goanet-digest Thursday, May 23 2002 Volume 01 : Number 4007
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In this issue:
[none]
[Goanet] COMMENT: Vinod Mehta in Outlook
[Goanet] Goan -Career Fair: A World of Possibilities
[Goanet] NEWS: Kanwal Rekhi hits out at Gujarat intolerance
[Goanet] NEWS: BJP "sets Indians against Indians", charges Sonia at Goa
See end of digest for information on subscribing/unsusbcribing.
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Date: Thu May 23 14:33:54 2002
From: Vidyadhar Gadgil <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [none]
FORUM FOR COMMUNAL HARMONY
Bicholim, Goa
23.05.2002
Press release
The Forum for Communal Harmony is deeply distressed at the news of police
seizure of a video cassette, Hey Ram, directed by Gopal Menon, which was
being screened in Velim on 21 May 2002.
The Forum has viewed the video cassette, Hey Ram, and is convinced that
it is a very human document. It has very consciously placed the carnage
in Gujarat in the perspective of Gandhiji^=D2s philosophy of communal
harmony and calls for Hindu-Muslim unity. It raises human issues. It is
based mainly on interviews of victims of violence in Gujarat. The brunt
of the criticism of those interviewed is not against any particular
community. Their appeal is to humanity. Their anger is against the
police, whom they accuse of direct complicity in acts of violence and
refusal to take action against perpetrators of violence. There is
acknowledgement of an instance of a Muslim family finding refuge in a
Hindu household. The victims themselves speak of communal brotherhood and
their determination to live in the land of their birth. There are shots
of peace marches for communal harmony and an end to violence. The entire
approach is to rouse human compassion, stress national unity, and point
out that such acts of violence amount to genocide and are acts fascism,
which need to be resisted for our very survival as a nation of multiple
hues.
India is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This Convention defines genocide as
follows:
"In the present convention, genocide means any of the following acts
committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national,
ethnic, racial or religious group, such as:
a) Killing members of the group;
b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group^=C5"
What has happened in Gujarat are acts of planned genocide and the people
of India have a right to know the truth. The police have claimed that
exhibition of the video cassette has resulted in offence under Sections
153-A and 153-B of the Indian Penal Code. These two Sections relate to
promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race,
place of birth or residence, language etc., and doing acts prejudicial to
National Integration. The actions of the police are patently illegal and
high-handed.
This is a matter of serious concern, because it is part of a series of
actions against BJP-led governments, at the Centre and the State, against
freedom of expression. One of the most dramatic examples is the Tehelka
exposure episode. Those who exposed the very vital issue of the
corruption in our defence system and the threat to our national security
are being harassed in different ways, while the perpetrators of the crime
are being shielded. These are actions against the freedom of expression,
a fundamental right under the Indian constitution.
The recent communal violence in Gujarat is qualitatively different in
character from all previous ones since Independence. As Arundhati Roy
writes in her article in Outlook, of 6th May 2002, with reference to the
responsibility of Congress-ruled Governments in the Centre and States,
when they were in power:
"It is true that the Congress party has sinned, and grievously, and for
decades together. But it has done by night what the BJP does by day. It
has done covertly, stealthily, hypocritically and shamefacedly, what the
BJP does with pride. And this is an important difference."
The Forum for Communal Harmony believes that, without freedom of
expression, there can be no communal harmony, no end to violence, no
democracy. We are deeply concerned, because the illegal seizure of the
video cassette Hey Ram, by the police, under the present political
environment in the country, augurs ill for Goa, which has been free from
such inhumanity as we have witnessed in Gujarat.
=20
Sd/-
Adv. Amrut Kansar
Ramesh Gauns
V. Gadgil
Best wishes,
Vidyadhar
=20
*******
=20
Vidyadhar Gadgil
1016, Muddo
P.O. Carona
Bardez, Goa -- 403523
Tel. No. (0832) 293766
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 15:12:26 +0530 (IST)
From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] COMMENT: Vinod Mehta in Outlook
Vinod Mehta in Outlook
Out Of True
To ignore clear and present danger is foolish. A
Goebbelsian campaign has been gathering strength over
the past six weeks or so. The people who gave us the
Gujarat carnage are assiduously spreading a canard:
they say what we are witnessing in the country today
is Hindus vs The Rest of India. The demonisation of
the Hindus en bloc (Narendra Modi accuses the media
and others of portraying the entire 50 million
population of the state as rapists, assassins and
thugs), thanks to relentless vilifying and relentless
accusations of exclusive responsibility for the riots,
it seems, is total. This, of course, is a manifest and
preposterous lie. Unfortunately, on the ground, it is
to some degree working. Increasingly, one finds mild,
moderate, sensible Hindus=97Hindus who feel a sense of
revulsion over the Gujarat barbarism=97come up and
complain that they are greatly perturbed, even
incensed, at what they perceive is non-stop
Hindu-bashing. The 100-odd letters I get every day and
the feedback from Outlook correspondents suggests that
the propaganda is finding some takers. I understand
quiet satisfaction prevails in certain quarters at the
success of the brilliant strategy=97a strategy they
believe is certain to fetch many votes. How should we
counter the lie? First, one must emphasise on every
possible occasion that the perpetrators of Gujarat and
their associates outside constitute no more than 8 to
10 per cent of India's population. The vast majority
of Hindus, including those Hindus who vote the BJP,
are as sickened by the events of the past two months
as the rest of us. Thus, it is not Hindus vs The Rest
of India, it is a tiny minority of Hindus vs The Rest
of India. Secondly, those who are on the side of the
angels would do well to reduce the decibel level of
their denunciation. The perpetrators, happily, stand
fully exposed and our combined energies might now be
usefully channelled into seeing how the rehabilitation
of the riot victims can be speeded up. Hinduism, one
of the world's great religions, is in grave danger of
falling into the hands of extremists determined to
pervert its sublime truths. We cannot allow that to
happen.
Repositories Of Grace
How has secular India faced up to the onslaughts
against the Constitution? All things considered,
pretty well. The government pretends, or likes to
pretend, that without media mischief they would have
"managed" the fallout, but the reality is that civil
society=97of which media is just one part=97has stood
shoulder to shoulder in defence of settled national
values. What has embarrassed the rulers most is not so
much the media coverage as the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC). Us English-speaking hacks, writing
in our out-of-touch English publications, could be
dismissed as self-hating Hindus. However, you cannot
easily dismiss the investigations and conclusions of a
statutory body headed by a retired chief justice of
India. I believe Justice J.S. Verma and his team
worked with exemplary courage and professional
integrity and had the guts to take on both the state
and the Union government. The credibility of the nhrc
currently is on par with the Election Commission. The
highest court in the land has played a salutary role
too, as have scores of NGOs and the Minorities
Commission. Independent media bodies such as the
Editors' Guild have substantiated what the nation
already knew. The institutions protecting secular
India may be slightly battered and a trifle
demoralised but at moments of crisis they come
through.
Help Lines
Lots of enquiries from friends and readers about where
they can send money for the Gujarat riot victims. If
you are reluctant to send cheques to the CM=92s relief
fund or any other official relief agency for
understandable reasons, here are three organisations
which will make good use of your money and concern: =B7
Aman Ekta Manch: C/o Jagori, C-54, South
Extension-Part II, New Delhi 110 048 =B7=09Citizen=92s
Initiative: Opposite St Xavier=92s School, Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad 380 009 =B7=09ActionAid India Society:
ActionAid, 71 Uday Park, New Delhi 110 049
____
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 05:55:41 -0700
From: "John D'souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Goan -Career Fair: A World of Possibilities
G.O.A. Toronto Holding 2002 Career Fair: A World of Possibilities
Sunday May 26,2002 Time: 1-5 pm
North York Civic Centre
Memorial Hall - Gold Room
Yonge & Finch - parking available - accessible by subway
G.O.A. members free - non-members $5 :-(
Contact: Noella de Souza 416 412 2896
The goal of this event is to provide all age groups with a
better understanding of the various industries and trades in today's
market.
Please check out this event at
http://www.goatoronto.com/events/careerfair02/careerfair.html and pass
this
info to anyone who would be interested in attending.
Posted by JJD'S
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 04:40:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Eugene Correia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] NEWS: Kanwal Rekhi hits out at Gujarat intolerance
I had the chance to read Wednesday's print edition of
New York Times and Wall Street Journal, courtesy of a
friend.
I was indeed surprised to see Rekhi's piece in it.
Besides NYT carried an editorial Brinkmanship in South
Asia.
Rekhi's piece highlights the concern among
secular-minded Indians in US and Canada. It's time to
act.
Eugene
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience
http://launch.yahoo.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 19:36:17 +0530
From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] NEWS: BJP "sets Indians against Indians", charges Sonia at Goa
BJP, A PARTY WHICH "SETS INDIANS AGAINST INDIANS", CHARGES SONIA AT GOA RALLY
PANAJI (Goa), May 23: Resurgent from the party's recent upswing and hoping
for positive results from Goa, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi took a
hard-line stance against the BJP, calling it a party which "sets Indians
against Indians, and practises the politics of hate".
Speaking at a well attended party rally in Goa, prior to this state's
critical May 30 polls, Sonia said the Congress would support efforts to
tackle "cross-border terrorism", but added that Indians needed "to be aware
of those unprincipled elements who may bring more divisions in our society,
among our people".
Blasting the BJP soundedly, she charged that that party "and its
ideological partner, the RSS have so wilfully trampled on the principles
which we cherish -- including democracy and secular republicanism which
were the guiding notions set up by our Constitution's founding fathers".
Mrs Gandhi's strong comments in Goa came a day before a crucial party meet
scheduled for Delhi, even as the country is caught up with worries over a
possible war with Pakistan over the issue of terrorism in the northern
state of Kashmir.
She hit out at the BJP for going against "democracy" and bringing down,
thoughr defections, the Congress government in Goa which had secured the
majority to rule in the last June 1999 elections. "They brought down their
own government (headed by Manohar Parrikar, fearing an impending party
revolt) and wrongly dissolved the assembly," she added, referring to the
controversial moves of Governor Mohd Fazal.
She accused the BJP for running a "partisan government at the Centre".
Sonia Gandhi added: "In few states they rule, they are making a mockery of
the principle of equality for all citizens. BJP looks at different
religions, different classes, different castes in a different way."
"Recent events have exposed how the RSS and their allies have tarnished the
land of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Gujarat has been an
assault on basic human values. Efforts were made to spread hatred among
different communities", she added.
"BJP is capable in only one area -- doublespeak. (The Prime Minister) said
something here about a certain community. They went to Delhi and changed
it. The mask they put on their face keeps slipping off," a combatative
Sonia added. She was speaking at the very same Campal Grounds, an
under-utilised sporting centre and its annexe on Panaji's outskirts, where
Prime Minister Vajpayee had made his controversial speech about Muslims and
terrorism during the BJP's national executive in Goa last month.
Said Sonia: "These are the people who talk about morality in public life.
There is no morality among them -- in New Delhi, Goa or whereever the BJP
is in government. It's better they stop giving the Congress party lectures
on morality. We know where they stand."
Sonia stressed that the Congress was in power in 14 of India's 28 states.
"In Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, MP, Chattishgarh, Punjab,
Delhi, Uttranchal, Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur and elsewhere, we are doing
our best to see that the needs of the people are addressed," she said.
She added that May 30's Goa elections -- incidentally the first after the
Gujarat carnage, which earned the BJP a lot of flak -- were "very crucial
for Goa and very crucial for the Congress party".
Lacing her brief speech with a sharp push to the voters in Goa to back the
Congress, Mrs Gandhi argue that the "history of modern Goa is very closerly
interlinked with the Congress party". She said it was her party that took
the "decisive step" in ending Portuguese rule here in 1961, while "my
mother-in-law" Indira Gandhi had decided on the Opinion Poll (where the
people voted against merger with nearby Maharashtra), and also Konkani had
been granted national language status by Rajiv Gandhi.
"Wise people of Goa will vote in favour of religious tolerance and communal
harmony, which is so deeply rooted here. I am sure they will vote to
promote and maintain social peace and amity," she said. (ENDS)
------------------------------
End of goanet-digest V1 #4007
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