Dear Sir Thats wonderful. True facts put across beautifully. Ms Ambika hopefully responds to this with an apology.
Regards Muktikam Phukan Deputy Director (NR) Petroleum Conservation Research Association Sanrakshan Bhawan,10, Bhikaiji Cama Place,New Delhi 110066 Ph: +91 11 26198856 Ext 385, Mob: +91 9818598565 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] , [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- On Tue, 15/7/08, Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Assam] Murder Most Foul - Pets To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], assam@assamnet.org Date: Tuesday, 15 July, 2008, 8:59 PM Dear Ms. Shukla, I was agast to read your article "Murder most foul" in the Deccan Chronicle (July 15, 2008). Yes, I was agast as to how the poor JNU's campus dog was bludgeoned to death, but I was more agast of your rather poor knowledge of, and condescension toward the North Eastern states of India. It maybe that you perhaps first need an object lesson in geography, possibly history of India (you know - get to know your country), and not in the least, a good lesson in humility. First of all, you ought to know that the North Eastern States comprises of many other states. In Assam, a North-Eastern State, for example, there are many vegitarians, as well as non-vegitarians, and the population is mostly Hindu. Manipur, another North-Eastern state, too is mostly Hindu. Dogs certainly are not on the menu. It is unfortunate, that you could not bring yourself to appreciate the beauty of the landscape of Nagaland. You probably did not find it in your heart to appreciate and study the culture, the language and customs of the good people of Nagaland. If I could suggest, you might want to try and read the volumes of good literature written by the British (many of the army) on the North-Eastern states during the Raj. You make some sweeping statements regarding the whole of the North East, when you declare, "Apparently North-Eastern students at JNU regularly lynch and barbecue dogs." Really! Have you ever met or heard of any Assamese or Manipuri who eats dogs? I know, you may think 'they all look alike' and hence your condescension and then clubbing of all the 'natives' together. The fact, however, is the people in the North-Eastern states are as varied and different as other parts of the country, and so are their food habits. They come in different hues. That is what makes India unique, as the country comprises of all hues, shapes, forms, colors, religions, vegitarians, and non-vegitarians. And when you write "After combing the area, my husband visited the Gaon Burha (village Pradhan) of the closest Naga settlement and spelt out all sorts of dire consequences if the dog did not return. Twenty minutes later, Bindu was safely home." Wow! isn't that something? Your husband showed them, didn't he? Your army husband brought down the full weight and force of the whole Indian army on the Gaon Burha and threatened the poor guy with "dire consequences". One wonders, with all this condescension raining down on the poor chap, what those threats might have been? Beat up the natives? Burn down their silly hutments? Kill, rape and plunder their sordid villages? What? Ms. Shukla, what you and your husband may not know is that the Indian Army is NOT yours or your husband's personal army. The Army has a role, and hopefully that role does NOT consist of rescuing irish setters of some army officer. Your very tone suggests of condescension and of 'dealing with the natives'. At the very least you might want to get off that high horse and descend the mighty steps of Indraprastha. Just like many people, we too love our pets and would prefer that animals not be ill-treated. Your concern for the pet dogs of JNU is admirable. Every time we visit India, we often see animals either uncared for, or being ill-treated. All sorts of animals from domestic cows, and horses to mongrels are let loose and are not cared for. Therefore when you write about Nagas (and all of the North-East) eating dogs, one tends to think about all those other animals being eaten by non-vegitarians? How do you think vegitarians feel about the slaughtering of these animals and how they are slaughtered? How do you explain that away to hard-core vegitarians in India? How do you feel about the slaughter of goats and buffaloes in the name of animal sacrifice in many Kali and Durga Temples across India? Where really are your sensitivities? Do you protest as vehemently and with such venom? I would like you and your kind readers to also note this. The past so many years, there has been a tendency, specially in Delhi, to view young women from the North East as "easy". There have been a number of cases of rape and molestation of these women, and if I am not mistaken even at JNU. These cases were not so much because the victims were women, but more so because they belonged to the North-Eastern States. In fact, after one of these cases, a high-ranking police official in Delhi was quoted saying something like, "These North-Eastern girls should dress properly - then these things would not happen". This is the same reason why women from the West are periodically molested and raped in Delhi and other places - they are though of as being "easy" and dressing provocativingly. Then there are pre-conceived notions held by sections of people in Delhi and other places that the North-Eastern states are "foreign" and their people from China or some other place - obviously because how some of them look. Add articles like yours to such pre-concieved notions and then imagine what the people of the North-East are likely to feel. And then good people in the rest of the country keep wondering why on earth do the people of the North-East feel alienated from the rest of country? Perhaps you and others would be kind enough to educate this section uncouth and uneducated Delhites and other places that the people of the North-Eastern states are also Indians. That some look different and are as different as people from Kerela and UP, and that their customs and languages are different as others, and lastly they are as much (or as less)sophisticated and educated as people in the rest of India. Lastly, regarding the punishment you recommend for Mr. Yoronso. First off, what are the laws regarding animal cruelty in India? Is it a crime to eat dogs? Is the law strictly applied? How is the slaughtering of a goat (by slitting its throat, half-way) any different? Have you goaded others to prosecute all such butchers in India? And then, what has Mr. Yoronso's Phd to do with this case? Why would you take away his Phd? Does the crime, if any, fit the punishment you recommend? Bottom line, Ms. Shukla, your article hurts a lot of people, and you don't do the country any favors. But, I have a lot of confidence in the Deccan Chronicle's readership. They will, I am sure, give your article the attention it deserves and understand the gist of my protest here. I sincerely hope the Deccan Chronicle will publish this strong objection. Sincerely & with best wishes, Ram Sarangapani Texas, USA _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org Bring your gang together. 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