[Reader-list] A Modest Appeal to Election Propagandists

JEROME DSOUZA jeromedsouza at yahoo.com
Fri Apr 17 09:16:18 IST 2009 

Dear All,

I think there is enough space on this list for original and stimulating discussion and debate across differing points of view. 

However, if we want to be taken seriously we should have an original point of view to put forward rather than being mere mouthpieces for whichever ideology we subscribe to.

After all, most of us are members here as we enrich ourselves with a range of viewpoints, and I am sure none of us are here to be lectured to.


Regards

Jerome


--- On Thu, 4/16/09, bipin <aliens at dataone.in> wrote:

> From: bipin <aliens at dataone.in>
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] A Modest Appeal to Election Propagandists
> To: "Aditya Raj Kaul" <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> Cc: "sarai-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009, 5:08 AM
> Dear Aditya,
> 
> Whole community will not have effect with arrogance of one
> man. We can carry 
> out the discussion with right spirit by just ignoring
> Shuddhabrata Sengupta.
> 
> thanks
> Bipin
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Aditya Raj Kaul"
> <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 1:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] A Modest Appeal to Election
> Propagandists
> 
> 
> > Fortunately enough Reader's List at Sarai does not
> work according to the
> > wishes of one Shuddhabrata Sengupta. After many
> attacks, it has survived 
> > and
> > still holds to be a free flowing interactive forum.
> >
> > Wonder what mess it would have been if
> 'jhollahwallahs' had their acts &
> > wishes implemented here on this forum too?
> >
> > We would have been 'in exile' yet again from
> this forum too. Can you beat
> > that ?
> >
> > God Bless!!
> >
> > On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 11:17 AM, Shuddhabrata
> Sengupta
> > <shuddha at sarai.net>wrote:
> >
> >>  Dear all,
> >>
> >> Opinions are one thing. Advertisement is another.
> Atal Bihari
> >> Vajpayee's 'letter' is not an opinion,
> or even an argument. It is an
> >> advertisement. It says nothing in substance other
> than the fact that
> >> 'Advani is Good for India'. It does not
> really tell us why, except
> >> for the fact that Vajpayee knows and has worked
> with Advani and
> >> thinks that he is good for India.It does not even
> spell out an idea
> >> of a programme or a vision that Vajpayee, Advani
> and their party
> >> stand for. All it offers us are the usual
> platitudes that every
> >> political party, at every election offers. It is
> as meaningful, and
> >> about as enlightening, as a Pepsi ad trying to
> tell us how different
> >> it is from Coke.
> >>
> >> This list has always had room for all kinds of
> opinions and
> >> viewpoints. I do not know of any forum that takes
> its ethic of
> >> tolerance as seriously as this list. Which is why
> people like Pawan
> >> Durani and me, who happen to occupy completely
> antagonistic
> >> positions, can still share the same space.
> >>
> >> I do not recall anyone on this list ever posting
> or forwarding
> >> election propaganda for any political party before
> Durani's forward
> >> of Atal Behari Vajpayee's 'appeal'. So
> the question of likening this
> >> 'ad' to any other posts, which have
> carried does not arise. We have
> >> simply not had to deal with party political
> propaganda like this before.
> >>
> >> If someone had peddled Prakash Karat's plug
> for the CPI (M) or Rahul
> >> Gandhi's endorsement for the Congress, my
> response would not have
> >> been one bit different. I would have said exactly
> what I am saying
> >> about Durani's forward of Vajpayee's
> campaign message.
> >>
> >>  If this becomes acceptable, then next, we will
> have people peddling
> >> the Nano Car, advertising Mouth Freshners and
> endorsing products of
> >> all descriptions including the washing machines,
> the Congress Party,
> >> teflon coated household products, the Nehru-Gandhi
> Dynasty, potato
> >> crisps, the BSP, Microsoft software, sedatives and
> the CPI(M).
> >>
> >> Our media space is saturated as it is with
> advertisements. Please let
> >> us try and protect a small space for discussion
> and reflection from
> >> the encroachments of political advertisements and
> election marketing
> >> exercises. I would appeal to everyone to restrain
> themselves from
> >> putting out this kind of endorsement of electoral
> platforms. There
> >> are many other forums for these exercises on the
> internet, please
> >> take all public-relations material there. And
> spare us,
> >>
> >> Oddly, advertising pundits often fail to take into
> account the fact
> >> that some campaigns backfire on the products that
> they are supposed
> >> to endorse.
> >>
> >> regards
> >>
> >> Shuddha
> >>
> >>
> >> On 16-Apr-09, at 8:43 AM, Pawan Durani wrote:
> >>
> >> > Dear All,
> >> >
> >> > What may be serious for 'x' may be
> non serious for 'y'. Who defines
> >> > the limits ? Unless the group is meant to
> support a particular
> >> > ideology leaning towards my weaker hand side.
> >> >
> >> > This group has been forwarded mails from
> pathetic writers and
> >> > Kashmir expert like 'Aran Dhat Teri Ki
> Roy '  and we had to bear
> >> > that .
> >> >
> >> > It is understandable that someone may not
> understand poetry of Mr
> >> > Vajpayee as I do not understand Marx either.
> >> >
> >> > However the time is ripe that communal right
> wing party like
> >> > Communists , who have an election with
> radical Muslim party like
> >> > PDP of Madhani in Kerela should be returned
> without any seat across
> >> > the country.
> >> >
> >> > The dual standards of pathetic and hazardous
> party needs to be
> >> > exposed . At least we may be saving the
> future generation of
> >> > innocent youths who undergo a brain wash by
> the followers of
> >> > foreign ideology.
> >> >
> >> > Regards
> >> >
> >> > pawan
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 12:39 AM,
> Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> >> > <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
> >> > Dear All,
> >> >
> >> > I never thought the day would come when the
> reader list, after all
> >> > the nonsense it has had to swallow over the
> last few years, would
> >> > also have to bear with the indignity of being
> subject to missives
> >> > sent on behalf of the person, Atal Behari
> Vajpayee, who having
> >> > hobbled along past his sell by date,
> continues to peddle the tripe
> >> > that goes by the name of his pathetic party.
> >> >
> >> > This was meant to be a list for serious
> discussion, and has instead
> >> > become a forum for the less than mediocre
> propaganda, mainly of the
> >> > seemingly inexhaustible far right. Not just
> jibes (of course,
> >> > unsubstantiated) against activists, but now,
> much worse, the
> >> > pompous serenade of someone who was not just
> the worst prime
> >> > minister (A B Vajpayee( but also probably the
> worst poet that this
> >> > country has had the misfortune to have been
> subject to.
> >> >
> >> > I hope that you will all (irrespective of
> political affiliation and
> >> > loyalties) join me in requesting everyone
> concerned not to burden
> >> > us with this kind of puerile election
> propaganda in the future. It
> >> > is bad enough that I have to take calls from
> the BJP and the
> >> > Congress and the Third, Fourth, Left, Right
> and  my phone an in my
> >> > mailbox, it is worse to see this space that
> we have tried to
> >> > nurture for autonomous discussion being
> slowly crept on by
> >> > electioneering. In this election, where no
> party and no candidate
> >> > has any vision worth discussing, the last
> thing we need is to have
> >> > the space between our ears being filled with
> election spam on the
> >> > reader list.
> >> >
> >> > Please try and keep election garbage out of
> here.
> >> >
> >> > thanks
> >> >
> >> > Shuddha
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On 15-Apr-09, at 11:20 PM, Pawan Durani
> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> My Dear Fellow Citizens,
> >> >>
> >> >> The decisive hour for electing the 15th
> Lok Sabha is upon us.
> >> >> Today, our
> >> >> nation is confronted by serious
> challenges of every kind. To
> >> >> successfully
> >> >> meet these challenges the nation needs a
> strong government and a
> >> >> determined
> >> >> leader. A government that by means of
> good governance, can ensure
> >> >> security
> >> >> for and rapid development of our country
> – a promise that has been
> >> >> made and
> >> >> will be delivered by Shri LK Advani.
> >> >>
> >> >> I am unable to meet all of you due to
> poor health. However, I am
> >> >> grateful to
> >> >> you for the belongingness and affection
> that you have showered
> >> >> upon me. What
> >> >> perturbs me much more than my own health
> is the health of my
> >> >> India. The cure
> >> >> for that lies in your firm resolve.
> >> >>
> >> >> Shri Lal Krishna Advani and I have been
> working together since
> >> >> 1952. His
> >> >> unblemished character and resolute
> personality have shown like a
> >> >> light torch
> >> >> in Indian politics. He is skilful in the
> art of taking up
> >> >> challenges and
> >> >> overcoming them. He is a compassionate
> human being and an
> >> >> exceptional leader
> >> >> whose best is yet to come. I firmly
> believe becoming the Prime
> >> >> Minister of
> >> >> India will bring out the best in him.
> >> >>
> >> >> I appeal to all of you, especially to the
> youth of our country, to
> >> >> extend
> >> >> your wholehearted support, assistance and
> mandate to the BJP and
> >> >> its allied
> >> >> parties. Only Advaniji is capable of
> fulfilling the dream that
> >> >> both of us
> >> >> have seen together. Adavaniji can provide
> a new direction to the
> >> >> governance
> >> >> of this country so that we create an
> India that is devoid of poverty,
> >> >> hunger, despair and injustice.
> >> >>
> >> >> I invite you to join me in taking a firm
> resolve to create a strong
> >> >> government under the determined
> leadership of Shree Advani for a
> >> >> strong and
> >> >> prosperous India. This will only happen
> when you make the
> >> >> candidates of BJP
> >> >> and its allies from your region
> victorious.
> >> >>
> >> >> Thank you,
> >> >>
> >> >> Atal Behari Vajpayee
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> http://www.lkadvani.in/eng/content/view/865/427/
> >> >> _________________________________________
> >> >> 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/>
> >> >
> >> > Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> >> > The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> >> > Raqs Media Collective
> >> > shuddha at sarai.net
> >> > www.sarai.net
> >> > www.raqsmediacollective.net
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> >> The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> >> Raqs Media Collective
> >> shuddha at sarai.net
> >> www.sarai.net
> >> www.raqsmediacollective.net
> >>
> >>
> >> _________________________________________
> >> 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/>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > -- 
> > Aditya Raj Kaul
> > _________________________________________
> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the
> city.
> > Critiques & Collaborations
> > To subscribe: send an email to
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> > subscribe in the subject header.
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> 
> _________________________________________
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> Critiques & Collaborations
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