Dear Ranjit, I wish to respond to the issue you have raised (and much of the ongoing debate) in three, different, ways:
1) I don't think there has been any discussion here about open space norms and what kinds of issues are significant to this. If at least this debate can initiate that, I would be happy. 2 a) Regarding Modi: I think he is an outright criminal and that there is ample evidence from Gujarat in the past many years (and certainly post the carnage) to associate him directly with what happened there, as indeed the continuing ways in which the atmosphere is vitiated, and the bizarre extent of communalising of every day life in that state. To my mind, it is for him to prove that he is not a criminal than for any of the victims (or any of us who believe him to be a criminal) to prove otherwise. 2 b) I also think there is a simple difference between Sugathakumari and Narendra Modi - that is the extent of power and control possible in the hands of a poet/'personality' as opposed to a politician. Therefore, even though cult figures can be culpable my own guess is that the extent of damage might be far less (but then I speak without any knowledge of some of the issues raised by you and Geedha, particularly the rape case in Abhaya). Dileep Raj argues quite convincingly to the contrary, so it might really be worthwhile to know the basis for such an allegation, which is quite strong and damning, to say the least. 2 c) Having said this, I agree with you that double standards in discussions can be quite fruitless. Often, many of us voice our opinions without providing "proof". Besides, as can be seen in the discussions over the past few days (unless I am totally missing something and these are all internal battles amongst people who know each other), unless people agree with each other no amount of "proof" seems to convince the other. So either 'proof' needs to be defined or maybe proof ought to be discarded as the grounds for locating one's beliefs! However, the alacrity with which the moderator chooses to muzzle a difference of opinion is a little worrying. 3)On a different note: regarding the tone of "romanticization" regarding "the people" and "their struggles" - and despite Dileep's strenuous arguments to the contrary there is a strong whiff of that in all these exchanges - I just wished to share an anecdote from 1993 when some of us, as part of the Sampradayikta Virodhi Andolan organised a national convention post Babri masjid demolition in Delhi. One of the groups that participated was the NBA, and at least some of the people who came from there were very distressed as large numbers of the kar sewaks at the Babri demolition and the subsequent violence in Ayodhya/Faizabad were people from the Narmada valley, and those whose lives were threatened by the dam, and displacement, and were actively involved in the NBA. So which "people" and "people's struggle" must one support then? Those killed by the dam and displacement/poverty or those killed by those who were uprooted by the dam? All I want to say is that while it assuages our bourgeois guilt by homogenizing and valorising the subaltern, it is important to both understand that there are many fractures within "people' and "their struggles", as much as take seriously one's own - be they in the form of the right to the freedom of speech and expression or claiming the space to articulate one's political ideas/opinions. Arunima On 9/27/07, Ranjit Ranjit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > PROTEST!! > > if moderation is the rule in greenyouth it d be applicable to evryone... i > accept it, but.... > these self proclaimd activists can call anyone a "criminal" without any > proof; > and they r not moderated..... > if this is the kind of trnsparncy and democracy practised how can these > people lead people's movements? > this whole fracas has exposed greenyouth and its self -proclaimed > "activists" > pity for such activisms!! > > > > > -- > Ranjit > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
