My response to Ms. Shukla ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Jul 18, 2008 9:22 AM Subject: Re: Murder Most Foul - Pets To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Ms. Shukla, Thanks for you response. Frankly, I was not expecting any. It is surprising, that inspite of being a journalist, you still seem not to have got the message. That message is simple: (a) You make sweeping statements, indict whole sections of people. If still do not understand, go back and re-read what you wrote in the article regarding North Easterners regularly torturing and eating dogs. Probably meaning that they are uncouth, uneducated, unsophiticated and so on, and only someone like you will be able to teach them a thing or two? (b) You brag (and probably still do) about the fact that your Army husband used the Indian Army for personal use - "combing" the Naga countryside for your lost pet pooch, and of threatening the village headman of 'dire consequences'. This statement alone speaks volumes of how certain people still look down upon poorer and unfortunate sections of people. It is pure and simple condescension backed by some kind of power-trip. (c) You indicted, then seemed to have passed summary judgement and punishment on the Naga student. In your exburance to fight for animal rights & cruelty (a noble cause), you seem to have promptly forgotten something very basic to a democracy, called "Due Process". If this was a crime, as you vehemently indicate, then go to court, prove it, and let the courts decide on the punishment. Are you the judge, jury & executioneer? (d) Lastly, the whole thing has more to do with your 'holier than thou' attitude and your disregard for people from the NE, than the incident itself. My being an NRI, or other things have absolutely no bearing on the subject. If you are a sincere journalist, you will do the right thing for having hurt the sentiments of people from a number of States. And the right thing is to issue a quick, sincere apology by writing a retraction in the same Deccan Chronicle, maybe meet with the Assamese residents at Delhi and so on. Take care & once again with best wishes, Ram Sarangapani Texas, USA PS: I am copying this to Assam net - an online group of people from the NE.. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
