[sacw] SACW #1 | 18 June 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire Dispatch #1 | 18 June 2002

South Asia Citizens Web:
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex

South Asians Against Nukes:
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/NoNukes.html

__________________________

#1. Building on the thaw: Seize the moment now! (Praful Bidwai )
#2.[ Gujarat ] Volunteer Speaks: Gurpal Singh
#3. A Kalamitous Choice (S. Anand)
#4. Gujarat Carnage- Can We Halt the March of Religious Fascism? (Ram Puniy=
ani)
#5. Committee for Communal Amity release function of three of its=20
booklets (Bombay, 19 Jun)
#6. Public Event: "Genocide under democracy? Gujarat and the=20
political crisis in India" (Bombay, 22 Jun. )
#7. Public Forum - War is not an option in South Asia (Loyola=20
Marymount University, US)

__________________________

#1.

The Daily Star (Dhaka)
18 June 2002

Building on the thaw: Seize the moment now!

Praful Bidwai writes from New Delhi
India must evolve a well-considered Kashmir policy: to halt=20
repression, demilitarise daily life, and rebuild popular trust.For=20
the 30 years of the Shimla agreement, New Delhi has failed to hold a=20
serious dialogue on Kashmir--including the 18 years when=20
"cross-border" militants didn't exist...If India doesn't get its=20
Kashmir act together, today's gains will be quickly lost.

WITH General Pervez Musharraf's commitment to "permanently" stop=20
infiltration of jehadi militants into Kashmir, and New Delhi's tiny=20
reciprocatory steps, the threat of a sub-continental war has receded=20
somewhat.

This is the first significant thaw since September 11 in badly=20
vitiated India-Pakistan relations. India must seize the moment. To do=20
so, it must disabuse itself of a few half-truths.

Three of these are important. First, a "determined" India made=20
Pakistan blink; "coercive diplomacy" worked because it was backed by=20
700,000 troops.

Second, New Delhi called Islamabad's "nuclear bluff". Moreover, it=20
has broken out of the "mental block" of nuclear deterrence.

Third, India should act in Kashmir as it likes, unfettered by=20
"cross-border terrorism".

The reality is more complex. Pakistan has indeed executed a major=20
shift. It agreed to permanently cease supporting cross-border=20
infiltration--without conditions. This happened more through US=20
mediation than through Islamabad's capitulation before India's=20
military might.

This mediation has been visible. US officials took turns to talk to=20
Mr Vajpayee and Gen Musharraf and shuttled between their capitals.

Gen Musharraf blinked--not to New Delhi's stares, but to Washington's.

At the end of May, a desperate Islamabad brandished the nuclear=20
sword. Senior diplomat Munir Akram said: "India should not have the=20
licence to kill with conventional weapons while Pakistan's hands are=20
tied..." This lost Pakistan all global sympathy.

India's show of military strength admittedly played a role. But the=20
role was minor. International opinion favoured India not because it=20
was impressed by India's might, but because it saw it as the=20
"aggrieved party"terrorism's victim.

It is because India produced evidence of Pakistan's general=20
involvement in infiltration--and invited the US to verify this--that=20
Washington intensely pressured Islamabad.

It is open to question if India could have achieved this with=20
non-military means, including approaching the United Nations Security=20
Council.

But it is beyond question that India and Pakistan practised rank=20
brinkmanship--to frighten everyone with war in "the world's most=20
dangerous place". Pakistani statements and the peculiarity of the=20
sub-continent's military balance convinced many that war, once it=20
broke out, would escalate to the nuclear level.

Nuclear war is everybody's business. That's why the US intervened and=20
defused the situation. This is "deterrence at a distance", working=20
even more fallibly than Cold War-style Superpower deterrence.

This only highlights the crucial importance of the nuclear factor in=20
the subcontinent. It is ludicrous to claim that India successfully=20
"called Pakistan's nuclear bluff". Pakistan was not bluffing. Its=20
nuclear doctrine, and strategic asymmetry vis-=E0-vis India,=20
predisposes it towards a nuclear first-strike. Each war-gaming=20
exercise by strategic think-tanks concludes with a nuclear exchange.

Many South Asians have become insensitive to this danger--because=20
they are unaware of just how destructive nuclear weapons are. Many=20
recall that India and Pakistan fought a conventional conflict at=20
Kargil, but nuclear war didn't break out. Ergo, it won't happen now.

This reasoning misreads both history and the deterrence doctrine.=20
Wars are premised not upon high probabilities, but possibilities.=20
States annually spend billions on defence not because wars happen=20
every year.

Besides, we know that Kargil cannot close to the nuclear precipice.=20
Pakistan had indeed prepared a nuclear attack.

Nuclear deterrence is flawed. At best, it works unreliably.=20
Deterrence can fail--with potentially disastrous=20
consequences--because of miscalculation, accident, or divergent=20
perceptions of how much damage combatants can inflict/bear.

Deterrence tells us that not only our generals, but theirs too, will=20
always think rationally. I have interviewed Pakistani officers who=20
think their country can "absorb" one, two, ten Hiroshimas, and=20
survive!

As Salman Rushdie put it: "India and Pakistan are... rolling ever=20
closer to the edge [of a cliff]... These old pathetic fighters must=20
be pulled apart..."

That's what happened. Rather than claim triumph for our "coercive=20
diplomacy", we must thank our stars that war didn't break out. The=20
next time around, we could be reduced to radioactive dust.

To prevent this, India must build upon the new thaw with Pakistan. It=20
should rapidly de-escalate the border build-up, and fully restore=20
diplomatic relations and communication links. It must not seem to be=20
dragging its feet.

Two issues have now become critical: who verifies that there is no=20
cross-border infiltration, and what stand India takes on Kashmir,=20
especially if there is a dialogue with Pakistan.

India can't be both the complainant and the judge as regards=20
infiltration's cessation. This calls for neutral, external=20
verification. Here lies the crunch. India is proposing joint=20
patrolling with Pakistan, but Islamabad sees that as a prelude to=20
making the LoC a permanent boundary, thus cheating it of a Kashmir=20
deal. It rejected that idea 30 years ago.

Pakistan wants the UN Military Observer Group, now reduced to a token=20
existence, to be expanded into a verification agency. New Delhi sees=20
that as a bid to "internationalise the Kashmir issue", something it=20
vehemently opposes.

Perhaps the best compromise would be a multilateral body, composed of=20
a number of states and non-governmental organisations, like=20
Verification Technology Information Council and International=20
Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

This does involve some external involvement. But only ostriches can=20
pretend that Kashmir remains purely bilateral. Unlike in the past,=20
India's position on Kashmir is no longer viewed with universal=20
suspicion.

India must evolve a well-considered Kashmir policy: to halt=20
repression, demilitarise daily life, and rebuild popular trust.

For the 30 years of the Shimla agreement, New Delhi has failed to=20
hold a serious dialogue on Kashmir--including the 18 years when=20
"cross-border" militants didn't exist.

The government must not play games to thwart free and fair elections=20
in which all currents of opinion take part. The indications so far=20
are largely negative--witness Syed Ali Shah Geelani's arrest, and the=20
toughening official posture against a dialogue with the Hurriyat.

If India doesn't get its Kashmir act together, today's gains will be=20
quickly lost.

Praful Bidwai is an eminent Indian columnist.

_____

#2.

Volunteer Speaks: Gurpal Singh

Contact: <gurpalforpeace@h...>

I have been in Ahmedabad for over 2 weeks....many of you have=20
followed my journey and have been with me in spirit if not in person.=20
Perhaps you have read my last four mails. Perhaps they have stirred=20
something inside you, perhaps you are bored of them. Or maybe find=20
them tedious and depressing.Either way,if you have got this far,then=20
you have not pressed the delete button when you saw my name on the=20
mail.....if you dont like to read such stuff you could press delete=20
now,for the picture is still very bleak.There is however a small ray=20
of hope.And let us see what all of us can do together....from here or=20
from wherever you are....

To begin with let me say I cannot over emphasise the need for people=20
to come here...whatever your skills may be you will be able to put=20
them to good use, in the process of healing the wounds....but first=20
come as pure and simple humans....people who still believe in the=20
ideals of
secularism,democracy,togetherness,interdependence,love and above=20
all....insaaniyat....the idea that all humanity is one.This city=20
needs such people and there seems little chance of this variety of=20
the human species emerging from within Ahmedabad in large numbers.

By urging you to come here,I dont want to encourage and add to the=20
"riot tourism" that I already see around us.Some people get a=20
vicarious pleasure out of witnessing someone else's misery.....some=20
feel lucky and happy to be well off when they see suffering at close=20
quarters.....and end up feeling gung-ho about themselves.You will=20
also find enough people here who are making a fortune out of this=20
tragedy,both because of the destruction, and also from the process of=20
relief.It may sicken you.

Most who come here even with good intentions still end up being blind=20
to the "real" Ahmedabad, because everything seems so normal.Well one=20
part of the city is always like that....McDonalds even had a gala=20
opening of a new outlet in the midst of the riots (which were=20
happening in the "other" part of the city) and there were huge queues=20
on the first few days...

Come to try and peep into the minds of the real sufferers and try to=20
really "feel" their suffering, not just "see" it. It is of course an=20
impossible task because you and I have not been living in a filthy=20
overcrowded camp for the last three months.....not knowing how to=20
answer the children's questions. We can have a cup of tea or go the=20
toilet without making a massive effort for
it and the question of ridiculous, insensitive and insulting=20
compensation amounts does not weigh on our minds day in and day out.=20
Also we have never lost "everything" we owned and even if we had, we=20
would still have the privilege of education. We are not being told by=20
government officials that we are only "guests" in this country for=20
another two months and after that we
either leave or get killed. Hundreds of thousands of people are=20
suffering and being mentally tortured and we can never completely=20
feel what they are feeling.....but we should try to feel atleast one=20
percent of it.

I know that there is suffering everywhere, probably in your own=20
backyard, so why come here...well something about present day=20
Ahmedabad puts many things in perspective. It will make a few truths=20
very obvious....truths that we tend to ignore.....I guess it would be=20
rare to find such extreme suffering and such extreme indifference co=20
existing so close to each other.It will help you fully fathom the=20
effect that propaganda and blatant lies can have on people so easily.=20
It will help you understand what hatred can do in in it's extreme=20
form. When you press the rewind button and see how the situation=20
developed you will realise that the same thing is happening very=20
close to you and how you will be it's next victim. You will then=20
realise how dangerous
"acceptance" can be, and that we are all guilty of this acceptance. You wil=
l
know how we have "consumed" images of Bosnia, Israel, Kalahandi and Gujarat
and how they have made us numb.

I know that those who come here will do so not because of what I or=20
someone else tells them. They will come only if their heart tells=20
them to...Only those with the stomach for such things will come=20
here....you will need it because however much we may warn you, the=20
situation will depress you and you will have to deal with it. You=20
will not be able to talk to local people about it because if you do,=20
you may be the next victim of the Bajrang Dal, their mindset is=20
everywhere. Many people recognise me from television and ask what I=20
am doing here...I have to lie to them for if they get to know that I=20
visit the "Muslim" camps they would pass it on to someone from the=20
VHP and I may have to stop what I am doing, and what is worse it will=20
discourage several
others....So if you are planning to come here, do not talk about this=20
to shopkeepers, autowallahs, or other people you interact with. Be=20
wary when you speak even with your Gujarati friends, especially if=20
they have been living here for the last ten years, you may find that=20
they have changed...

Let me digress a little here...speaking of friends who have changed,=20
I find the same with some of mine, especially those in the US....what=20
is it with that place? I wonder why the VHP finds it so easy to=20
spread their poison there? They tell me that I am wasting my time and=20
that the Muslims have only got what they deserved...when I try to=20
talk reason,I get the reply....where were you when this was happening=20
in Kashmir...I want them to come here and meet a few freinds.Like 5=20
year old Irfan in the Shah Alam camp....he saw his aunt being raped=20
and burnt by men who were shouting Jai Shri Ram.They wore khaki=20
shorts and saffron banians.Irfan sings quite well and likes imli.When=20
I got him to draw, he made the Indian flag.I dont know too much else=20
about
him and I dont want to....there are too many like him.....and they=20
are all wondering if they will ever go back home.Nilofer is six and=20
has prickly heat all over...half the kids in the camps do....she=20
wanted to see me dance to a Daler Mehndi tune and when I did, she=20
smiled.Her mother told me that it was the first time she smiled since=20
she saw her best friend another 6 year old
girl pulled out from her wheelchair, and hung on a tree.Nilofer does=20
not know yet that her friend was burnt alive, because her mother took=20
her inside.Well I am sorry I did nothing for Kashmir,truly sorry and=20
am extremely guilty about it.....but I am sure that these kids did=20
not deserve this.I have many hundred friends at the camps now and I=20
dont know all their
stories,but for sure they did not deserve what they are going=20
through.Neither did the Hindus in Kashmir or at Godhra.But if you=20
think that killing innocents is the right way of avenging the deaths=20
of other innocents then there is something fundamentally wrong with=20
you.

You also need to know that although there has been relative calm,=20
there is always the chance that the situation may take a dive.There=20
have been sporadic incidents almost everyday. But who knows what will=20
happen next(well for that matter,you may be hit by a car wherever you=20
are, although I hope it does not happen!).....there is also talk of=20
"Muslim" retaliation with the help of Pakistan(Isn't it amazing how=20
Musharraf and the VHP make the job so much easier for each=20
other?)...in which case there may be another small round of=20
violence....then there is the impending Rath Yatra in the end of=20
June.....what I mean is that you must remember before you call your=20
travel agent that this is a "disturbed" area in that sense...(another=20
digression....some horrific men living in Muslim bodies may kill some=20
more women and children and then my friends from the US, living in=20
Hindu bodies will say to me"See?The Muslims know only the language of=20
the sword...did I not tell you so?"They will then give more money to=20
the VHP which will go into buying kerosene,petrol,pamphlets,mobile=20
phones,khaki sorts,liquor,trishuls,swords,trucks......whoopie,what=20
fun...)so....come only if you are comfortable with this horrible=20
thought....Irfan,Nilofer, or any other friend you make from the=20
thousands of children here,may be next in line.I know it's a terribly=20
depressing thought,but dont press the delete button now.

There is a small island of sanity called Ram Rahim Nagar.This area,=20
inhabited by poor people, has always kept itself away from all this=20
madness.....and even in these trying times Hindus and Muslims live=20
here in complete harmony.The inhabitants are amazing people.The place=20
makes me wonder if I could have maintained my own sanity in the midst=20
of a city like this.Now I also wonder how I will react to my city.I=20
will be leaving for Mumbai and I plan to spend a week,but I already=20
know I will not be able to spend more than 3 or 4 days there.I have a=20
feeling I will be more disturbed when I see that everything is=20
absolutely "normal" there,and that only a few hundred people there=20
are bothered about a tragedy of such proportions.I will then comfort
myself by thinking of some of the wonderful individuals I have met=20
here,who are genuinely doing great work and with tremendous sacrifice.

The other thing that helps us all carry on is the understanding that=20
however bleak the scenario,it is an absolute must that we all must do=20
whatever little we can.The mind may say that the situation is so=20
hopeless that any effort will be in vain.My devious mind finds many=20
other ways to discourage me but, so far I am hanging in there.There=20
is no greater remedy than action....it helps both me and someone=20
else.I was exteremely depressed before coming here....the little=20
activity I do in the camps has helped me tremendously.Friends ask me=20
if I have become an "activist",I reply no,I have merely become=20
"active".I spend most of my time with the children who need my
time,but here are just too many of them.....if you count all of=20
Gujarat the number is in six figures.My friend Neeraj Sahay is trying=20
to co ordinate filming efforts....he has worked out a good plan to=20
use filmmakers and equipment in the way they will be most=20
valuable....but there are too few of us,if any more come here do get=20
in touch with us....your services and equipment will be extremely=20
valuable.We can also guide others who have particular skills about=20
how to best use their time and effort and whom to co ordinate=20
with.And even those who may think they have no special skills but=20
have the time and inclination.You could mail us on=20
gurpalforpeace@h... or call at 079-6633914. For those who just cannot=20
come for some reasons or do not want to,but are
inclined to help...the best help is to mobilise and inform others.You=20
would have to do this on a one to one basis.Most people don't have=20
any information about the situation,and many more are not wanting to=20
listen.We all have a tendency to shut our minds off these things and=20
get on with life.We need to realise that when the fire engulfs us we=20
will never be able to "get on with
life".We have to make everyone think about it.And for this we all=20
have to step up our activity levels....each and every moment we have=20
for ourselves should be spent doing this and thinking about how best=20
to do this,because you have to deal with each person in a different=20
way...
Some people have been asking us where to send money.This is a tricky=20
question because you would want your hard earned money to go to the=20
people who really need it.We too struggled with this for a=20
while,visavis the money we had collected before coming here.I will=20
soon be writing to you about how that money was spent.Some have been=20
asking about cheques and what names to
send them in.If you like you could send them in the name of St.=20
Xavier's Social Service Society, and sent to St. Xaviers Social=20
Service Society, P.O. Box 4088, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad -
380009, Gujarat, India OR you could send in the name of SPRAT (that=20
is Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking) SF/8 Rajnagar=20
Complex,Narayan Nagar Road, Near NID, Paldi, Amdavad 380007.If you=20
like you could send it to us at B4 Elite Flats,Jethabhai Park,=20
Narayan Nagar Road,Paldi,Amdavad 380007.We will personally hand over=20
your cheques and get
receipts.You could also help fund our effort as we need tapes and=20
equipment.I will soon send more details about our effort and how you=20
could help in that.

If you send money to anyone,then please try to ensure one=20
thing...there has to be an element of sacrifice in what you send.You=20
could give up the idea of buying that extra plot of land you have=20
been thinking of, or you could forget about upgrading your car or you=20
could travel by second class instead of by an AC coach and give that=20
money.If you are in a position to give only
a couple of hundred rupees,even that is welcome...but only if you=20
could,say, skip eating for a day and put in that money.You decide=20
what you want to give up, but believe me it would be meaningless=20
without that element of sacrifice.

If you dont agree with what I am saying then please do mail me....I=20
fully realise that I may be wrong....about anything...each of us will=20
find our own answers which will be applicable only to ourselves, but=20
in such a situation it is important to share your thoughts.I also=20
apologise if I hurt anyone by sharing thier mails,but I feel it is=20
extremely important to talk about these things in the public=20
domain.....if you specifically tell me not to forward your mails to=20
others I will of course comply....

You could think of several ways of helping out from wherever you=20
are....please share these with others.

With faith and hope
Gurpal

_____

#3.

A Kalamitous Choice

By S. Anand

Even before the blood of Muslims in Gujarat on the hands of the BJP and its
hindutva affiliates could have dried, they have come up with the most
politically correct exercise one could have imagined. The BJP-NDA choice of
APJ Abdul Kalam seems to have shut every one into silence. This is a
masterstroke from the Hindutva brigade. The BJP is flashing a Secular Musli=
m
Missile. And we have to offer our radioactive smiles to this phallic displa=
y
of aggression. The joke is on us and we are laughing. And predictably,
according to sangh parivar strategy, the space for dissent against Kalam=92=
s
choice will also come from within. Some =91hard-liners=92 will make noises
against the choice. The roles of opposition and that of the establishment
will be played out by actors from within the hindutva spectrum. And if Soni=
a
=92s Congress or Karat=92s Left so much as murmurs against the choice, they
would be seen as opposing a Muslim.

It might seem like one is overreacting, but this is BJP=92s Pokhran-III; ye=
t
another PNE =96 peaceful nuclear explosion. All parties, and the nation as
such, will be expected to fall in line with this clever deployment of a
=91secular device=92. Just like they did after May 10/13 1998. Even the US/=
West
will not protest this bomb.

Why Abdul Kalam? He is the ideal Muslim that the RSS-BJP posits. Panchajany=
a
=92s Tarun Vijay had written in Pioneer in March 2000: "Indianism is=85
Hindutva. This does not mean that Muslims should convert to Hinduism or
Christians should go to temples. What it does mean is that you can be what
you like but share the same vision of Dr Abdul Kalam... This vision is the
driving force behind the RSS."

And what =96 besides his famed Vision 2020 =96 is the vision of Kalam? The
average middle-calss Hindu, the leftist, the knicker-wallah, and the
editorialist, and of course the average Muslim =96 each seems happy with th=
e
image of a veda-qouting, veena-playing Muslim occupying the Rashtrapati
Bhavan. What=92s more, he is a celibate, a vegetarian, a teetotaller, calls
himself a Ram-bhakta. No fez cap. Other than in his name he does not carry
any visible marker of Muslim-ness. Attributes that would endear him to the
RSS. And he is capable of mouthing lines that K.S.Sudarshan or M.G. Vaidya
might have as well said. In an interview in October 1998, Kalam said: "Can
you tell me why, in 3000 years of our history, people from all over the
world have come and invaded us, captured our land, conquered our minds? Fro=
m
Alexander onwards. The Greeks, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the
Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have
not done this to any other nation. We have not invaded anyone. We have not
conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their
history and tried to enforce our way of life on them." Surely, unlike K.R.
Narayanan, Kalam would not be a thorn in the flesh for hindutvawadis, and
may even dotingly approve of rewriting history.

He is the blue-eyed missile boy who has justified =96 and even explained =
=96 the
Hindu-sounding names for Indian defence/ missile programmes =96 Prithvi,
Trishul, Agni etc. And the name that Abdul Kalam assumed during the Pokhran
tests =96 =91Major General Prithviraj=92. And among his DRDO colleagues he =
was
known as 'Kalam Iyer'. Three cheers to the ideal Indian Muslim!

And the BJP found it most convenient to have a Muslim head the team that
exploded the Hindutva bomb =96 a party which believes in constructing a
jingoistic nationalism that is negatively defined in terms of Pakistan and
hatred for Muslims. Kalam=92s the ideal Muslim who describes himself as =91=
200
per cent Indian=92 and asked once during a speech in Hyderabad, =91Got 10
minutes for your country?=92 Now, he is the ideal prez. But what does the
missile man know about the Constitution? He will surely depend on the
counsel of his benefactors =96 BJP/RSS lawyers like Jethmalani, Singhvi and
Co. for a decision on Art. 356 or on whom to invite to form the government
in a fractured post-election scenario.

The BJP would take credit for making the boy who hawked newspapers on the
streets of Rameswaram president. After all, was he not the man who showed
greater enthusiasm about India conducting the nuclear tests than the BJP
itself? His colleagues coined the word =91kalamitous=92 to capture the
outspokenness with which Kalam greeted each new delay in the tests, or in
getting the money to develop the missile to deliver nuclear bombs. But as
president he might be a =91kalamitous=92 choice. With intermittent tensions=
on
the border in post-nuclear South Asia, Kalam might have no qualms helping
the PMO press the nuclear button. We live in calamitous times. And I would
be a fool to ask: Amartya Sen anyone?

_____

#4.

Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002

Gujarat Carnage- Can We Halt the March of Religious
Fascism?

Ram Puniyani

The Gujarat carnage has shaken us to no end. The
events of Godhra were followed by the violence in
Gujarat. More than two thousand lives and close to two
thousand crores of social wealth has gone in the
gullet of the communal demon. The condition in Gujarat
is hardly towards recovery, thanks to the motivated
political leadership, coming from Sangh Parivar
stable, for which the whole thing was an upsurge of
Hindus and for whom it was pass=C8 due to various
reasons. Tragically mainstream Gujarati society has
not shown any remorse for this and that partly gets
reflected in the attitude displayed towards relief
efforts and also in the silent and subtle message that
=EBthey deserve it=ED! Can Gujarat repeat itself? Can our
civic and political structure ensure that such a
ghastly event does not repeat itself? Can the
political force behind the implementation of the
Gujarat genocide be contained? Can the Indian
electorate learn from French to boot out the Fascist
forces? Can the social and political formations stand
up to dangers, which Sangh Parivar has erected during
last eight decades? Can we as citizens care to see the
difference between the Secular democratic principles
and the Religion based nationalism (Hindu Rashtra)?

Too many questions accompany the agitated mind of
society. Too many challenges are baying in the face of
those who will like to preserve the gains of Freedom
struggle, the principles of Liberty Equality
Fraternity, and the Indian constitution. The backdrop
of Gujarat carnage is very revealing. Post babri
demolition the parivar got the shot in the arms and
the marginal outfit; its political wing BJP started
inching towards the reach of political power. It is
not that parivar depends on political power alone to
flourish. Its work, which has intruded most of the
aspects of our social life, goes on irrespective of
being in political power or out of power. But being in
power does help. Every stint of political power makes
its social institutions more powerful. Every
occupation of seats of political power gives it the
opportunity to plant its swayamsevaks in the crucial
and strategic seats of influence in society.

The =EBeffect=ED of Babri demolition lasted for close to a
decade and lately it was becoming obvious that the
communal polarization brought in by Babri and post
babri violence was declining. The polarization levels
were dropping and so were the electoral fortunes of
BJP. All attempts were made to keep the communal fire
burning; Shila Pujans, Yagnas, and more events around
the Ram Temple issue etc. But nothing worked. Then
Godhra came in as a =EBRam sent=ED opportunity. It is said
that there were some other cards also up the sleeves
of parivar (like the video cassette of cow slaughter)
but nothing could have been better than the act of
some insane Muslims who burnt the coach of Sabarmati
train. Our =ECleaders=EE, more so from Parivar or those
close to Parivar are experts in =EBinstant
investigation=ED. One does recall the =EBbrilliance=ED
exhibited by the =EBLoyally Yours=ED of Parivar, George
Fernandes, who along with two of his ministerial
colleagues, could investigate Pastor Stains brutal
burning just by sniffing the area for a little while,
to declare that the burring of pastor with his
innocent sons was a part of International conspiracy
to destabilize his Master, Vajpayee=EDs Govt. In the
similar vein swayamsevak Modi could immediately
discover the link between the local Muslim criminals,
who burnt the train, with ISI and the International
terrorists, who attacked the WTC. And the rest is
horrific history, part of which is still going on. The
ongoing cycle of =EBretaliation=ED under the able
leadership of the bright boy of Parivar, the =EBChote
Sardar=ED has brought immense shame to the land of
Buddha, Kabir, Nanak and Gandhi.

The ghastly events have awakened a large section of
concerned individual to stand up for defending the
Secular Democracy. The non BJP-Shiv Sena, Non-NDA
parties have firmed up their resolve to stand for
secular values. Some of the sensitive individuals
around this time felt that Godhra-Gujarat is the
reaction of frustrated parivar and that the communal
fire is on the verge of getting extinguished, and this
is the heightened flame before its being extinguished.
It was part optimism and parts a commentary on the
electoral defeats of BJP in Gujarat Panchayat
elections and the state assembly elections in the
northern four states.

In the aftermath of riots there are conflicting
assessments and the assessment of Chote Sardar based
on the feed back from BJP local units indicates that
BJP will be winning elections hands down in the wake
carnage. The blood of innocents, stench of the dead
bodies and smoke of burning houses is the =EBoffering=ED,
which the demon of communal politics needs from time
to time. And once the level of =EBthese offerings=ED
becomes less in the system of this demon, communal
parties starts loosing out. And BJP and Parivar
pundits know it too well. It is not for nothing that
Godhra and Gujarat=EDs are planned or happen at regular
intervals, of course with increasing ferocity every
next time. The deeper mechanisms, human and
organizational are well entrenched to ensure that
parivar=EDs electoral calculations are translated on the
streets and into the ballot boxes.

The present impasse has also aroused a deep dislike
for the politics being manipulated and imposed on the
society. What is desirable is that we learn the
lessons from the recent French elections. Just to
recall, the Parivar clone in France came very close to
the Presidency due to voter apathy and due to the
dislike for the non-performing Chirac, in the first
round. The French electorate immediately realized its
folly and a fortnight later rallied around Chirac to
ensure that Le Pen does not come anywhere close to
power. The electorate and the other political parties
did not use their rhetoric power against each other
and instead concentrated to ensure that country does
not fall in the hands of an avowed non-democrat. Is
such a thing possible here? The Mulayamsinghs, Sonias,
and Sharad Pawars are ever keen to fight amongst each
other even if that means that Advanis and Vajpaeyees
of the Parivar appropriate the political power despite
being in minority.

In a scenario where the Dalit leadership like Mayawati
is ever willing to ally with the modern Manus of BJP
can one hope that in the next elections round our Le
Pen does not occupy the seats of power? Can there be
alliances, which ensure that only those committed to
democratic values, pluralism and Indian constitution
are voted for. On this count BJP, the political son of
RSS, the Parivar, can =EBcleverly=ED talk in a democratic
language while subtly talking of Hindu Rashtra. With
forked tongue it can spell to contrary concepts in the
same breath, democracy and Religious Fascist state.
Unfortunately we do not have much choice of a =EBgood=ED
secular democratic party. We do not have the luxury of
selecting from the assortment of Good, Better and
Best. We are doomed to identify just the bad, worse
and the worst. And reconcile to bad and reject the
worse/worst. To the writer of these lines Parivar and
its affiliates should not qualify even for the worst
category. As they are not having faith and commitment
to secular plural values and Indian constitution they
should not be considered at all as far as the choice
for electoral purpose is concerned. Those, who belong
to the Parivar for whom Indian constitution should be
replaced and the one based on Hindu Holy books (! read
Manusmsriti) should be brought in (a la K S Sudarshan)
the patriarch of Parivar) do not qualify for
consideration as the electoral oufits worth voting for
under any circumstances.

But that=EDs just one part of the total spectrum of
Parivar=EDs exploits. We need to look at its schools,
propaganda machinery, its cultural fronts, and its
communalization of society as a whole. Even without
electoral success Parivar can sustain itself for a
long time. And that=EDs where the =EBreal challenge=ED lies.
Its a marathon task. Communalization of polity through
rumors, myths and cultural fronts cannot be easily
combated. New mechanism for secular culture,
democratic values, syncretic practices are to be
brought to the forefront. The version of Hinduism,
which is currently being propagated by Parivar, is
antithetical to the subaltern streams of Hinduism. The
Shramanic Hindu traditions of Charvak, Tantra, Shaiva,
Kabir, Tukaram have to be given their due. The
Hindutva=EDs Hinduism is based on Hate for other
religions. The Hinduism of Shramanic traditions are
based on the respect for Humanistic aspects of other=EDs
faiths. The new practices and Brahminization of
subaltern practices, the Brahminiasation of Saints has
to be recognized and fought against. The =EBcommunity=ED
has to be at the center of the programmes taken up by
the social groups committed to social, economic and
gender justice. The cultural space left unattended by
progressive forces has to be appropriated back to
ensure any meaningful building up of a society based
on plural ethos and democratic values.

(Writer works for EKTA, Committee for Communal Amity,
Mumbai)

_____

#5.

EKTA

(Committee for Communal Amity)
Invites you for the release function of three of its booklets.
1. Hindutvavadache Rajajkaran-Ase Mhanantat-Ase Ahe (Marathi)
(Deals with Myths of Medieval History, Communal Violence,
Ramjanmbhumi-Babri Dispute, Hindutva Politics, Constitution Review)
By RP- Translation-Dr. Vivek Korde, Pages 88, Rs. 30
2. Phalnichya Antarangat (Marathi)
(Deals with Partition tragedy and Kashmir Imbroglio)
By RP, Translation-Pradeep Deshpande
Pages 56, Rs. 20
3. Laboratory of Hindu Rashtra (English)
Two Analytic Essays by Uday Mehta and RP
Pages 28, Rs. 10

Dr. Y.D. Phadke will be releasing the books and Smt. Mrinal Gore will
preside over the function.
Day, Date, Time and Venue-Wednesday, 19th June, 6PM. Bhupesh Gupta Bhavan,
85, Sayani Marg, Prabhadevi (walking distance from Parel or Elphinstone Rd
stations. [ Bombay]

_____

#6.

Dear friends,

Insaaniyat (the coalition that was formed at the YWCA meeting on May=20
25) will be having a general meeting at YWCA (Motlibai street, Bombay=20
Central; nr Maratha Mandir) at 4.00 - 6.00 p.m. on Saturday 22nd June!

Subject: "Genocide under democracy? Gujarat and the political crisis=20
in India" (followed by a discussion)

Speakers: Dilip Simeon and Gurpal Singh

It is now widely acknowledged that the hideous massacre of Muslims in=20
Gujarat after 27 February was not a communal riot. The avowed aim of=20
wiping out the entire community and the involvement of the local=20
state administration, police, and state-sponsored militias in the=20
violence have prompted many to describe it as genocide.

Dilip Simeon (historian) will talk about the wider political=20
implications of these events, and particularly the dire threat they=20
pose to democracy in this country. He will emphasise our need to=20
learn from experiences of the past, that is, to understand the=20
present historically, and outline a general strategy of resistance to=20
the forces that are destroying democracy and the social and political=20
fabric of the country.

Gurpal Singh (film maker), who has been working in the relief camps=20
for several weeks, will talk about the impact on victims, and how the=20
state policy of genocide and ethnic-cleansing is still evident in the=20
treatment of survivors, despite the reduction in overt violence.

The steering group and the sub-group co-ordinators will also give a=20
brief report to update all of us about the developments in their=20
respective areas and the progress that has been made after the last=20
meeting.

Please do circulate to friends and others who may be interested in coming.

Looking forward to meeting all of you again.

The steering group of Insaaniyat

_____

#7.

PUBLIC FORUM
War is not an option in South Asia
In the face of a growing movement for peace in the subcontinent and=20
the world, India and Pakistan maintain a military standoff across the=20
border. Far from solving either the Kashmir problem or the problem of=20
terrorism the war tensions have transformed the region into a=20
cauldron of international interference and intrigue. What is the role=20
and agenda of the US and other big powers in the region? Whose=20
interests are served by militarization and war tensions? How can=20
there be peace in South Asia?

It is critical that we all come together at this time to:
(i) voice opposition to war preparations and war;
(ii) discuss how the problems in India and Pakistan pose themselves; and
(iii) elaborate on the alternative program to sort out economic,=20
political and international relations in the region.

All are welcome.

DATE: THURSDAY, JUNE 20TH
TIME: 7 9PM
PLACE: RM. 1000, UNIVERSITY HALL,
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY
(free parking)

ORGANIZED BY THE INDIAN PROGRESSIVE STUDY GROUP
Contact: Shonali Bose
Email: ipsg@a...
Phone: (323) 655 1276
--=20
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