[Reader-list] Shameful Torture of 23 Muslims Prisoners on March 26-27 In Sabarmati Jail, Ahamedabad: A Report by Human Rights Activists

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Dear Rakesh
 
Since you have referred to it, this is what I had written """"" Instead of Modi's rule in Gujarat setting an inspirational example of "Hindutva based governance", it has been furnishing enough examples of horrific mis-governance that confirm the worst fears about Hindutvaism for anyone who loves India and is truly a nationalist."

Since you seem to have misunderstood, I must explain that comment.
 
BJP is supposed to be the political face of Hindutva. Hindutvavaadis claim that Hindutva is not communal, that it is much misunderstood and that it would be the 'bestest' thing for India. Hence my comment that Modi should have used the opportunity to show everyone that such claims are true and set an 'inspirational example' of such a 'Hindutva based governance'. Instead Modi's rule has furnished  "enough examples of horrific mis-governance that confirm the worst fears about Hindutvaism for anyone who loves India and is truly a nationalist"
 
It would be easy for me to tell you what it is I understand by Hindutva on the basis of which I abhor it. I will not do it, in the context of this conversation, since we are talking about bridging divides not reinforcing them. 
 
The bridging of divides is not with respect to Hindutva alone. That is why i wrote "I would rather question and attack singly every one of the examples of unacceptable speech or action (based in any ideology) that one is faced with from day to day. Not as a confrontation or propaganda but through due processes of Law. The Law alone is peoplespeake for what 'we the people of India' find unacceptable. If there are deficiencies in the Law or in it's application, those must be rectified."
 
There are a whole number of ideologies resident in India and regularly in the name of one or the other there is 'unacceptable speech or action'. In the context of this conversation, I will not highlight any single one as being deserving of exclusive attention. That would not be bridging divides but reinforcing them.
 
So it might be 'unacceptable speech or action' in the name of Hindutva; Islam; Hinduism; Christianity; Capitalism; Communism; Naxalism; Worker's Rights; Management Rights; and so on and on and on and on.
 
Each 'unacceptable' example should be tackled separately and head-on with the hope that it will diminish the incidence of such 'unacceptable speech or action' whatever be the ideology it is rooted in.
 
That is my attitude and viewpoint. 
 
Kshmendra
 
--- On Sun, 4/19/09, Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Shameful Torture of 23 Muslims Prisoners on March 26-27 In Sabarmati Jail, Ahamedabad: A Report by Human Rights Activists
To: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com
Cc: "sarai-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>, "Venugopalan K M" <kmvenuannur at gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009, 5:22 PM


Dear Kshamendra

I am happy to begin with that you have stated that bridging divides is the key point you are looking for. And even I would like to be a part of that. And for the rest of your points, I too agree with them.

After all, Modi hasn't got each vote for his party; there can be many other factors for the same as well. Equally, I am not asking you or anyone to dismiss the BJP for that matter, basically because it does win votes after all. And one must note that as of now, it is one of the two major poles on which any government formation at the centre depends. 

However, when you stated that Modi could have provided Hindutva based governance instead of doing such things, I felt it was wrong because Hindutva essentially means this. First of all, I would like to point out that whether one accepts it or not, the conceptions of Hindutva have been defined by Savarkar and the RSS. And while you or I can have our conceptions, they are of no use simply because only the RSS version is employed. 

I would be glad if you could mention your conception of Hindutva as well before we go ahead with any further discussion.

Regards

Rakesh