[Reader-list] HOW SECULAR IS INDIA TODAY?

[Britta Ohm]

Thank you, Tapas. I had hoped that - by pre-empting foreseeable  
arguments - the mob could be at least silenced and vacate the chair  
for something nice. It seems to have worked. I know that I don't have  
to die in 'riots', but this list occasionally gives you a virtual idea  
of how it feels if you have survived. It indeed would be funny if it  
wasn't so sad. And do not underestimate the longivity and persistance  
of those we think we can laugh off by ignoring their bad breath. It  
might be longer than ours.
All best -- Britta


Am 16.10.2008 um 23:24 schrieb Tapas Ray:

> Britta,
>
> Do not despair. You, I, and others who do not have to die in riots ...
> at least that is how things have been for me so far, but who knows ...
> can look at the lighter side. How desperate the writers of these posts
> sound, going by their tone. I, and probably some others, have simply
> filtered out some of these folks. But I have kept a few gushers keep
> ...ing (choose your body-function verb) into my mailbox to mark their
> territory, so as to amuse myself with the sight, rather perversely.
> When I decide I have had enough, I will shut out these too.
>
> They know they can never win an argument, because they speak a
> completely different language, which the rest of the members have no
> intention of speaking. So why do they keep repeating these things ad
> nauseum? I suspect their intention is not only to hijack this list as
> you mention but also to *crash the server* if they can't. I think the
> time will come when they will have to be shown the door so that the
> list is not physically wrecked.
>
> Till then, hold your nose and try to laugh.
>
> Tapas
>
>
> 2008/10/16 Britta Ohm <ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de>:
>> I'm so so sick of this debate and of witnessing how this list has  
>> been
>> hijacked and undermined by voices who bespeak how deeply the  
>> paradigms
>> of Hindutva - that are by now means simple but painstakingly flexible
>> - have become entrenched in Indian society. And by saying this I
>> already know the - superficially varied - reactions that will refuse
>> any responsibility, will advise me, under the pretext of 'not
>> differentiating' and with the accusation of communalising, to go to
>> Pakistan, to Rome, to consider the plight of the Kashmiri pundits,  
>> the
>> injustice done to the 'majority community' and - to leave this list.
>> Why don't I do it? After hope, is there really only masochism,
>> subservience and silent suffering?
>> Britta
>>
>>
>> Am 16.10.2008 um 19:20 schrieb chanchal malviya:
>>
>>> India is secular:
>>> 1. Muslims have personal law, but there is no Hindu personal law
>>> 2. Christians have rights to convert the Hindus, but Hindus do not
>>> have that.
>>> 3. Muslims get subsidy, Hindus pay subsidy
>>> 4. Hindus are in lakhs in other countries and they are not engaged
>>> either in conversion, but the same can be applied on them in their
>>> own motherland
>>> 5. Hindus can talk in support of Islam and Christianity to be
>>> secular, but talking about Hinduism is communal
>>>
>>> Not to say the last words..
>>> If all Religions are equal, why don't you convert to Islam or
>>> Christianity once for all. The problem will end. The problem lies
>>> because we chose to remain Hindu.
>>>
>>>
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___________________

Britta Ohm
Postdoc
University of Zurich
UPRP Asia and Europe

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