[Reader-list] (no subject)

Thu May 2 23:52:50 IST 2002

Dear Zainab,

The whole point of a planned progrom is to render the
"Other" impotent (that's a deliberately used word).
The basis of impotence is economic. If X is not
allowed to earn (if not only X's shop, but also his
house is burnt, so that all the papers pertaining to
the shop, and the business, go up in flames so that X
will never be able to, henceforth, prove that that
particular shop, or that particular home belonmg to
him), then X has no option but to move out.

That is precisely what the fascists want. GUjarat is
also a takeover, in many respects. In keeping with the
circulated fantasy that all muslims want is Pakistan
(the only thing they dream for is Pakistan),
BJP-RSS-Bajrang Dal propaganda has convinced many
poor, lower-caste people that their "hope", their
"advancement", their "mobility", their "success",
their "identity", their "place in the world" lies in
only removing this obstacle called the muslim.

This is a fantasy. That's why it is so bizarre. That's
why it has such real effects.

You must understand that this fantasy, the creation of
such a fantasy, has a political purpose to it. The
purpose is not so much to bash up Muslims. The purpose
is to make sure that the democratic groundswell
whereby lower-middle castes, and lower-castes, are
able to articulate their political vision is delayed.
The BJP-RSS-Bajranj Dal Agenda is a Hindu upper-caste
agenda. The upper-caste need mercenaries, "fall guys"
to ensure that true democracy is as delayed as it can
be in India.

Actually, The BJP-RSS-Bajrang Dal people are in
reaction. They are scared of what would actually
happen if the Indian majority really exercised its
franchise. If they did, all the well-to-do people
would be blown apart.

But that cannot happen, right? Even we educated people
flinch at that prospect. 

Gujarat is a brilliant example of how the upper-caste
fascist Right has managed to stimmy the democratic
groundswell, how it has managed a "disgruntled"
majority, and used it for its own purposes. How,
instead of the upper-castes being the "class", or
real, enemy, it has convinced everybody that the
"muslim" is the real enemy.

For a very interesting discussion on what actually
went on in Ahmedabad, please read Jan Breman's article
titled "Communal Upheaval as Resurgence of Social
Darwinism", in the current issue of the Economic and
Political Weekly (EPW) magazine, Vol XXXVII No 16
April 20 2002, pp 1485 onwards.

This will give you some insights as far as your Q no 1
is concerned.

As far as Q no 2 is concerned, I am (speaking
personally) completely foxed. I realise that we do
have to find, conceptualise, actively disseminate,
counter-propagandise about, seriously invest in, some
form of social solidarity that contests the fascism
that has successfully been spread in Indian society
for at least a decade. The current slogan is
"secularism". This slogan is losing its strength ( at
least, the parivar is ably able to counter this
notion). It is also losing its explanatory power.

How, therefore, do we find a knid of social solidarity
that can contest the vitriolic identity-politics of
the Parivar?

I am returning your question to you. Let us all,
concerned, sensitive, try and find an answer to this
question.         

Zainab, you give us an answer. Tell us what you think
we shopuld do. I will try and find an answer. All of
us on this List should find an answer.

All of us should be able to find an answer to Zainab's
query: "What can be done?"

I end with your crippling reminder:

"Yet, more than cynicism and armchair criticism,
> there is need for action, hope and true optimism."

What is it that we are quite vacuous about as far as
Gujarat is concerned?

Can we all, on this List, search for "hope and true
optimism"?

yours,

pp

 --- Zainab Bawa <coolzanny at hotmail.com> wrote: > Dear
Readers,
> I am new on this list and have been very keenly
> reading all the postings. I 
> must say that I am very happy to be part of this
> list.
> On the issues of Gujarat and Communal Violence
> (actually they are as one as 
> dual), I have been reading many postings. I have two
> questions for which I 
> invite generous responses:
> 
> 1). How much of the happenings in Gujarat are
> economically motivated? Also, 
> what are the economic pay-offs to this whole
> incident?
> 
> 2). What can be done?
> 
> This question is foremost on my mind because while
> it is important to 
> rehabilitate Gujarat, how can we prevent such
> happenings in other states in 
> future. Apart from the prevention, we are clearly
> moving into an era which 
> is about cultural nationalism, jingoism, fascism,
> fundamentalism, etc. There 
> might be a civil war or an ethnic cleansing of
> Muslims and other 
> 'minorities'. There might be a nuclear war. The
> possibilities are many and 
> the threats are real.
> 
> As a 23-year old, I do not what future to expect for
> my generation or the 
> generations to come after me. I am scared because
> today, the label that I 
> carry is that of a 'minority'. I see orange flags
> all around my city and 
> suddenly, I am wondering whether the solidarity that
> was so much present in 
> Mumbai after the riots is gradually crumbling.
> 
> At the same time, I am watching people trying to
> safeguard themselves by not 
> confronting the situation that is so real. People
> are still busy trying to 
> make money to 'safeguard' their 'futures' and I
> laugh and cry at this irony 
> because what the hell is that future and what the
> hell is that security. 
> Isn't it false?
> 
> Yet, more than cynicism and armchair criticism,
> there is need for action, 
> hope and true optimism. Yes, I know that I can't
> single handedly prevent 
> what is happening now or what may happen in future.
> I am no superman or 
> hercules. But I am human and the best thing is that
> I am alive in the sense 
> of not just existing, but in the sense of being
> aware that there is more to 
> life than just me, myself, my share of food,
> clothing and shelter.
> 
> I am a stakeholder in this country, in this world
> and in my future which I 
> share with others.
> 
> Yet, what is it that I can do now? For one, I do not
> want to anger 
> hardliners any further because even though I may not
> be one of them, I may 
> be a hardliner in a different sense. The need of the
> hour is to listen and I 
> am trying to listen inspite of my anger, listen with
> compassion rather than 
> listen to retort.
> 
> Yet, I am wondering, is there any hope and hopes and
> if there is or are, 
> what is or are they?
> 
> I am still wondering.
> 
> Best regards,
> Zainab Bawa
> 
>
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