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From: "Gilbert Lawrence" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [Goanet] Goan History Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 01:09:38 -0500
Tariq: I suspected that you would make such a case (of Muslim colonization). By such a definition, every Prime Minister or President is a colonizer as well. After all, how dare Vajpayee extend his rule to Lucknow, Guwahati and Kochi. Similarly, how dare Goerge Bush extend his domain to the hill-billies of Alabama.
Answer: I would have thought Tariq would be big enough to give me credit for innovative thinking instead of just repeating analysis put forward by past historians of India. GoaNetters please note that you have heard the concept of Muslim colonization of Goa and India first on the Goanet! The above mentioned guys (Vajpayee and Bush) are not colonizers because of a minor detail called elections every five years. It would be a good topic for the Goanet: why we do not see democratic elections in more parts of the world?
Yes I agree that Vajpayee cannot be classified as a colonialist. About Bush who can say after all he wasn't really democratically elected. But I don't agree that the Muslims were colonialists. They certainly were invaders to begin with and they certainly did cause havoc in India with their violence and with the spread of their religion thru their sword (a case true with Christianity too) but other than initially, they did not really siphon off the country's wealth to another country that they owed allegiance too. They kind of settled down in India and became part and parcel of India. Besides, one cannot forget the benevolent rulers like Akbar which history remembers fondly. Also, one must realise that even Hindu rulers/kings were not always good. Even King Ashoka's history before he turned Buddhist is of an evil man with thousands of murders behind him in his conquest of more kingdoms.
The mark of colonialism is when they exercise control, aggression and domination over a country which is not theirs and from which they siphon off wealth and exploit resources to better their own country. That is exactly what the British and Portuguese did to India. And what Bush and Britain is keen on doing to Iraq and Central Asia.
Sunila
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