Dear Venkatesh There is little (if any) moderation on this group. Since we don't "block" or "censor" posts to the group, the only actions open to a moderator are:-
a) To delete the offending mail from our "records". (This does not prevent it being sent to all members - like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted) b) To expel the offending member c) To publicly call out the offending member. ">I think at least some members of your group would > appreciate reading such stories." In passing, the feedback I get from some members about your posts is that they are long analytical essays on RTI issues which are circulated to the many other RTI groups of which they are also (mostly) members. So whereas many people do appreciate your efforts there are an equal number who complain about them also. So, posts especially written for this group would be highly appreciated - especially considering the citizen oriented POV (bias) here :-) Sarbajit --- In [email protected], "Venkatesh Nayak" <venkat...@...> wrote: > > Dear Sarbajit, > Thanks for the clarification. I hope you will recollect from the history of > socialism and communism that NGOs are anathema to those ideologies as it > acts as a counterforce to the socialist/communist parties. This is a major > reason why there is no NGO sector in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The > dialectical materialism approach is a useful tool for historical and > socio-economic and politico-cultural analysis. I do not think NAK despite > being an NGO was using that tool in the course of their work. NAK has not > held any Jan sunwai till date. They believe in citizen-focused action where > the system must deliver on promises to every individual automatically. As it > does not do so automatically, they are stepping in to make it work. So your > apprehensions on both counts are misplaced. > > The point of circulating that story was to show how survivors of the 2002 > communal violence in Gujarat have empowered themselves with knowledge of the > law and are using RTI as a tool to hold government accountable for issues > that matter to them very much in the small town of Kalol. I just did not > want to make that point while narrating the story because surviving communal > violence is not the sole source of their identity. The law and the system > failed them in 2002 and continues to do so in myriad ways even today. But > they continue to have faith in the the law and the system and are struggling > to make it work for the underprivileged. I believe as citizens of India they > have a constitutionally guaranteed right to do so as much as you and I and > other members of this group have a similar right to critically evaluate > public policies and practices. They have a right to tell their story - this > is part of their freedom of speech and expression. However they are not as > good at English as the members of this group are. So I helped them narrate > the story in English. I think at least some members of your group would > appreciate reading such stories. That is why it was posted here. And by the > way Panchmahals is the name of the district where they work not some > pressure strategy that they use. > > Moderation of this group is better aimed at blocking calumniating messages > of the kind that made disparaging references to Brig. Ujjal Dasgupta. Such > references and their repitition on such discussion groups have the potential > for inviting action for libel. Such difficult situations could be avoided by > an unbiased moderation of this group. > Thanks > Venkatesh Nayak > > _____
