come back alive.

He admitted that people had been burnt, mosques razed, and shops=20
looted, but argued that all that had been done in a "frenzy".

Shastri agreed that violence was not the answer to violence, but=20
remarked, "These things [non-violence] look good in the shastras. Our=20
boys were charged because in Godhra women and children were burnt=20
alive. The crowd was spontaneous. All of them were not VHP people.=20
The Waghri community (a scheduled caste) didn't even know the victims=20
of Godhra, but they have done an amazing job! They are not our=20
members. In villages all these people who were angry are not our=20
people. They are angry because Hindutva was attacked. This is an=20
outburst, a tremendous outburst that will be difficult to roll back."

He said the situation could get aggravated and bigger riots were=20
possible. "There will be a war," he said. "So much poison has spread=20
that it's difficult o contain it now."

Asked how he, a scholar and a litterateur, could condone innocents=20
being burnt alive, he remarked, "The youngsters have done even those=20
things which we don't like. We don't support it. But we can't condemn=20
it because they are our boys. If my daughter does something, will I=20
condemn it?

"We don't believe that the boys have done something wrong, because=20
this was the result of an outburst. But we do feel that they should=20
not have gone so far. But that's an afterthought. We needed to do=20
something. It's said that snakes that are not poisonous should keep=20
the enemy away by hissing once in a while."

He agreed that in Hindu philosophy, such actions are sinful, "but=20
it's done! Now we should work for peace. Because India can't afford=20
such disturbances."

The Ahmedabad police have so far arrested 977 persons on charges of=20
rioting, looting, burning and killing people in response to first=20
information reports filed by the victims and relatives of the dead.

According to the police, the search for looted goods has been quite=20
successful. In many colonies and slums, looted stuff has been found=20
abandoned on the roads by rioters fearful of being caught.

According to a police source, a legislator in Ahmedabad has sought=20
police protection because the relatives of those arrested have been=20
nagging him day and night to get them out.

A senior police officer told rediff.com that the arrested boys are=20
now blaming local leaders and saffron activists. "Our boys did it=20
because the mobs and leaders supported it. Now how can you arrest=20
them?" say the relatives of the rioters.

According to Shastri , "The VHP has formed a panel of 50 lawyers to=20
help release the arrested people accused of rioting and looting. None=20
of the lawyers will charge any fees because they believe in the RSS=20
ideology."

______

#5.

National Alliance of People's Movement
9/982, Indira Nagar
Lucknow-226016, U.P
Phone: 347365, 782060, 782066, 342435, Mobile: 9839018491
e-mail: ashain@s...
=20
Dated: 12th March, 2002

FOR PEACE, HARMONY AND PROTECTION OF INDIAN CONSTITUTION
Dear Friends,

A number of people's organizations=20
including NAPM, WAMA, Fasiwad Virodhi Jan Abhiyan, IPTA,=20
Sampradayikta Virodhi Abhiyan, have decided to come together out on=20
the streets to protest against the temple construction programme of=20
Vishwa Hindu Parishad. We deplore the adamant attitude of Vishwa=20
Hindu Parishad to carry out their Bhumi Pooja on government land and=20
their insistence that government hand over the land to them. VHP and=20
Sangha Parivar have outraged all modesty and violated norms of=20
working in a democratic set up and are forcing their opinion on the=20
silent majority of this country. Their utter disregard for the=20
judiciary is making a mockery of the entire system of governance that=20
this country has been following for over 50 years. They are out to=20
tarnish not only our democratic set up but also taking apart our=20
social fabric by inciting communal feelings and fueling violence. The=20
damage being done by VHP is irrepairable and cannot be pardoned.

Various people's organization will stage a dharna in front of the=20
Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow on 14th and 15th March, 2002 and a group will=20
start marching from Lucknow to Ayodhya. The march will begin on 14th=20
March, 2002 morning from Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow. Former Prime=20
Minister, V.P. Singh, senior Gandhian leader Nirmala Deshpande, Dalit=20
leader Udit Raj, Medha Patkar, Kuldip Nayyar, Surendra Mohan and=20
others will also join this march. The march will reach Barabanki via=20
Dewa on 14th and will proceed further the next day.

We appeal to common people to see through the politics of hate of VHP=20
and Sangha Parivar which are repeatedly abusing religion for their=20
political purposes and sacrificing so many people for their ulterior=20
motives. The VHP and Sangha Parivar are posing a serious threat to=20
our culture and social fabric. It is now upto the common people to=20
come forward to protect the human values which form the foundation=20
for the society that they live in.

Sandeep-Arundhati Dhuru-Tulika Srivastava-Madhavi Kukreja-Roop Rekha=20
Verma-Rakesh-Shakeel Siddiqui-Naish Hasan-Deepa Pant-Gyan=20
Prakash-Suman Raj

_____

#6.

The Times of India

Misuse of voters list in Gujarat riots alleged
PTI [ TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2002 10:04:09 AM ]
AHMEDABAD: Allegations are being levelled in the minority circles=20
here that there was a distinct pattern of "communal cleansing" in the=20
recent riots in Gujarat.
The manner in which the people of minority community, irrespective of=20
their economic status, were attacked first raised suspicion about=20
systematic misuse of voters list to identify and target them.
Similarly, according to the victims, the licence and other relavant=20
papers from the civic bodies were used to target the hotels and other=20
business establishments owned by them.
"All my five hotels including Renbasera meant for poor people were=20
attacked, while three other hotels still stood," said a hotelier, who=20
claims to have known Chief Minister Narendra Modi since his school=20
days.
There have been other such instances. According to some minority=20
community people, during break-out of commual violence in the past=20
also majority community hardliners had tried to get the minority=20
community people ousted from colonies like Meghaninagar.
"They succeeded to a large extent in 1985 violence, yet the posh=20
Gulmohor Society was ours. Now, that's also gone," says one of them.
Many minority community people alleged that the voters' list was=20
virtually used as a killing tool as the mob, apparently angered over=20
the Godhra massacre, went around different localities including in=20
Ahmedabad, as part of "cleansing operation".
"They hardly failed in laying their hands on their target, thanks to=20
the documents like voters' list," said a police official adding "the=20
mission was accomplished with clinical precision."
This is for the "first time in the country" violence was carried out=20
using documents like this, said the senior cop on condition of=20
anonymity.
"We saw ethnic problems in Assam or in Bhagalpur, but this kind of=20
precision was not known elsewhere," he said.
However, others say, "this game of using documents" was "not a=20
Gujarati invention."
"In Jammu and Kashmir, it was tried and tested in a more refined=20
manner. Poor pandits just had to quit the state," said a local=20
resident in one of the sensitive colonies apparently showing his=20
approval for the violence.
"The voters' list has certainly made their task easier and the=20
motivated mob knew exactly who stayed where," said a woman inmate at=20
Sanklitpur relief camp in Johopura.

_____

The Telegraph
13 March 2002

VP SEES BOSNIA PARALLEL

FROM KAY BENEDICT

New Delhi, March 12:
Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh today warned that the country is=20
heading towards a Bosnia-type situation and demanded a joint session=20
of Parliament to discuss the agenda set by Sangh parivar hawks.
A joint session would send out a message that politicians across the=20
country are united and determined to thwart the VHP, he said.

Singh slammed home minister L.K. Advani's bid to play down the=20
Gujarat riots by comparing them with the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in=20
1984. The Gujarat riots were similar to the ethnic cleansing which=20
led to international intervention in Bosnia, he said. "What is=20
happening in Bosnia is happening here," Singh added.

"The Indian nationhood is under attack. The sacrifice of the freedom=20
movement is under threat from those who did not participate in it,"=20
he said. The need of the hour was for the "secular and right-thinking=20
people to organise and isolate the minuscule minority spreading=20
communal poison".

Singh said fundamentalists are attacking the Constitution and the=20
Supreme Court. "Arundhati Roy was sent to jail for one slogan. Why is=20
the court not taking note of their (VHP hardliners) statements? Are=20
we going to stay a Republic?" he asked.

Singh said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Congress president=20
Sonia Gandhi, CPM leader Jyoti Basu, Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu=20
Naidu, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and other top=20
leaders should come together to take on religious fundamentalists. He=20
said he had made such a suggestion to Vajpayee but declined to=20
divulge his reaction.

Regretting that a majority of the 80 per cent Hindus was being=20
bulldozed by the VHP, he said meetings of all legislators should be=20
held to send out a message that there was an alternate force in the=20
country.

The former Prime Minister criticised the move to involve "sadhus and=20
babas" in the mediation efforts on Ayodhya. "I had told (former=20
Rajasthan chief minister and BJP leader) Bhairon Singh Sekhawat not=20
to involve them. You won't be able to control them. How can you=20
control people who don't listen to their parents?" he said.

Singh said he took up the matter with some "allies" but refused to=20
disclose their names.

"We talk of terrorism as the basis of religious fundamentalism. How=20
can we face the world when we are practising terrorism in Gujarat,"=20
he asked. Referring to the ISI-conspiracy theory behind the Godhra=20
train carnage, Singh said even if the ISI was involved, the reaction=20
of the fundamentalists had only helped their design.

Singh opposed the suggestion of handing over the acquired land in=20
Ayodhya to the VHP or the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas for temple=20
construction. In that case, he said, some land should be given to the=20
Muslims for namaaz.

"Why (should) we be selective in giving government property. We=20
should not get into it. How can you distinguish one religion from=20
another in a secular state?"

_____

#7.

Pakistan - India Peoples' Forum For Peace and Democracy
WEST BENGAL CHAPTER, 21-A, HAJI MD. MOHSIN SQUARE, CALCUTTA - 700=20
016. TEL: 244 4876

11th March, 2002
To All members of PIPFPD, WB Chapter and friends and sympathisers

Dear Friends,
Our programme on 15th March 2002 (Friday)

in the name of 'holy' religion how many more deaths will it take
till we know that we will not remain silent spectator at the carnage?

Day before yesterday it was Godhra, around 40 people were burnt=20
alive. Yesterday it was Gujrat -- no, of victimised persons as per=20
record increasing daily; un-official sources put the figure at=20
1000, highest till date in any communal flare - up in Gujrat. In the=20
days to come next it may be in Ayodh, Mumbai , Delhi or Kolkata or=20
any other part of the country!

The no. of fanatics or the miscreants indulging in carnage, looting=20
and arson are always a microscopic minority. But it is the silence or=20
inaction of the sane, rational, democratic vast majority like us ,=20
which provide the miscreants or the fanatics with passive or moral=20
support in their inhuman looting and killing spree. Knowing it fully=20
well, can we sit silent? No, we cannot.

So we approached many forthcoming and upright citizens of Kolkata to=20
join us under the banner of 'CITIZENS AGAINST COMMUNALISM' for direct=20
actions against communalism and propagation of saner and rational=20
views to combat communalism.

>From this congregation it was decided that in order to express our=20
solidarity with the minorities, the pulverable victims in any=20
communal frenzy in a country like India and as a measure of building=20
confidence within them, we join in a demonstration against=20
communalism at Rajabazar and then march in a procession in the=20
locality to observe the day as a day of joint Hindu-Muslim fight to=20
the struggle against fundamentalism and fascism and for 'Aaman' and=20
'Ekta' between the two communities.

We will assemble at Rajabazr crossing right at 4.30 p.m on 15th=20
March, 2002(Friday) under the banner of 'Citizens against Communalism'

Our slogans will be
-- Be it Godhra or Gujrat let's finish with communalism;
-- Down down with fascism and communalism;
-- Looting, arson and carnage if that be the religion, we=20
declare to be anti-religion.

Sensing the gravity of the situation all our members, friends and=20
sympathisers are earnestly requested to join in the programme=20
whole-heartedly.

Sincerely yours
(AMIT CHAKRABORTY)
Joint Secretary, PIPFPD
West Bengal Chapter.

_____

#8.

The Indian Express
EDITORIALS & ANALYSIS
Wednesday, March 13, 2002

Courage of contortions
Negotiating with the VHP is a bit like writing on water
http://www.indian-express.com/ie20020313/ed1.html

_____

#9.

The Telegraph 13 March 2002

GROUND FOR FUTURE SHOCK
BY ASHIS CHAKRABARTI

Communists are at Writers' Buildings and everything must be fine with=20
secularism in West Bengal. So, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh may take=20
their turns through the purgatory of communal fire, but Bengal's=20
secular paradise will not be lost. A small band of Hindu fanatics in=20
Taldi or Malda or a few Muslim zealots in Murshidabad are so out of=20
joint with the state's cultural ethos that they can pose only a=20
marginal threat.

Such is the popular perception of Bengal and it seems so true when=20
you look around and see the communal cauldron burning in other=20
places. But slowly, and not so imperceptively, a change seems to be=20
taking place in Calcutta, too. Whether it is the drawing room=20
conversations of the elite or the street talk of hoi polloi, communal=20
overtones are increasingly becoming not only acceptable but also=20
respectable. Traditionally, the Bengali middle class took pride in=20
secularism, which was considered part of a liberal education. To the=20
bhadralok class, religious fundamentalism was not only politically=20
incorrect but also socially degrading. It happened to people living=20
in India's "cowbelt" or carrying its legacy wherever they lived.

It is perhaps absurd to expect Bengal to be untouched by the=20
churnings that affect the rest of the country. There may not be many=20
instances of ugly street battles or large-scale rioting. But the=20
state cannot be wholly immune to what historian Tapan Raychauduri=20
described, in his Kingsley Martin Memorial Lecture in Cambridge in=20
1991, as the sangh parivar's "struggle for the hearts and minds of=20
the Indian people".

For Bengal, despite the appearance of communal amity, the signs of=20
this "struggle" are becoming increasingly visible in different strata=20
of the society. Not being secular is therefore no longer=20
dishonourable. It is not shameful to sing the praise of Narendra Modi=20
and the charge of the karsevak brigade. In animated conversations on=20
Gujarat or Ayodhya in upper middle class homes, the secularist Hindu=20
is painted as a greater villain than the Muslim. Anti-secularism=20
becomes anti-intellectualism, too. In any case, the secular=20
intellectual is pilloried as a parasite, unrepresentative of the=20
masses and irrelevant to popular upsurges.

This new anti-secularism has two basic claims to respectability. It=20
is no longer the backward putsch of the cowbelt, the revolt of the=20
vernacular-educated underprivileged against the English-educated=20
upper classes. The new champions of Hindu fundamentalism are a far=20
cry from the typical Rashtriya Swa-yamsevak Sangh activists=20
visualized by K.B. Hedgewar or M.S. Golwalkar. These are=20
English-educated, upper class people who otherwise have nothing but=20
contempt for the masses. They supposedly give respectability to what=20
was long perceived as an illiterate cult .

This new cult is also today's badge of courage that must dismiss=20
secularism as woolly-headed softism. To the urban saffron chatterati,=20
Modi's marauders are heroic people who had shown the cour-age to take=20
much more than an eye for an eye. The danger is that this unabashed=20
Muslim-baiting is creeping into the consciousness of large sections=20
of the masses, cutting across political beliefs and age groups. It is=20
a threat that emanates as much from the gentry in Calcutta's club=20
circuit as from the lowly saffron volunteer in some dusty district=20
town.

Therefore there was a general nod of approval when Buddhadeb=20
Bhattacharjee spoke of some madrasahs being used to train religious=20
fundamentalists and possibly would-be terrorists. Coming from the=20
Marxist chief minister, this was final proof of what they had always=20
known: that Muslims are conspirators waiting to destabilize "our=20
country and society". So the sensible thing to do is to strike at=20
"them" before they can strike at "us". They were not interested in=20
the more important message from Bhattacharjee that Muslims need to be=20
given better education so that the mullahs cannot take advantage of=20
their educational and socioeconomic backwardness.

Not just the madrasah controversy, the Partha Roy Burman kidnapping,=20
the attack on policemen outside the American Center, international=20
events following the September 11 attack on America and closer home,=20
the brutalities on the Hindu minority in parts of Bangladesh combined=20
to create a climate of opinion that came in handy for both=20
Muslim-baiting and secularist-bashing.

It is not that communal incidents elsewhere in India had not had=20
their ripples in Calcutta or other parts of Bengal. The rioting in=20
Calcutta in 1992 following the destruction of the Babri Masjid showed=20
that certain parts of the city, where migrants from other parts of=20
India and Bangladesh formed substantial parts of the population,=20
stayed outside the secular ethos of the majority of the citizens.=20
Worse still, that riot revealed chinks in the armour of organized=20
political parties which failed to bridge the communal divide.

In the other major incident of communal violence in Calcutta since=20
the mayhem of 1946, the provocation for the four-day disturbances in=20
January, 1964, came from the riots that erupted almost simultaneously=20
in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and several places in Bangladesh over=20
the sudden disappearance of a holy relic from Kashmir's Hazratbal=20
mosque.

So, when Godhra and Gujarat happened, Bengal's secular politics faced=20
yet another challenge. The Left Front, the Congress and the Trinamool=20
Congress lost no time in taking to the streets to renew their pledge=20
for communal harmony. But it would be wrong to assume that=20
anti-secularists have given up on Bengal. Their fight for=20
intellectual and emotional space has been sharpened. Their victories=20
may not yet be spectacular, but these may be enough to prepare the=20
ground for future shocks.

This is precisely what the Communist Party of India leader and senior=20
Left Front minister, Nanda Gopal Bhattacharyya, had warned against in=20
a study of the growth of communal organizations in West Bengal some=20
years ago. He showed how the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the=20
Bajrang Dal have strengthened their ranks despite the BJP's=20
negligible presence on the state's political scene. There is every=20
reason to believe that their number has increased manifold since the=20
publication of Bhattacharyya's pamphlet. If the rising number of=20
madrasahs in Malda and Murshidabad is seen as ominous, one has to=20
visit Purulia, Bankura and parts of Midnapore to see how sangh=20
parivar schools are mushrooming in remote, tribal-majority hamlets.

The urgency for the secular voice therefore is more, and not less,=20
than ever before even in supposedly safe Bengal. It is also too=20
important a message to be left only to the political parties which=20
can cynically sacrifice anything at the altar of political=20
expediency. Far more important than joining the seminar or the street=20
procession, the battle for secularism has to be joined in drawing=20
rooms, club lounges and in the neighbourhood adda. The communalist=20
has to be shamed and shown his place in civil society, no matter what=20
his pedigree, position or power.

--=20
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