Bandare is right here. His point about Godse being a misguided patriot should not lead to such a broad comparison ranging from the world's murderers to suicide bombers. I too am not comfortable in casting Godse as a criminal. Upon having assassinated Gandhi -- he became culpable for the crime he committed, as a patriot -- towards maintaining a certain partisan perspective. This is akin to one man's terrorist being another man's freedom fighter. Taking a life has been a crime for centuries now, that is true. But crime, criminal behavior and criminality have to be seen in their contexts. This is an area for fine discernment and would be an involved discourse that I am unable to take on at present.
Bandare is actually being very gracious in even calling NG a misguided patriot. I see both Nathuram Godse and Gandhi as patriots, pure and simple with all the connotations attached to the term. Different directions, different concessions, that's all. Nowadays very few of us would consider taking on the appellation of a patriot. It has lost its early embracing power and meaning. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev could not be criminals in the eyes of the Indians and we should never see them as criminals. And how about Lal, Bal, Pal, Chandra Sekhar Azad, Veer Savarkar, Rash Behari Bose, Bagha Jatin, and Deshbandu Chittaranjan Das --- all patriots?! Yes. And fine ones at that, inspite in at least one exenuating case, practically a bigot. The British can arrogate themselves in seeing these individuals as criminals, but we cannot allow ourselves to do so. Other than that does anyone have any idea when the papers of the Jallianwalla Baugh/Bagh massacre will be opened by the British? venantius j pinto > From: George Pinto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Goanet] Gandhi > --- Bhandare <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > His [GANDHI'S] assasin, nathuram Godse, too was not a criminal. I > > would classify him as a misguided patriot. > > > Wow! All the murderers, including suicide bombers, of this world will be > pleased to know they are > misguided and not criminal. I am sure victims should feel better they were > not killed by human > animals like Godse, but merely misguided folk. > > Regards, > George > >
