[Reader-list] National Security

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Dear Sanjay
   
  I am sure that your tongue-in-cheek cheek style has given you satisfaction. Spiced with sarcasm which is a great device to use. (I will myself be employing it in analysing the Shaina Anand transcript of your conversation)
   
  "Jashn-e-Azadi" is not a title SK invented. It might surprise you but it has been used in the past a whole lot of times. Your sarcasm notwithstanding, you know that. It's been used to celebrate India's Independence. Not like Sanjay Kak's usage to support those who want to excise India, carve it up, destroy it. Or so it turned out to be.
   
  Am I overdramatising it? Sanjay you need to objectively take stock of the support your film has received. Map out the profiles of those people and evaluate what some of them stand for. SK you have provided them with ammunition, they celebrate your film. You are a honest hero in their eyes. A supporter for break-up of India.
   
  Do you think they care that for you it was a journey of a particular kind and that you would never claim that your film represents the totality and all dimensions of the Kashmir issue? They will and have used you to suit their narrow purposes. You Sanjay Kak are "complicit" as you yourself admitted elsewhere.
   
  Those "Azadi" or "Hurriyat" personalities are not the only ones, but also those who I call the "la la landers", ostensibly loyal Indias but for whom it is fashionable to attack India or support those who attack India, whether by word or action or through a Sanjay Kak film.
   
  Sanjay, look around, in fact look at the communication in SARAI. For the moment forget those who have been attacking you, and pay attention to those who have spoken in support of you. Evaluate their rationality and arguments or plain dismissiveness/ridicule of reasoned argument. You will see some worms coming out of the woodwork waving the flag of "Jashn-e-Azadi". As an example look at the recent postings of M Yousuf.
   
  SK your "translator" role  is a sadder aspect of you. It brings into question your personal morality and integrity.
   
  You did not go to Kashmir till 2003 and yet maintained enough proficiency in Kashmiri to act as a "translator" seems a bit incredulous. If you do not have the language skills in Kashmiri required of a "translator" (especially for critical testimony in a Legal case) then you are downright dishonest. It would impinge on credibility of your character. A few hours of conversation with you in Kashmiri would make it clear either way.
   
  SK, you come out worse if you do have enough competence in Kashmiri to act as a "translator".
   
  A translation of "Ye kyah Korvu?" can be only be "What is this you people have done" or singular in a respectful tone "What is this that you have done". There is no other translation possible. Need I add more about how SK reportedly translated it and the possible implications both on the testimony and SK's honesty and motives?
   
  That your "translation" was thrown out is hardly the issue, nor that Geelani received the "death sentence".
   
  Incidentally, I personally am totally and vehemently against the "death sentence" in it's cold pronouncement or execution by any Institution for whatever reason or crime.
   
  Sanjay, here is what I propose if you are interested. Get in touch with these KPs who have been hounding you. Offer them a screening of your "Jash-e-Azadi". Offer to discuss your role as a film-maker. Listen to what they have to say. Listen to their ventings.
   
  You might be moved enough to make another film with an alternate perspective. It might be another journey for you. One where you will not be depending on some people making available "found footage"
   
  It requires both moral and artistic courage.
   
   
  Kshmendra Kaul 
   
  

Sanjay Kak <kaksanjay at gmail.com> wrote:
  >
> Since the Sarai Reader list is fast emerging as the nerve centre for
keeping track of National (and Anti-National) interest, I thought it my duty
to make some humble offerings:

On August 15, 2007 Indian Independence Day (what some linguistically
misguided souls refer to as *Jashn-e-Azadi) *the Habitat centre in Delhi was
once again the venue of something possibly troubling. A musical programme
called – yes, believe it or not – *Jashn-e-Azadi* was held there. While they
said it was just some patriotic songs and ghazals and so on, this could be
subterfuge. After all there is a film with a similar title doing the
rounds which may be up to some mischief; and then there is this separatist
leader involved in something called *Safar-e-Azadi.* As a good citizen I'm
just sharing this information which others may want to act upon.

I was also wondering: could my role in translating the Police phone tap on
the Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani in the Parliament Attack case also
be considered by the Sarai list a little differently? Though my translation
from Kashmiri into English was summarily thrown out by the Trial Court on
the grounds that I was an interested party (as a member of the All India
Defence Committee for SAR Geelani), I mean, that court *did* pass a death
sentence on Shree Geelani, did it not? Could my lack of success as a
translator not be seen as a mark of my Patriotism? Just a thought, however
ghoulish...

With thanks in anticipation

Sanjay Kak
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