Santosh Helekar wrote: "I do not agree with Rajan that Admin Noronha is anti-Hindu. But it is clear to me that he is not a secular pluralist either... blah blah blah..."
I would like to congratulate Dr. Santosh Helekar on his ability to twist arguments, ideas and words in such a way that others are put completely on the defensive. This spin-doctor-ability is an absolute marvel to me. Look at the issue at hand. The subject is: Re: Jose Pereira at XCHR: A Recounting of Events. I had originally raised this issue to point to the perfidy of the Hindu Janajagriti Samiti who had through an allied organisation - the Sanatan Saunstha - put out hate propaganda through its newspaper the Sanatan Prabhat, and had published the phone numbers of the Xavier Centre for Historical Research which led to a spate of hate calls to the XCHR, wherein the 79 year old Dr. Jose Pereira was even threatened of being decapitated. At the XCHR talk by Dr. Jose Pereira, where the activists of the HJS intruded to lecture him about their "hurt sentiments" Frederick Noronha pointed out to them their perfidious act of publishing the phone numbers of the XCHR and suggesting to their misguided readers that they make threatening phone calls to the XCHR. Santosh Helekar used this point to hijack the subject of Jose Pereira at XCHR: A Recounting of Events - to turn it into a diatribe against FN. The fact that an old scholar, artist and philosopher has been issued death threats has been drowned out in the meanwhile. Remember, the Sanatan Saunstha is the organisation which wanted to explode bombs on Narkasur day last year. The fact that they failed and killed two of their own members is a different issue. I am sure the Sanatanists will be very grateful to Santosh Helekar for diverting attention away from this terrorist organisation and the irony of it is that he has accused FN - who was instrumental in pointing out to their perfidy - of being the aggressor!! I wish to congratulate Santosh Helekar on his excellent rhetorical skills. -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal, Moira, Bardez, Goa, India E pinto...@gmail.com or ypinto...@yahoo.co.in P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350 * * * In every way, the Goans of Bombay were part of the great melee that was this metropolis, distinct perhaps in the way communities often are, holding on to their own traditions but merging slowly nonetheless and forming the thin thread of nationhood that would eventually become India. -- Selma Carvalho, in *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Available at Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *