Hi Ankur:
>My point simply is this : the crucial question >is not why Dr Hazarika has joined the BJP but why Dr Hazarika has joined the >BJP. Is therea typo here? I don't get it. cm At 11:13 AM +0000 3/29/04, Ankur Barua wrote: >There is an interesting contradiction that I sometimes hear from >sympathisers of the RSS-BJP combine. On the one hand, they claim very >strongly that their perspective is the �authoritative� and the only >�correct� one. On the other, they back-track at times on this claim with the >statement that nobody really knows what �Hinduism� is with vague appeals to >the contrasting examples of Islam and Christianity. > >In other words, these two claims are mutually contradictory. Either there is >a clearly identifiable entity called Hinduism or not : indeed, the RSS claim >stands or falls with the reality of the existence of this entity. If there >is indeed such an entity the RSS has to give convincing reasons why its >version is the �authorative� one. What, for example, does the RSS have to >reply to the South Indian Dalit who claims that the Rama-movement is simply >the glorification of North Indian chauvinism? (And I cannot emphasise enough >that the Hindu �greats� such as Vivekananda would have serious problems with >the RSS�s �authoritative� version of Hinduism. This is crucial because the >RSS itself keeps on chanting the name of Vivekananda.) But on the other >hand, if there is no such entity called Hinduism the RSS�s case is as good >as over : why should anyone fight and die for a non-existent reality? > >Secondly, regarding Dr Bhupen Hazarika�s joining the BJP much of the current >controversy is being conducted on whimsical grounds. Firstly, the claim that >the mere fact that Dr Hazarika is a singer/musician/artist is sufficient >reason that he cannot take an active part in politics is based on the >assumption that there is a clear demarcating line between the �political� >and the �non-political�. In matter of fact, no such line exists and human >existence is lived in a state of constant osmosis between these two >realities. Shall we claim that Rabindranath Tagore and Jyoti Prasad >Agarwalla should not have written �patriotic� songs merely because they were >poets? Secondly, the claim that he is not an �original� musician has no >bearing at all on his political decision(s). Does the mere fact that I am >not a good painter disqualify me from trying my hand at composing music? > >All of this is, of course, irrespective of whether or not one supports Dr >Hazarika�s joining the BJP. My point simply is this : the crucial question >is not why Dr Hazarika has joined the BJP but why Dr Hazarika has joined the >BJP. > >Ankur > >_________________________________________________________________ >Stay in touch with absent friends - get MSN Messenger >http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger > >_______________________________________________ >Assam mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > >Mailing list FAQ: >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html >To unsubscribe or change options: >http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
