[Reader-list] 'Tolerant Kashmiris': An editorial in Etalaat

Fri Jul 4 17:36:09 IST 2008

Partha, 

    all of us have friends, irrespective of our friends belonging to any faith, region or caste, they are friends who share thoughts, but being journalists, it is additional responsibilty when one reports from the site of incidents, as impartial humanely possible without the prism of faith, caste or region. Shivam as journalist is biased is my opinion, you may or may not agree. For from 1947, the segment of this kashimiri society was driven out, so that one faith followers became majority, in other parts of India, governance saw that society was divided on regions and castes and thus society was divided so that ruling modern maharajas could rule without any accountability, with uneducated politically naive voters held to slogans which were never kept as promises. Now with higher awareness, each segment demanding its share, the democratic rule is more a demand than share of the pizza for each segment.?

 A kashmiri whether muslim or of any faith has come and settled down even south of Vindhyas, purchased properties, is doing business, legal or illegal, but most of the time if caught with narcotics and drug trade, common refrain is he is being victimised because he is from a particular faith. ! This freedom is not for others in India to do even legal business in kashmir., to own property, how then the state can not but live in isolation occassionally creating hell for pilgrims and tourists ?

----- Original Message -----
From: Partha Dasgupta <parthaekka at gmail.com>
Date: Friday, July 4, 2008 3:06 pm
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Tolerant Kashmiris': An editorial in Etalaat
To: radhikarajen at vsnl.net
Cc: sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>

> Dear Radhikarajen,
> 
> 1.   I have friends, some of whom are Muslims. When I make 
> friends, I
> look at whether
>      or not I like them and if I can vibe with them. There caste /
> relegion or even lack
>      thereof is irrelevant to me.
> 
> 2.   I stay in my own house and eat my own food. Though I do 
> travel to
> my friends house
>      and eat there as well.
> 
> Does this mean that my body or mind is being held hostage?
> 
> That logic is ridiculous. If you disagree with any statement or
> position that someone has taken, go ahead and disagree.
> 
> However, none of us have super powers to be able to read anyone's mind
> and know why they are saying what - unless you're going to claim you
> do?
> 
> Rgds, Partha
> ..................................................
> 
> On Fri, Jul 4, 2008 at 12:57 PM,  <radhikarajen at vsnl.net> wrote:
> > Hi, Shivam,
> >
> >     who is financing your stay in Srinagar, it looks like you 
> are being held hostage with good food and your thoughts are that 
> of a hostage talking good about his kidnappers.! By the way I hope 
> you are guest of Gulam nabi or Mufti as both are known spin 
> doctors who use the bakras like you.?
> >
> >  Regards.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Shivam Vij शिवम् विज् <mail at shivamvij.com>
> > Date: Thursday, July 3, 2008 8:53 pm
> > Subject: [Reader-list] 'Tolerant Kashmiris': An editorial in Etalaat
> > To: sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>
> >
> >> Tolerant Kashmiris
> >> 26 June, 2008 08:10:48
> >> http://www.etalaat.net/english/viewpoint/editorial/1111.html
> >>
> >> Vested interests are all out to communalize the on-going agitation
> >> against transfer of forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. 
> Time and
> >> again it has been made clear that the on-going agitation is not
> >> against the Yatra or the Yatries. The agitation is against
> >> politicization of the Yatra. Kashmiris want the government to 
> entrust>> the job of conducting and facilitating Yatra to the 
> local people who
> >> have been conducting it effectively since 1860.
> >>
> >> To understand the on-going agitation against land transfer in its
> >> right perspectives one has to look into the history of Kashmir.When
> >> important decisions concerning the future of Kashmir were taken
> >> Kashmiris were always ignored. In 1947 a decision was imposed 
> on the
> >> reluctant people and since then the trend continues. In early 
> 60s the
> >> government of India omitted Article 238 from Indian 
> constitution and
> >> thus rendered article 370 infructious. The Article 370 which
> >> guarantees a special status to the state of Jammu Kashmir 
> reads: "Not
> >> withstanding any thing nothing in Article 238 shall apply to 
> the state
> >> of Jammu Kashmir." Article 370 is still there but article 238 which
> >> contained the heart and soul of 370 is not there in the 
> constitution.>> Kashmiris to this day do not know about this fraud.
> >>
> >> Similarly the government of India abolished the permit system which
> >> required the non-state subjects to obtain a permit for entering the
> >> state. Again the people were not taken into confidence.  In 
> 1975 a
> >> popular movement was strangled. Again the people did not 
> protest. In
> >> 1978 the draconian public safety act (PSA) was framed. People 
> did not
> >> protest. In 1984 TADA was extended to the state. People remained
> >> silent. The Gulmarg issue shook them and the transfer of land 
> did the
> >> miracle. Even this time the government had taken the people for
> >> granted.
> >>
> >> People are angry but they have not thrown caution to the winds. 
> They>> have upheld the high traditions of tolerance and have not 
> harmed any
> >> Yatri or a tourist. This is exactly what Islam teaches them. The
> >> Yatries are welcome and so are the tourists. Kashmiris are 
> known for
> >> their hospitality and they will not disappoint the pilgrims and 
> other>> guests.
> >>
> >> History is witness to the fact that Kashmiris have always protected
> >> their non-Muslim brethren.  Hundreds of instances can be quoted to
> >> prove the point. However, the following incident shall suffice. A
> >> person who retired as the Chief Conservator of Forests lived in
> >> Shahr-e-Khaas during his college days. One day while on his way 
> to the
> >> college he was intercepted by a crowd. Taken for a Bakra (A 
> supporter>> of Mirwaiz Yusuf Shah) he was given  sound thrashing. 
> Somehow he ran
> >> away but only to be caught by another violent group. This time 
> he was
> >> taken for a Sher (Supporter of Sheikh Abdullah) and beaten to pulp.
> >> Again he managed his escape. When caught for the third time, he
> >> shouted: "I am a Pandit." Nobody touched him this time. He was 
> given>> safe passage.
> >> _________________________________________
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Partha Dasgupta
> +919811047132
>