[Reader-list] Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project - Blueprint for an ecological disaster

[Tapas Ray]

Dear Pawan,

The BJP, VHP. etc., should be shunned because while they fill the void, 
they fill it with hate and violence, whereas the issue at hand is life - 
survival of an ecosystem and of fisherfolk. If Sethusamudram is 
projected as a Hindu issue, why should Muslim or Christian fisherfolk 
and others worry about it? If it is an ecological issue and one of 
livelihood for fisherfolk regardless of religion, everybody will be 
concerned.

I do not know whether the prominent activists you refer to have taken it 
up or not, but if they in deed have not, I would imagine they might be 
wary of being viewed as associating themselves with a group that 
promotes hate and thrives on violence, and has been openly hostile in 
the past (on Narmada, etc.). In other words, I think the cause of 
Sethusamudram would have been well served if the BJP and VHP had left it 
alone and not turned it into a religious issue.

I cannot, and do not want to, speak for the communists. But my personal 
- and possibly limited - understanding is that they have no concern for 
environmental issues whatsoever, just like the Hindutva bloc. In any 
stand they take, on any issue, the sole concern is power - namely, 
whether it is congruent with the aim of gaining political power or not. 
(In my very limited knowledge, this is the legacy of Lenin and Stalin.) 
Once one understands this, it is easy to understand every action of theirs.

But the question remains - do you think Sethusamudram would deserve your 
attention even if there was no mythology attached to it?

Tapas


Pawan Durani wrote:
> Dear Mr Ray ,
>  
> I would not have cared for BJP /VHP protesting against Sethu Samundram 
> project , had the same "bunch" of people come out in streets and held 
> demonstrarions against the project , who had earlier protested narmada 
> project and were part of Chipko movement.
>  
> Where are Arundhatis and Medhas of this world ?
>  
> I am sure they dont care about this issue and hence would stay back in 
> their AS rooms polluting the atmosphere.
>  
> Since they did not step in , why shouldnt I support BJP or VHP ...they 
> are filling in the void.
>  
> And so far i havent come across the stand of the Communist ? Is it the 
> same as that of Karunnadhi ?
>  
> Pawan
>  
> 
> 
>  
> On 9/17/07, *Tapas Ray* <tapasrayx at gmail.com 
> <mailto:tapasrayx at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>     Pawan,
> 
>     If you care about ecology, don't you think that should be because it has
>     a value in itself, regardless of whether or not it has value as sacred
>     ground/water? If the channel had no mythology attached, would it be ok
>     to alter its ecosystem? The meaning of "more so" is not clear to me. The
>     way I see it, it is either worth preserving or it is not. Can't be
>     both.
> 
>     As for the BJP and VHP, which have shown complete insensitivity to
>     ecological issues, would you like to see them hijack a major ecological
>     issue for their own political ends? As someone who is concerned about
>     ecology, are you not concerned that this would hurt the eco movement?
> 
>     Tapas
>