[Reader-list] Back home, I feel reborn

[Partha Dasgupta]

Dear Aditya,
Wonderfully put, and there are many areas that I agree with you.

Rgds, Partha
...............

On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 7:57 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>wrote:

> Dear Aarti ji,
>
>     I thought of not replying to this e-mail by you; but then you wouldn't
> have known the truth. Yes, of course even I felt sad to react to such a
> fictitious story. I simply wouldn't have commented; if he had genuine
> concerns and it wasn't exaggerated out of bounds.
>
> Yes, I along with my friends have been arrested quite a few times and for
> the right reasons. Please note that Malik Sajad wasn't arrested, he was
> detained (though even this would be a strong term to use). With Sajad's
> post, I feel assured at least the Delhi Police has woken up from its deep
> slumber and is tough.
>
> I've been reading newspapers, Yes, and I know how to extract truth out of
> those fake media reports especially from Kashmir based newspapers such as
> Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir and Etlaat. Maybe, you are unaware of the
> terrorism and the ground reality in Kashmir. And, how often the locals in
> the valley shield the terrorists quite willingly. Also, you don't know how
> Kashmiri Muslim youth crossed the border to PoK to get trained in arms and
> then spread their tirade in the valley and now across India.
>
> You are unaware, of how disinformation campaign is launched by people like
> Malik Sajad to hypnotise the Indian masses; especially the youth to gather
> support for their pan-Islamic movement.
>
> I'm sad at what Malik Sajad had to face (if true) and am equally sad at his
> attempt to make it sound so tragic, emotional and dramatic. He was happy
> all
> through the Film Festival, I noticed that as a silent observer. He could
> have been seen clicking pics with PSBT friends and even talking to
> participants and even journalists freely. I could sense his childish
> attitude but well chiseled brain-washing; when I heard of his drama during
> the discussion on Kashmir at IHC.
>
> Aarti, I was 9 months old when Islamic terrorists forced my family to get
> out of our homeland in Kashmir on gun point. My entire house was later
> burnt
> down to ashes; just because my great grand-father was the first
> ornithologist of Asia, also a scholar on Kashmir Shaivism and had as well
> maintained a good library and a mini-museum. The entire thing was burnt
> within a few hours. When I mentioned this late last year on my blog and
> compared it with the so-called demand for aazadi in Kashmir by some
> brain-less terrorists; my blog was hacked along with my e-mail id. This is
> how you suffer. I've stayed in a camp along with lakhs of other Pandits in
> summer heat of Jammu. There was no Aarti Sethi to speak for me; neither was
> there a Malik Sajad to lend a helping hand. Instead his community was a
> mute
> spectator; it felt they were part of this agenda, this game plan, to oust
> the minority Pandits.
>
> In the past, on many occasions I've stood against injustice at the cost of
> my life; and through the justice delivery mechanism in India, and the
> support of the masses and even the media, Justice was finally restored
> after
> a long and tiring battle. The list members here know of it well.
> Unfortunately, in regard to Kashmir; in reality its different and the
> picture portrayed is far from true. Only in present Kashmir can a bloody
> terrorist become a youth icon.
>
> A couple of years back, I was even threatned by a reputed journalist for
> protesting against this demon Youth Icon, Yasin Malik. And, they say he is
> Gandhi..
>
> Why don't Malik Sajad's cartoon's also raise voice against the demons in
> his
> own community, responsible for the terrorism in the valley ?
>
> I don't acknowledge fake portrayal of injustice. I won't ever.
>
> And, there is a life beyond online world. I've seen it on ground. I don't
> have sympathy for terrorists or their supporters. I don't want to support
> them just for the world to know that I'm secular to the core. I'll rather
> happily spit at them and not stop speaking against their lies at each and
> every possible platform.
>
> Regards
> Aditya Raj Kaul
>
>
> On 9/28/08, Aarti Sethi <aarti.sethi at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I think its really sad to react to a story like this in the manner that
> the
> > two of you are. Have either of your ever been arrested by the police for
> > anything? I presume not. I honestly cannot think of anything more
> > frightening than to be under the power of the state when they might
> invoke
> > anything against you including the NSA. I don't think there is any cause
> to
> > celebrate police harassment or be skeptical of it. Have you not been
> > reading
> > the papers over the last 5 years Aditya? You consider yourself such a
> > well-informed and intelligent person. Here are just  four reports of
> > Kashmiri muslim boys shot in "encounters". Spend a little more time
> online
> > and many more will surface.
> >
> > How come at such a young age all humanity has been leached from you
> Aditya?
> > I find it quite astonishing and deeply saddening that you measure all
> human
> > beings and experience and human worth in the prism of whether it extends
> > your agenda or not. This apparently makes it completely impossible for
> you
> > acknowledge that there might be some truth and value to the expereince of
> > other human beings qua human beings.
> >
> > regards
> > Aarti
> >
> > On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 6:22 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com
> > >wrote:
> >
> >
> > > Malik Sajad certainly is a good cartoonist. Very good art-work. Content
> > > sometimes very hackneyed.
> > >
> > > I am not discounting that some sort of an unfortunate incident took
> place
> > > that involved Malik Sajad being harassed by a policewoman or being
> > > treated with suspicion at the cyber cafe. I would not expect him to be
> a
> > > blatant liar. It is sad, whatever be the degree, that any such incident
> > has
> > > to take place.
> > >
> > > A few interesting/intriguing things though in his dramatic narrative.
> > >
> > > - Habitat Centre could not provide him Internet access. Possible.
> > >
> > > - A cyber-cafe would, in advance of Internet access ask for
> > identification
> > > from a complete stranger and not wait till the "owner of the cafe"  had
> > > "peered over his shoulders" and checked what he was doing. I could be
> > wrong
> > > about this.
> > >
> > > - The surprisingly efficiently prompt Delhi Police arrived "within five
> > > minutes" of being summoned to the cyber-cafe from a PCO. Interesting.
> > >
> > > - Malik had his mobile phone with him. Looks like, inspite of the
> "within
> > > five minutes" arrival of Delhi Police, he had enough time to make a few
> > > calls including one to the "Director of the Film Festival". Why didnt
> he?
> > > That would have avoided his having to shout "Somebody please go to the
> > > habitat centre and tell them the artist whose installation is there has
> > been
> > > arrested!" while he was being "dragged" to the Police Station.
> > >
> > > - The Manager of Habitat Centre asked Malik not to call from his
> > (Malik's)
> > > phone (or Email) for a few days. Why no Email? Why couldn't Malik use
> > some
> > > other phone to call home or the GK office?
> > >
> > > Kshmendra
> > >
> > >
> > > --- On Sun, 9/28/08, Sanjay Kak <kaksanjay at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > From: Sanjay Kak <kaksanjay at gmail.com>
> > > Subject: [Reader-list] Back home, I feel reborn
> > > To: "Sarai Reader List" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> > > Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008, 4:55 PM
> > >
> > > Just a slice of life story for a young Kashmiri...
> > >
> > > Malik Sajad is the young–very young–editorial cartoonist of the
> Srinagar
> > > paper, the Greater Kashmir. His excellent work can be seen on their
> > website
> > > too.
> > > **
> > >
> > > Sanjay Kak
> > > **
> > > **
> > >
> > > *The GK Cartoonist Malik Sajad Narrates The Experience Of Being A
> > Kashmiri
> > > At A Wrong Time In New Delhi.*
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=28_9_2008&ItemID=61&cat=1
> > >
> > > I arrived home from Delhi yesterday.  I took a deep breath when I laid
> > eyes
> > > on the landscapes of the valley.  My mother was waiting for me at home.
> > Her
> > > face was pale and her eyes were full of tears. My father held me for a
> > long
> > > time as if I were away for years. My brothers gathered around me as if
> my
> > > return was unexpected. My mother asked me in a weak voice, "Were you
> okay
> > > in
> > > Delhi?" "Yes," I nodded, "My exhibition had a huge
> > > response. Everyone
> > > praised my cartoons and I enjoyed the trip."
> > > They looked worried and I sought the reason for their worry." They
> > > replied,
> > > "Sajad, some policemen in civilian clothes came here to verify some
> > > information about you while you were in Delhi. You didn't call us for
> > four
> > > days. We thought something bad has happened to you. We were all
> crying."
> > I
> > > was surprised. My family already knew what I had tried to keep secret
> for
> > > the sake of my mother's health. At home I felt safe again, and I
> narrate
> > to
> > > them the ordeal I went through in New Delhi for being a Kashmiri.
> > > I was invited by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust to create an
> > > installation art in the OPEN FRAMES, EXPLORING CONFLICT, an
> international
> > > film festival about peace and conflict held at the India Habitat
> Centre.
> > > The
> > > festival began on the 12 September and lasted eight days. My
> installation
> > > titled "Terrorism of Peace" featured my cartoons hanging from rolls
> > > of razor
> > > wire with some alcohol bottles hanging on the wire, exactly the same
> way
> > as
> > > found around bunkers of troopers on the streets of Srinagar. I put some
> > mud
> > > and stones on the shiny green marble floor of the Stein Auditorium to
> > give
> > > the installation the real feel of Kashmir.
> > > On Saturday afternoon, the second day of the festival, I drew a cartoon
> > in
> > > my hotel room for my Sunday Slice column. I took a picture of it with
> my
> > > digital camera and headed to a cybercafé about 150 meters from the
> > habitat
> > > centre to mail it to Greater Kashmir. After I mailed the cartoon I
> > visited
> > > the Greater Kashmir website and my cartoon website. Meanwhile, I heard
> > > another browser seated on a nearby computer chatting over the phone
> about
> > > the serial blasts at Connaught Place and Greater Kailash I. Soon
> everyone
> > > in
> > > the café joined in on a discussion about terrorism and the blasts.
> While
> > I
> > > was watching news videos on Greater Kashmir's website, the owner of the
> > > café
> > > peered over my shoulders to glimpse what I was looking at. Soon the
> owner
> > > and others started to talk about me in hushed voices. "He is Kashmiri!
> We
> > > should check his identity!" they whispered. The owner approached me and
> > > asked me for my passport in a soft voice.  I gave him my identity card
> > and
> > > told him that I don't have my passport with me. He took it and xeroxed
> > it.
> > > He studied my identity card for a long time. He asked me where I was
> > > staying
> > > in Delhi and I gave him the address of the Habitat Centre. He asked me
> > > which
> > > websites I had visited. I listed them for him. I could hear the
> customers
> > > saying "He is looking at websites from Kashmir!" Then someone said
> > > loudly
> > > "Why should we take responsibility for this boy. He could be anything!
> > > Just
> > > call the police and let them verify who he is!" I started to panic.
> > > "I am
> > > Kashmiri," I thought "No one will listen to me."
> > > There was a PCO in the café. They called the police and told them that
> > > there
> > > is a Kashmiri in the café and that they should verify my identity. I
> > asked
> > > the café owner to call the habitat centre to check my identity as well.
> > > They
> > > refused. I pleaded with them to just call the centre, but they
> wouldn't.
> > > Two
> > > fat police constables and a woman inspector wearing two stars arrived
> > > within
> > > five minutes, wearing a we-have-got-the-culprit look. Her face
> frightened
> > > me. Her hair was jet black and short like a boy's hair cut. Her eyes
> were
> > > stiff like black moles on her face. She held a very fine stick in her
> > hand.
> > > She entered the café shouting "Who is the guy? Who is the guy?"
> > > Before
> > > anyone pointed at me I raised my hand with my I card, shouting back,
> > > "Madam
> > > it is me, it is me! Here is my I card!"
> > > She didn't look at the card, but slid it into her pocket, and ordered a
> > > constable to search into my bag. They studied my camera as if it were a
> > > bomb. They told me to pack everything in the backpack.  I quickly
> managed
> > > to
> > > eject the memory card out of my camera and slip it in my pocket, since
> my
> > > photographs were the only proof of my installation at the habitat
> centre.
> > > Before they confiscate my mobile I memorized the number of the director
> > of
> > > the film festival. The inspector shouted at me "Salay bahar chalo!" I
> > > shook
> > > with fear. I didn't know what to do. No one would listen to me. The
> > > constables literally dragged me out of the cafe. Someone shouted "We
> > > should
> > > place him in the bus." I was shocked and cried, "Please listen to me!
> > > Please
> > > listen to me!" Almost two hundred people gathered on the road to see
> the
> > > "terrorist"--Me! The crowd was so big that it created a traffic jam.
> > > I
> > > shouted in the air "Somebody please go to the habitat centre and tell
> > them
> > > the artist whose installation is there has been arrested!"
> > > As they were dragging me to the police station, the inspector shouted
> at
> > me
> > > "You Kashmiri bastard! Why do you people have problem with being part
> of
> > > India? Sala…!" At the police station, they seated me on a bench with
> > > another
> > > person they had arrested. He had dried brown blood all over his face.
> His
> > > eyes were sharp and red. It was obvious he was drunk. I pleaded,
> "Please
> > > listen to me. I am a cartoonist in Kashmir! I am not a terrorist! I am
> > > innocent!" They ignored me and listened to their wireless radios. They
> > > continued to hurl abuses at me. Another woman inspector wearing
> civilian
> > > clothes with a wireless radio in her hand shouted at me "You bastard,
> you
> > > speak such nice Hindi! Why do you have a problem with being part of
> > > India!"
> > > I replied, trying to be as transparent as possible, "Madam, I am
> speaking
> > > Urdu actually, which sounds like Hindi."
> > > The inspector woman who dragged me to police station began to record
> the
> > > evidence:
> > > 1: He was looking at the website with diagrams of guns on it.  (This
> was
> > > her
> > > definition for my cartoon website kashmirblackandwhite.com!)
> > > 2: He was searching for information about the Kashmir conflict. (I was
> > > reading some articles to prepare for my talk about the "Dialoguing
> peace
> > > in
> > > Kashmir" at the Stein Auditorium on 17 September.)
> > > 3: He had a camera with a memory card in it. (Obviously my camera is a
> > > Canon
> > > digital SLR and it can't be without a memory card.)
> > > I was crying. I couldn't feel my fingers and feet. I felt like I had
> been
> > > electrocuted. The incandescent lights in the police station were
> shining
> > > brightly, but it seemed to me very dark.
> > > I had no hope now. I thought of running away from the police station.
> > "The
> > > habitat centre is only 50 meters away," I thought. "Even if they
> > > shoot me I
> > > would be injured, but I can prove my innocence."
> > > But I didn't want to give them any chance.  I thought my life was over.
> > > "If
> > > there is no hope of life, I need to accept the reality," I said to
> > myself.
> > > But somehow this thought actually gave me strength. "I am not going to
> be
> > > scared of them any more," I thought "They are not going to listen to
> > > me any
> > > way." I stood up and said to them sternly, "Come kill me! Shoot me!
> > > Do
> > > whatever you want, but keep in mind that I am a guest here and my work
> is
> > > being displayed in the Stein Auditorium! Hang me or label me a
> terrorist!
> > I
> > > am going to sit here silently now!"  Then they finally called the
> > > Coordinator for PSBT. The number was busy. I asked her "Madam, can't
> > > you
> > > come with me to the Habitat Centre to check whether I am speaking truth
> > or
> > > not? It is only 50 meters away." Finally, after fifteen minutes, she
> > > relented and agreed to take me to the Habitat Centre. They held me by
> the
> > > collar as we walked to the centre. Once we entered the gate no 3 of
> > habitat
> > > center, she continued to curse Kashmiris. At this point however, I was
> in
> > > the habitat centre, so I shot back, "Mind your language!" My voice
> > > was firm
> > > and she became quiet. When she saw my work in the auditorium, she
> started
> > > shouting "You Kashmiris have a problem!" I wasn't in their grasp
> > > anymore, so
> > > I picked up a stone lying in the mud of my installation and started to
> > > smash
> > > my installation. The sound of the glass frames breaking echoed
> throughout
> > > the auditorium. Those watching a film inside the auditorium came
> outside
> > to
> > > see what had happened.  The policewoman ran away.
> > > I called GK to inform them what had happened, but the Habitat Centre
> > manger
> > > instructed me to not leave the premises and not to call from my phone,
> or
> > > email, for a few days. After three days I called home and the GK
> office.
> > > The
> > > PBST issued a letter to the security agencies that I am their guest and
> > > they
> > > are responsible for my accommodation and tickets. I thank God that I
> was
> > a
> > > guest of the habitat centre and not alone as a cartoonist for GK.
> > > Otherwise,
> > > the story of another missing Kashmiri would have been all over the news
> > > here. I watched the news channel that night to see if they would flash
> my
> > > name….
> > > _________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> > > _________________________________________
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> > Critiques & Collaborations
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>



-- 
Partha Dasgupta
+919811047132