[Reader-list] INDIA: Others Among Us

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Dear Naeem
 
I can only comment on what you actually post since I am not privy to the background of your choosing an extract. If you had given that background, maybe your extract would not have seemed provocative. Maybe.
 
You misrepresent my usage of "As an Indian". It was not meant to exclude or silence you. I neither have the desire nor power to do it. This List is open space and at the very least it seeks to be South Asian. 
 
Why would you object to my sadness "as an Indian" when I register (as noteworthy) the desperation and hopelessness of an Indian expressing itself as ""Where will I go? This is the place where I was born. This is the place I will die."?
 
Was I the one "othering" you? You had already "othered" yourself by choosing as an introduction for your posting the extract  """"...even "famous Muslims" find it difficult to find a house."""""". 
 
If I am not mistaken, you are from Bangladesh. It would be good if there are regular postings from you highlighting significant social and political issues of Bangladesh including ones related to the minorities. This list is too India-centric isn't it, as you yourself (I think) have pointed out in the past. 
 
While we are at your "otherness", if you are actually from Bangladesh may I ask you something. It has always intrigued me that if India is such a hellish place for Muslims,  why would Muslims from Bangladesh in fairly large numbers steal in as illegal migrants. What are your thoughts on that?
 
I ask a similar question from my fellow Indians who talk about India being a "Great Country" and either talk about it already being a Superpower or being on the thresh-hold of becoming a Superpower. I ask them if the truth is anywhere close to their contentions, why would Indians by the thousands leave India and seek employment or education opportunities in other countries. 
 
 
Kshmendra
 
--- On Sun, 10/5/08, Naeem Mohaiemen <naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Naeem Mohaiemen <naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] INDIA: Others Among Us
To: "Sarai Reader List" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2008, 7:59 PM

I had just finished editing a friend's proposed abstract for a
conference in Kolkata. Her research looks at the locality of Rajarhat,
a formerly fishing/agriculture, now a fast growing IT Hub/new city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajarhat

The fundamental tension is new IT Park, attracting NRIs and Techno
professionals, displacing the old working class inhabitants. Etc etc
old story. At one point in the abstract, she highlights this tension
by talking about Muslim tenants being refused apartments in this new
city. The juxtaposition of course was with the old inhabitants, many
of whom were Muslim, but I actually thought it didn't quite work
because the displaced population was about 45%-55% Muslim-Hindu. I
suggested to her that looking at what happens to upper class
Muslims/NRIs/IT Professionals if they seek an apartment, etc may yield
examples counter to her hypothesis (since I have a theory that in
certain situations economic class trumps race or religion).

Having just finished reading/editing that abstract, I found it
interesting to stumble on "the line" in the article that seemed to
counter, at least in one locality, my hypothesis.

As for your use of "As an Indian", interesting exercise in othering
to
silence/exclude...

On Sun, Oct 5, 2008 at 7:47 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com>
wrote:
> Naeem, it is interesting that what you could find quotable in the article
to
> serve as an introduction to your posting was the line:
> """""" even "famous Muslims" find
it difficult to find a house.""""""""
>
> Tells me how your mind works and with what intent you posted this.



> As an Indian what I registered as noteworthy were the words:
_________________________________________
reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
Critiques & Collaborations
To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in
the subject header.
To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list 
List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>