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E-mail from readers the world over
Date sent: Sun, 07 Dec 1997 00:39:54 +0100 What a way to settle grievances. Violence begets violence. How come there was no authority to question the forces that were responsible for the violence, and mass deaths that were executed with great preparation. "Cause of the cause is the cause of the effect" Now India needs another truly spiritual person like Mahatma Gandhi and unifying power like Vallabhbhai Patel. Or we will enter into another period of slavery at the hands of richer nations who dictate terms to a divided nation as the Mughals did to the belligerent Rajaputras!! If we do not hang together now we will be hanged separately sooner than we imagine. India arise. If we are going to be oppressed soon we will be another gigantic Sri Lanka! Noopha Azhakam
Date sent: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 21:44:09 -0700 These extremist organisations must be banned and crushed. These insecure ignorant people had divided the country into India and Pakistan 50 years ago, and they are doing it again. This is what the Mahatma feared.
Date sent: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 13:28:11 -0800 I think it is very sad that an active web site such as yours allows organisations like the VHP to mouth their opinions and view points. The very least one can do as responsible citizens of the world is to try and minimise or deaden the impact of such dangerous set-ups on people. Please do not give any web space to anything they say. In fact, this should be extended to all forms of communication. Hatred spewing organisations need the media to sustain themselves and if you refuse to even acknowledge their existence, they will vanish. The driving force behind such organisations is the collective ego of a group of people seeking power, recognition, wealth, etc. And all such milestones (as far as they are concerned) are achievable only on response from people (or society). It is very very important for us to ensure that we do give them a platform to make their theories known to people. As it is, the negative forces in our world seem to be on the rise. We have to do our best, remain focused, and ensure that such juvenile, stupid, childish organisations do not rise and devour our society. All these jokers who spew hatred in the name of religion need to be laughed at, not indulged in.
Date sent: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 12:56:36 -0600 It is really unfortunate to know that statements like these were being made by some irresponsible people of various organisations. What leaders of the VHP should realise is that everyone has a right to embrace any religion of one's own choice, and no one else has the right to decide that. It is not that the Christian missionaries are asking people at gunpoint to convert to their religion. All these issues should be nipped while they are in the 'budding' stage itself. The leaders should be arrested for making public utterances against another religion. Who is he to decide whether someone should stay in India or leave if they cannot accept Hinduism? I am deeply pained with attitudes like these. Koka
Date sent: Mon, 08 Dec 1997 01:21:04 -0800 Only for the political interests, otherwise they don't think about people. It is the people's choice if they want to convert. I hope Mr Ashok Singhal and Acharya Giriraj Kishore could read this!!!!
Date sent: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 19:37:12 PST The article about VHP's war against Christian missionaries involved in the Far East was great. I appreciate the fact that Rediff brings out such issues to the public. These Christian missionaries, active in the Far Eastern states, have converted an entire state of Hindus into Christians. They ought to be treated without pity. The government should see that this threat to Hinduism in its own country, India, is taken care of. But this can only happen when a Hindu government comes at the Centre. It's only a matter of time. It's time to prove to the minorities that just because we Hindus have treated you well, and with equality doesn't mean we will let you take advantage of the situation. Akshay
Date sent: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 17:46:04 +0530 It is hardly decent to put such news on your web site. This kind of information only creates trouble for the whole of India. Probably, India would have been a better place if organisations such as yours did not air the views and feelings of inconsequentia. This sort of news is not appreciated by anyone, including a HINDU, such as myself. Religion is something that we humans have been born into, we shouldn't create anymore rifts between ourselves or talk of going to war on the subject -- Least of all in India.
Date sent: Sat, 6 Dec 1997 16:26:55 EST Yes, let's send Christians back to England from where they came (quoting an ex-deputy prime minister of the nation), Muslims to Arabia, Parsis to Iran, Jews to Israel (no, they've gone already,sorry), Aryans to Berchtesgarden or the Steppe or wherever, and invite all Buddhists to return to where they came from; -- calling China and Japan etc to Bodh Gaya. What's a couple of billion more, we're all friends of historical correctness here, as long as we get it right, we'll be fine.
Date sent: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 00:48:59 -0600 This is in response to your recent article on Rediff about religion and it being able to hold the country together. I certainly agree with you when you say that it has never been the most important factor for several centuries when people were ruled by kings and others. I would also like to add a few things. By saying if that is what you intend to see in India, then please set right the favours that are being done to people on basis of religion. I mean why in the world do we need separate laws for separate religions? If all people are equal then each have the same rules and regulations to follow, not separate ones to follow on the basis of his/her religion. We have separate universities and educational institutions for religions, more so among minorities. For example, the Christian Medical College at Vellore, and St John's Medical College, Bangalore, have separate seats for students of their religion, and even have a Bible test in their entrance paper. Doesn't that mean that there is a bias against persons of other religions? I don't understand why there should be a Bible test in the exam for any student. It is the values installed into the person during his educational career that make him/her a better person not because of some religion test at the entrance exam. Do not misunderstand some Hindu fanatic, because having stayed in the USA for the past year-and-a-half and seeing that we have equal laws for all persons, I am making the point that we should move away from separate laws for separate religions. The people who oppose such a move are looking towards their own selfish gains, and certainly not of the countries gains. Look, when countries like the USA, England, Australia and others can move ahead and have real meaningful progress with a uniform law, why not India?
Date sent: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 22:50:30 +0500 This is just another evidence of the political and moral bankruptcy of the Congress and their leaders.They simply do not any guts to go and face the electorate.
Date sent: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 14:00:19 -0500 A very good report indeed. Mr Kanchan Gupta has analysed the situation pretty well. Though I've been in the USA for the last six months, I've followed the Indian political situation with eagerness and interest. In fact, ever since the defeat of P V Narasimha Rao's government, the Congress has in fact tended to use back room methods to gain an entry to South Block. One thing is clear -- the country is definitely paying the price for having a party like the Congress in our political system. If the Congress thinks that by bringing Sonia Gandhi everything will improve then they are mistaken, because it's definitely going to have more problems like the terrorist activity in Punjab, J&K, and may be even in other parts of India. People might still trust the Congress, but not the Nehru-Gandhi family for what they have done to this country for their own selfish and political reasons. Sundar
Date sent: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 10:03:21 -0500 Ashwin Mahesh makes a number of very valid points and his article is much appreciated. The south of India compares to the north much as the north of Europe compares to its south. Within India, Tamilnad remains the most disciplined and best governed state (independently of which party is in power and this is perhaps a credit to the civil service and the discipline of the people). Having travelled in many parts of the world, I can think of few cities better than Madras to live. It is also better administered. Binu Mukherjee
Date sent: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 13:39:55 -0500 (EST) Ashwin Mahesh's article on 'Justice Jain's ridiculous commentary about the sympathies of the 'Tamil people' is unbecoming of a man of his position,' deserves to be praised. It is an in depth evaluation of the vexed issue, which we have not really gripped so far. Vivekanand Krishnamoorthi
Date sent: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 22:18:28 PST I would like to thank Mr Ashwin Mahesh for highlighting the North-South issue, and the marginalisation of the Tamils. I have been following this kind of politics for years and as a proud Tamilian my blood boils, so in an unprecedented move I write this mail. 1. This marginalisation is part of the language issue and part of the revenge the north is taking out on us is because of the inability to impose their Hindi language on us. I think an average south Indian speaks about four languages. That usually is his mother tongue and English. If you are from Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra, you may also know Hindi. If you are in Madras, you'll know Telugu or Malayalam. An average north Indian speaks a dialect. No language, but a dialect. After all Hindi has about 600 dialects. And they want us to learn one more language in the name of national language. 2. Connected to this is the fact that English is a foreign language while Hindi is our language. What is "our"? Pray tell me? India as a nation was put together for the first time by the Brits. They made us a nation. No sir, don't give me talks about it being united in the days of Ramayana or Mahabharata. If English is a foreign language then India as a nation is foreign. Let's break up. If India is one as left behind by the Brits then English is our language now. After all, the Congress has ruled us for 45 years and all they did was split us along castes, language and religion. 3. They say south Indians are very rabid when it comes to their language. Far from the truth. We are not, and never will act, irrational about our language. Especially, the Tamilians with their large heart. A Malayalee becomes the CM of a state that speaks Tamil (MGR in Tamil Nadu), a Kanadiga becomes the CM of Tamil Nadu (Jayalalitha). Can a Bihari becomes the CM of Rajasthan? Even though he speaks the same language? Can a person from Delhi become the CM of Punjab? No way. So what is with this national language? It doesn't unite the country anyway. 4. All this is because our country has a Constitution based not on "taxation and representation" but on population density. So while the southern states contribute a lot to the national GNP, and tax revenues they have poor representation because of poor population density. Kerala, and Tamil Nadu get tamarapatras for their population control, but they are losers.
Date sent: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 00:15:28 -0800 You couldn't have put the point more correctly. Sometimes, my Dravidian pride (a lot of times actually!) overcomes the feeling of national pride due to the petty mindedness of the "north" and the union. Congratulations on making the right point! Sainath Suryanarayanan
Date sent: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 20:18:36 -0600 It is a great idea that more young people I hope will consider this. One can write off most of those who have children in the USA. There are quite a few young people (eg. AID volunteers from Maryland and elsewhere), who are going back to India to serve (after receiving their Ph Ds!). I wish Mr Mahesh good luck in his new venture. I would like to hear from him. Although, I am very old and have children in USA, I am planning to go back and do my bit after my retirement. R Pichumani
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